"Standing room Only" for commuters in new rail deal

5.36.18pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 23rd Jul 2003

The Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) has just signed a new three year franchise agreement with SW Trains (Stagecoach) to 2007.

The key features are:

• a commitment to punctuality and reliability

• replacement of the remaining 'slam door' trains by new (Desiro) trains

*more CCTV at stations and station repainting

*overhaul and refurbishment of the main local trains (the Class 455 Metro carriages)

The SRA has however dropped proposals which were key to service improvements such as longer train - reducing standing and crowding - and more frequent trains.

Vincent Cable, MP, was critical of the new arrangements and claimed they only "offered marginal improvement for commuters. We are being offered a future in which peak hour commuters will be asked to pay more to stand in crowded but more luxurious carriages and arrive consistently late for work in a little more comfort."

"The government - which controls the Strategic Rail Authority - hasn't got its priorities right. While it is more pleasant to have air conditioned, smartly upholstered trains, I think most of my fellow commuters would prefer to have a seat in a punctual and fast - even if old - train".

Vincent Cable also referred to the "absolute scandal" of new SW Trains trains which are sitting in a depot because of under investment in electrical supplies such that the system cannot cope with them.

"The brutal truth is that rail services are now worse than they were before they were privatised just under a decade ago and there is no prospect of serious improvement despite the vast amount of public money and fare increases".