Overcrowding has long been an issue on the railways, but generally we associate the problem with the trains themselves.

But of course it is an issue in stations too, and the more successful rail becomes as a form of transport, the more difficult it becomes for people to actually manoeuvre around congested stations.

Obviously limiting the number of passengers on a station, or even the people who are not travelling, is not an option. Even extending the space available in each station would be an expensive, and in many cases, impractical solution.

Yet if all the people knew where they were going, what they needed to do and how to do this, the improved efficiency would provide an increased smoothness of movement.

Making train timetabling as clear as possible, taking ticket buying and collection online and manageable before passengers reach the station and giving everyone a better sense of direction would bring order to the chaos, and alleviate much of the miseries of congestion.