Posted 12th August 2011 | 6 Comments
Peak train overcrowding has started to rise again
Six of the ten most overcrowded trains arrived at London Paddington
NEW FIGURES from the Office of Rail Regulation suggest that overcrowding on peak time trains may be rising again, following the dip caused by the economic crisis in 2009.
The most overcrowded trains are on First Great Western, where one early morning train from Worcester to Paddington with an official capacity of 381 passengers in standard class was actually carrying 635 by the time it was approaching London, giving a 'Passengers in Excess of Capacity' (or PiXC) measure of 167 per cent.
This train, the 05.02 from Worcester Shrub Hill, heads a list of the 'ten most overcrowded trains', according to figures released alongside the ORR report by the Department for Transport.
Number two on the list was a FGW intercity train from Swansea, with a PiXC of 160 per cent, while the third was also a FGW train, this time from Oxford, with a PiXC of 154 per cent.
The 'top ten' list includes six First Great Western trains, two on the Thameslink route of First Capital Connect and one each from Southern and National Express East Anglia.
Outside London the evening peak is sharper, with more passengers carried than in the morning, which is the reverse of what happens in London.
Birmingham had the highest demand, with 36,100 passengers in the evening peak on a typical weekday in autumn 2010. This was followed by Manchester (29,400 departures) and Leeds (23,800).
The highest percentage of standard class passengers standing outside the south east was recorded at Leeds, with 14 per cent standing in the morning and 12.1 per cent in the evening.
Both the ORR and the DfT warn that their figures, which were gathered in the autumn of 2010, should be treated with 'caution', because methods of measurement vary among operators and some have been estimated.
The DfT also says that more recent counts reveal that the level of overcrowding has eased this year on some of the 'top ten' trains, but publication of these figures follows the recent revelation by ATOC that passenger figures rose generally in the first half of this year by six per cent, taking the number of journeys made on National Rail back to levels not seen in peacetime since the 1920s.
ATOC responded to the latest statistics by blaming the Department for Transport for 'too much' involvement in railway management.
A spokesman said: "We understand passengers’ frustration when they can’t get a seat. Train companies now run 20 per cent more services a day than at the start of privatisation but there are limitations to what they can do. In recent years, too much involvement by civil servants has too often held up the delivery of new carriages and limited operators’ ability to plan for and respond to overcrowding.
"It’s good news that the coalition government is investing in over 2,500 new carriages and has pledged to introduce more flexible franchises that will allow operators to respond better to overcrowding. Train companies will work with the Government to ensure additional carriages are delivered."
Reader Comments:
Views expressed in submitted comments are that of the author, and not necessarily shared by Railnews.
Lee, Manchester, England
The DfT has finally vaguely acknowledged what rail commuters have known for years! it is interesting, though not unexpected, that they are trying to play down the issue by stating the released figures should be viewed with caution, even after they changed the criteria for measuring overcrowding by adopting the London standard for the whole of the country. Why do these people seem so unwilling to acknowledge that overcrowding is increasing outside the capital. Surely this is a good sign that Government policy (to some extent) is working and commuters are switching to rail? Then again, it also means the government has to do something to address the phenomena, including spending money.
Lutz, London
Northern is going to receive an extra 22 carriages for the December 2011 timetable change, so it is clearly not forgotten.
The key problem is however in the south were the majority of the exists. FGW has a plan, but the SWT lines still have not been resolved - suburban lines there is a plan, but no vehicles/funding, and there is nothing for SWT long distance except a suggestion that a tunnel may be required.
Tony Pearce, Reading, UK
Put the fares prices up at 'Peak time' and drop the fares prices in 'off-peak' time.
Passengers will adjust the times they travel according to the fares.
Its that simple.
Windsorian, UK
Obviously Crossrail will make a difference to the GWML after it opens in 2018, though a decision is still awaited on whether it will be extended to Reading.
Also the final London & SE RUS published in July 2011 has identified that there will be insufficient capacity from East of Reading without additional fast trains into Paddington.
The Network Rail proposed solution (A5) is to end the Heathrow Express (HEx) service from Platforms 6 & 7 at Paddington, and turn these platforms over to 4tph fast trains to Reading.
Heathrow would then be served by a 10tph Crossrail service operating on a skip-stop basis; 4tph would go to CTA / T4 with the other 6tph providing a South & North western link via CTA / T5 to Staines and Slough / Reading.
The other way to increase capacity into Paddington is to syphon off passengers onto HS2 and the HS1 / HS2 link, so they do not need to go into Paddington / Central London just to change trains.
For the Network Rail proposals in the 226 page RUS, readers should start on pages 9 / 10 before looking elsewhere.
Joel Kosminsky, London, Britain
Nothing stops TOCs running extra carriages and/or trains except they won't make money out of it and might have to lease more trains (more expense) if the rolling stock isn't available or suited to the route. Franchises only specify MINIMUM service levels. Crocodile tears?
Paul Martin, York, England
As ever - the North is forgotten. I often travel TPE York/Leeds/Manchester/Liverpool, a 3 car 185 simply isn't enough for the demand.
After 8am the first 'cheaper' tickets on EC are standing room in the vestibules too on a regular basis. It would be nice if the overcrowding solutions / discussions aren't limited to the South.