Crossrail 2 will banish 'sardine trains'
More train capacity is needed to keep London working, according to the capital businesses.
As new figures from the Department for Transport all 10 of the busiest train journeys start or end in London, business group
London Firstsaid more investment is needed.
Baroness Jo Valentine, Chief Executive of
London Firstsaid:
“The Department for Transport's statistics on weekday crowding show the current strains on our rail network. Even with the major transport programmes that are already planned or underway, by the late 2020s most tube and train carriages will feel like sardine tins for much of the day.
“Investment to help ease congestion is vital to keep London moving. The proposed Crossrail 2 project would create a new high frequency, high capacity rail line with shorter journey times between south west and north east London.
"It would help to relieve congestion on busy main line routes into central London and on the Underground network, while allowing communities around London to benefit from the creation of new jobs and new homes.
“The consultation process for Crossrail 2 ends on 2 August 2013. We need everyone to get behind this project and make it happen.”
The DfT figures show that the 7:44am from Henley on Thames to London Paddington is the busiest service in the country in Spring 2012, with a load factor 184%.
Second is the 7:14am from Didcot Parkway to London Paddington, load factor 173%, and third is the 4:48pm London Euston to Birmingham New Street, with a load factor 166%.
Transport Minister Norman Baker said:
"Climbing on to a very crowded train is an unpleasant experience and I sympathise with passengers using these services.
"I urge train operators to do what they can on these particular trains. The department is working closely with the industry to ensure this issue is tackled.
"Strong transport links provide economic benefits. This is why the coalition government is doing its part investing record amounts to transform the rail network, electrifying more than 800 miles of track, purchasing state-of-the-art rolling stock for the Great Western, Thameslink, Southern and East Coast routes and delivering a new high speed network through HS2 but we all need to pull together."
