Urgent action is needed to help ease overcrowding at rail stations and encourage more commuters to use buses and other forms of transport, according to the London Assembly.
A report by members of the assembly’s transport committee warns that there are already serious concerns about levels of overcrowding on trains The Big squeeze report highlights the top 20 busiest rail routes into London, and identifies the 12 worst ‘pinch point’ stations where commuters are often unable to board trains which are overcrowded before they even reach the outskirts of the capital.
It calls on the mayor, Boris Johnson, to include plans to encourage people to shift to other forms of transport and reduce passenger demand by developing new economic hubs outside central London when he publishes his transport strategy later this year.
A recent slowdown in the increase in passenger numbers has led to a reduction of some train services but Transport for London still forecasts a 30%-40% increase in passengers over the next two decades.
Transport committee chair, Val Shawcross, said: ‘Although times are tough at the moment, overcrowding remains a serious problem on many routes, and the anticipated fall in passenger numbers will not go on forever.
‘Any short-term cuts to allow for the current economic slowdown must not compromise long-term measures to reduce overcrowding that will be needed more than ever as London recovers.’
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