Graphic standards for the design of spaces in high-speed railway stations

Abstract

The liberalisation of passenger transport by rail on high-speed lines has produced a turning point in this mode of transport. The access of new private railway companies has led to an increase in the number of passengers using this means of transport. This situation has repercussions on the existing stations because the spaces initially designed are not capable of absorbing this new increase and the future demand. This problem can be seen in the Val & egrave;ncia Joaquin Sorolla station. The station was conceived as a provisional station until the construction of the tunnel under the city, but the provisional nature of the station has been prolonged, creating the need to extend the station to absorb the demand for new passengers until the works are completed. However, this increase in demand has had a negative impact on the initial design of the station and on the planned extension, which has been overwhelmed by this growth. In this article, the aim is to qualify graphically the state of deterioration of quality and safety for users of this type of public service as a preliminary step for the study and definition of standards capable of guaranteeing the design in terms of safety and comfort to respond to the new demand.