We can’t cope with this many passengers, says Network Rail

[Metroland]

Demand for rail travel is rising much faster than government predictions, and the network risks being overwhelmed by extra passengers, according to Network Rail.

The modest increases in capacity announced by ministers in July fall far short of what will be needed if passenger numbers keep growing at the present rate.

Network Rail’s strategic business plan, published yesterday, says that overcrowding has spread across Britain’s railways and is a serious problem even on off-peak trains. More than 100,000 people have to stand, many for 45 minutes or more, on London-bound trains each morning.

Passenger numbers on commuter services into Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Manchester and Glasgow also far exceed the trains’ capacity.

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/transport/article2788946.ece

 

[Coxster]

Gimmie a house in the city and I'll do my bit and walk to the office instead

 

[Daniel]

Just goes to show that more investment is needed - and not just for fancy high speed lines to France, or a National Rail version of the Underground just in case an election was called... again.

 

[Metroland]

A crackdown on fare-dodging commuters in the south of England has boosted revenues at rail and bus company Stagecoach.

A trading update published by the Perth-based operator yesterday reported that increasing revenues mean its pre-tax profit for the year ended April 30, 2008, would be ahead of its previous expectations. Analysts had estimated that profits would hit £123.3m for the year.

A major driver of the increased revenues was performance in its UK rail division, encompassing South West trains running out of London Waterloo, and Island Line on the Isle of Wight, where combined like-for-like growth for the 24 weeks ended October 14, 2007 was 15.7%.

http://www.theherald.co.uk/business/news/display.var.1804027.0.0.php

 

[devon_metro]

The only solution to overcrowing is to actually care about the railways, something the Government can't be credited for...