Wednesday 11 May 2011

Waterloo Station Retail Development

Tomorrow evening the South Bank Forum features an update on Network Rail's £10 million project to create 18 new shops on a balcony at Waterloo Station.

According to Network Rail, 70% of all rail users either start or finish their journey in London giving an exquisite opportunity to make filthy great profits from flogging bottled water, shiny paperbacks and the like, brought in by the congesting, noisy, stinking, lorryload.

The opportunity to grossly rack up the profits at the cost of the environment is enhanced if you ensure your stations don't have drinking water fountains or taps for refilling your water bottles, charity shops or libraries.

Let's see what their website says:
Greener stations

We're committed to reducing our environmental impact throughout the infrastructure that we own and operate.
 
Our Commitments:
Achieving sustainable consumption and production
Protecting natural resources
Improving energy efficiency and reducing reliance on fossil fuels
Improving the economic value of the existing railway
Encouraging people to use the railways.

Yeah, right.

Why not ask whether there'll be prominently positioned water taps in the newly refurbished station at the meeting tomorrow night.