Transport for Wales has said the measure could be reintroduced at Cardiff Central during future surges in passenger numbers, after it was used earlier this week to manage the flow of people travelling to Barry Island during warm weather.
Barry Island is one of the only beaches in the area which is easily accessible by train, with tens of direct services running from Cardiff Central everyday, making it a popular choice for daytrippers from Cardiff, Newport and the south Wales Valleys.
The queuing system was put in place on Tuesday, May 26, as temperatures climbed and the seaside destination became a popular choice for thousands of day-trippers.
A spokesman for TfW said: “Safety is our top priority, and we are always ready to adapt and implement queuing systems when we see a surge in passenger numbers.
“With high temperatures on Tuesday, we saw a significant increase in people traveling to Barry Island.
“As a result, we swiftly put a crowd management system in place to ensure everyone could travel safely.
“This is a proven, successful measure that we regularly use during major events, and we would like to thank our teams for their response in managing the volume of passengers effectively.”
TfW also reminded travellers of the importance of preparedness, particularly during hot weather, earlier this week.Â
Advice included staying hydrated, applying suncream, checking service updates before travelling, and avoiding peak periods where possible.
The public was also encouraged to show respect towards staff, who TfW said were “working hard to keep everyone moving” during busy days.
The train operator said it is prepared to implement crowd management measures again as needed.
Between June and August, there is a significant increase in footfall at Barry Island, particularly on hot days as was seen this week.
It is not unusual for 20,000 to 25,000 visitors to visit Barry on a sunny day or during the school holidays, and sometimes visitor numbers can get as high as 100,000, and a lot of these visitors tend to arrive by train.
