Transport 2000 has, today, launched its report into the most overcrowded rail journeys in Britain. Many of those coming in for fire are on regional routes rather than on commuter services such as First Great Western trains in the Thames Valley. Although, as the report fully recognises, capacity is now a very serious issue across the entire network.
The report contains some interesting analysis which supports many of the things this blog has been saying. Not least among them, the fact that the way franchises are structured by the government results in stock-underutilisation because of high leasing costs which, in turn, exacerbates overcrowding.
Julia Thomas, Transport 2000’s public transport campaigner, said: “It’s very easy to blame rail operators for overcrowding problems, but actually a lot of it is down to the Government’s rail policy – they have issued ‘no growth’ franchises for the past 10 years and they’ve been promoting a policy of fares hikes to get people to travel off-peak, but passengers really don’t have that much flexibility. In addition, the very short time periods covered by franchise agreements does not encourage any infrastructure investment by the rail operators.”
Amen to that.
You can see more about Transport 2000s campaign, and follow their mascot – Sardine Man – via the following links:
Sardine Man Blog
News release
Download booklet
Right click on the above link (and use the 'Save As' option) to download a PDF copy of the Truth About First Great Westen booklet.
Alternatively you can request a copy by emailing:
fgwtruth@gmail.com
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If you have a complaint about overcrowding, or any other type of complaint about First Great Western, please visit http://www.railvoice.co.uk You can then post complete details of your complaint and it will be forwarded to FGW.
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