Charlton station holding pen - unsafe?

[Huxley]

Anyone else feel that the London bound station entry holding pen at Charlton station was a bit dodgy. Fine they've got to control the people getting onto the platform, but stuffing a few hundred people into a funnel with a 2m wide exit is a bit strange. Especially as the overflow gate to the left was locked. After a train left they opened the gate but then another train arrived and people shoved forward not to miss the train. My wive got crushed a fair bit (ie any space around her was taken up and got a few elbows to her body. Cops standing on the platform just watching.

[charlieFFC]

I think it looked worse than it was - however would hate to be in that area if it was a derby game or if was kicking off. They must have had some issues over the years with fights by the station and the narrow roads to and from the ground.

[Whitestone]

I was on the platform for the first train that left after the match. The 2150 to London Bridge. I thought at the time that there too many people on the platform, no rail staff that I could see. As a consequence the shoving and pushing to get on the train was far worse than I would normally expect in such situations. It took several attempts to close the doors before the train moved off as more people tried to force themselves onto an already packed train.