Network Rail Paddington Station

As one of London’s busiest transport hubs, Paddington railway station receives thousands of passengers through its doors every month. With such a heavy volume of footfall, flooring entrance systems not only need to be extremely tough, they need to contribute to a safe and secure environment that minimises the risk of slips and trips. So when Network Rail set about an extensive safety upgrade of its stations, Forbo Flooring System’s Nuway Tuftiguard HD entrance matting was the obvious solution.

One of nine stations to be tackled during the upgrade, Paddington is the main terminal for the Heathrow Express. With footbourne dirt and moisture a major cause of slips and falls, an absorbent entrance matting system that is durable enough to withstand the daily onslaught of passengers and wheeled luggage was an essential component of the refurbishment. What’s more, with parts of the station dating back to the original historic building, constructed by Isambard Kingdon Brunel in 1854, the system also had to contribute to a pleasing overall aesthetic.

Forbo’s Nuway Tuftiguard HD engineered entrance system was specified by Master Matting Installations, approved Forbo Entrance Systems Specialist Installer (FESSI), for its robust construction and proven effectiveness in similar environments. Working alongside main contractors AMCO Construction, Master Matting Installations was very familiar with Forbo’s system and its reliable performance qualities, having used the products before on numerous commercial projects.

Perhaps the main benefit of the Nuway Tuftiguard mats for this particular project however, is that they can be fitted anywhere without the need for a recessed matwell. Where it is not possible or appropriate to install the system below the surface level so that it is flush with the existing floor, Nuway Tuftiguard can be fitted using a ramped edge frame, with the frame fixed to the substrate to form a ‘fixed surface’ matwell. This means that the system can be installed anywhere, without damage to the existing floor – perfect for a refurbishment project such as at Paddington.

Sam Webb, Director at Master Matting Installations comments: “Safety was clearly the main priority for us but we also needed to install the matting on top of the existing platform, which meant we needed an effective system that could be fitted easily and with minimum disruption to the station. Nuway Tuftiguard offered us the opportunity to achieve this whilst simultaneously delivering a heavy duty entrance barrier system to remove and retain moisture and dirt in order to prevent any hazardous conditions that could contribute to a slip or trip - a key consideration for all publicly accessed buildings.”