Analysis of rail passenger flow in a rail station concourse prior to and during COVID-19 pandemic using event-based simulation models and scenarios

This paper examines a railway station of Birmingham New Street of the passenger behaviour, prior to and during the impacts of COVID-19. During 2018/19, there has been an increase in the number of rail passenger journeys in the West Midlands. However, with the COVID-19 pandemic emerging during March 2020, the number of passengers using public transport, particularly by train to travel have declined. The aim of this study is to make comparisons in the number of passengers using the station between prior to and during COVID-19, along with proposing techniques to improve crowd management. To achieve this, simulation models have been used to validate the current system of crowd management and passenger behaviour in the station, along with using scenarios to see the changes and impacts from the current system, i.e. within the context of COVID-19. The results reveal that passengers already obtained their train tickets whilst entering the station, they are able to access to the platforms in the shortest time, with minimal queuing times. Whereas those without tickets, passengers are more likely to be in a queue to buy their tickets in the station, hence overcrowding is more likely to occur. However, during the impacts of COVID-19, queuing seems to be less frequent, thus passengers spend less time in the system.