I have written to Southern and this is their response (see below). I am going to find out who we can write to and complain as it seems as this idea is ill thought out and will cause a lot of inconveniance. It has also been forced through rather quick whilst for many years the station has been left to rot..

The planned gate opening for Forest Hill is 7th July, we will not be accepting pay as you go until we sign up next May. The gate on platform 2 will be manned between 1500 and 2000 the rest of the day it will be closed. We will put up posters once we have confirmation of the go live date this will be backed up with announcements at the stations.

So southern have basically said go whistle in the wind.... Such forward planning!

It's rare that I advocate this kind of thing, but I think there's room for a sticker protest on the gate once it's shut. I really feel strongly about this issue, particularly the fact that it will be closed when the station is unmanned and access is free at the other platform. "Southern and TfL: Open this gate, you vandals!" or something along those lines.

It appears there are four gate sets, not three, as well as the hinged gate, and that one of the four is wider than the others. Three plus a gate should be enough to get people through.

Sadly, it also appears they're of the design used at King's Cross, which means you'll have to swipe your ticket about an hour before in order to wait for the paddles to open.

This is going to be a nightmare.

The barrers are not even in yet and there were problems at Forest Hill yesterday when trains were cancelled and people were trying to get out of the station while others were standing in front of the screen trying to see what trains were actually running - blocking the way. What happens when the ticket queue starts to stretch out blocking the barriers too. There will have to be an extra member of staff controlling the passenger flow and one can only wonder why this person isnt instead selling tickets and reducing the queues, rather than operating a stupid ticket barrier policy.

The back gate problem is unbelieveable and everyone should continue to complain. Posters stating who to complain to could be put up - bombard the *******s with email and letters and continue to complain until we get results. The reason this gate will not be open when the station is unmanned is because someone will need to be responsbile for it.

Wouldnt it be terrible if some hoody with a crow bar were to break the lock one evening and let the people free?

Wouldnt it be great if one of the most expensive train systems in the world could just employ a few people to stand and check tickets like at waterloo, instead of using these gates. 1 person at the gate on platform 2 and 2 at the gate on platform 1. You're going to need to people anyway to man the gate and angry customers!

Im up for printing stickers and sticking them up. you can get 5000 stickers printed for about 80 quid.

I also think it would be reasonable for a number of people to gather at the gate to prevent the closure at 8pm. At this time staff will want to go home and we can at least make them feel uncomfortable implementing a stupid rule by Southern. But I guess we now need to wait to see exactly how they will implement the policy next week and how much disruption we can cause to the Perry Vale policy:
* refusing to show tickets when inspectors are there
* standing in the way when they try to shut the gate
* pressing the help button when the gate is closed
* asking for help across the footbridge (from platform 1) when the gate is closed at Perry Vale
* refusing to swipe Oyster cards / inserting tickets in the machine and demanding that the gates are opened manually to slow down the operation of the barriers - making a point of telling the staff that you did not want to be using the main entrance

The Southern policy of closing the Perry Vale exit is unnecessarily discriminatory against people with limited mobility and must be resisted!

And don't forget all of us 'paper' ticket holders whose tickets have mind of there own and stop working three days after getting a new one. I look forward to seeing how old grumpy at the station enjoys dealing with us every morning! I know how much he enjoys replacing my ticket!

I am disturbed about the last few comments from I assume otherwise lawabiding citizens ( applauding a hoodie with a crow bar one example). What if that hoodie put the crowbar over your hear.
Surely we should wait and see , you never know.

And what if the street cleaner jammed his shovel into your instep? What if a dog-walker whipped the chain off his mutt and started swinging it at head height?

Hoodies with crowbars is a silly suggestion, yes, and I'm sure it wasn't serious, but that's not to say that the vandalism (and that's what it is) of Southern and TfL in this instance should be ignored and blithely accepted.

I'm more bothered about the gate being shut after the station is no longer manned than I am about it being shut when it will prevent fare-dodging. The prevention of fare-dodging is a legitimate aim, and while this is a clumsy way of going about it, I wouldn't get too worked up on that front.

The closure after the end of staffing hours, though, is a different matter. It will produce no revenue whatever, and is nothing more than a gratuitous inconvenience to passengers. So some form of action is appropriate. Walk up the steps when the gate is closed and tie stuff to the gate. I don't know. Something.

Look what I found on Southern's website, http://www.southernrailway.com/main.php?page_id=86:

Inaccessible stations

If you wish to travel to/from a station which you cannot access due to steps we will provide an accessible taxi for the relevant part of your journey at no additional charge. If you require this service, please call Southern Assisted Travel at least 24 hours before your journey. If you do not give us 24 hours notice, there may be a considerable wait while we obtain an accessible taxi.

Tel: 0800 138 1016

This should mean that passengers will be able to get a taxi from Sydenham station to Forest Hill when they are using the southbound service. You may need to know what train you are getting home, which might be a bit limiting, but we can certainly make their situation difficult - just like they are doing to us.

Could somebody try this out and report on the service?

Michael
Although it does not seem to say so I assume it applies to handicapped persons. The exit stairs on the downside are not antway suitable for wheelchairs , not is the bridge. They would be quite entitled at all times for taxi from good old Sydenham. This would be great revenue for taxi drivers.
I agree Michael if station is unmanned both sides then no reason for locking the gate to the stairs.
But please some of the suggestions would be intimidating for the staff.

Brian...If you read carefully - I said it would it be 'TERRIBLE' if a hoodie with a crow bar...etc - which is not suggesting that anyone should go out and commit a crime - obviously.

Of course the staff are going to get hassled. What do you think? They need to complain to their management, which will be another method of getting these silly rules over turned.

I'm really annoyed about the closure of platform 2 exit. I still hope they won't do it, but if they do we should organise some sort of protest. Any suggestion?
To go to East Croydon in the morning you will have to cross the dingy underpass, queue for ages at the barriers (with all those people with paper tickets that never work...), cross the overpass and run a few miles on platform 2 cause the train seem to have the habit to stop nearly at Sydenham...
Why don't they build a new exit in Platform 2 towards the Forest Hill Industrial Estate with a couple of barriers?

Forest Hill Industrial Estate, what a joke
What industry goes on in there. I have been to many proper industrial estates, not sure this could not be had under trades description act

Perhaps the cab company may join in the protest of the gate closure?As a single female having to take late trains home from work at night, I get a cab from the station. Closure of the gates will mean walking through that underpass - it's supposed to be getting refurbished but that doesn't guarantee safety.

netty,

I expect they will have cars in the car park by platform 1 when the platform 2 gate is closed. To comply with the law you will need to telephone the company toorder a cab!

Any ideas why the gate at platform 2 was closed this evening even though the barriers on platform 1 were open with no staff?

No, can only guess they are testing it as they had someone checking tickets there this morning. Gives us a taste of what is to come, an entire trainload queuing to get over the bridge, from what i could see, there was only just enough time to clear the platform from the train i was on (18.18 from LB) before the next southbound arrived. Can't imagine how anyone is supposed to get onto the southbound platfrom against the tide of people crossing the bridge.

I just alighted from the 1905 from LB and the gate on P2 was open.