Summary
IT SCARCELY seems possible that trains into Waterloo could get more crowded, but they will. South West Trains is forecasting that passenger numbers will go up by half over the next decade. The effect of continued growth in jobs in the capital and of further housebuilding in the South will put huge pressure on rail services that are already under strain. As our survey last month showed, 85 per cent of passengers into Waterloo now expect to stand for all or part of their journey. For a transport system underpinning the most dynamic parts of the economy, this is unacceptable.
South West Trains is looking at taking out lavatories to provide more seats, laying on more carriages and even running double-decker trains. But the first option has already irritated travellers, and the second two require substantial investment by Network Rail to lengthen platforms and rebuild bridges and tunnels. There is little sign of the Department of Transport and the Treasury responding. Back in 2000, the Government's 10 Year Transport Plan admitted that four out of 10 train operators were exceeding overcrowding standards, but the promises of improvement offered then have not been met.See the full content of this document
Extract
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