Other measures include building “flyovers” to allow trains
to bypass busy stations, a new terminus in London and greater use of narrow train seats.
Network Rail has unveiled the proposals as solutions to increased overcrowding
on rail services in the next 30 years. Passenger numbers on the country’s
congested railways are projected to rocket in that period, with the total
number of journeys doubling from 1.6billion a year to 3.2billion. The number of
commuters arriving at Waterloo in London, the country’s
busiest station, between 8am and 9am is expected to rise from 50,000 to 70,000
by 2043.
A new double-decker train could be designed to take on the extra
numbers, after it was decided that none of the trains used abroad would be
suitable as Britain
uses higher station platforms. The initial concept involves a train consisting
of three 85ft carriages which could carry 50 per cent more passengers. Stephen
Joseph, of the Campaign for Better Transport, told the Sunday Times there were
potential “serious problems” with double-decker trains as it takes longer for passengers
to get on and off.
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| In 1949 Four-car double deck trains were introduced on the Southern Region. They were designed by Oliver Bulleid and lasted until 1971. They were said to be cramped and unpopular and were slow to load and unload. Click here and here to see videos. |
The consultation also proposes new platforms at Southampton
station and a rail “flyover” at Woking, costing up to £100m, with one at Basingstoke costing up to £175m. Another scheme was to
increase the number of carriages that cram five seats abreast, a move the
report accepts would be drastically unpopular with the travelling public.
A
separate report outlines options for the Anglia rail network, including a
proposal to build the first new rail terminus in London since Marylebone in 1899. The report
suggests the station could be built next to Shoreditch High Street station in
east London on
land owned by Network Rail. The report also proposes more platforms at Liverpool Street
station.
A spokesman for Network Rail said: “It’s right that as part of our
plans to increase capacity we fully examine the costs and benefits of double-decker
trains, alongside traditional engineering enhancements such as flyovers at
Woking and Basingstoke and new platforms at Southampton.”
Footnote:- One of the Bulleid double deck carriages survives at Northamptonshire Ironstone Railway Trust. See here.
Footnote:- One of the Bulleid double deck carriages survives at Northamptonshire Ironstone Railway Trust. See here.
