Rail regarding overcrowding
Date: August 2009 In the 12-25th August edition (issue 625) p.42 of Rail magazine, there is an article on overcrowding. There is an interesting paragraph:"Journeys within the South West Region have increased by 81% (Since privatisation in 1995) in this period, with the number of passengers travelling to or from Bristol rising by 119%. Other hot spots include North Somerset (up 105%). The pattern is repeated at Cardiff (up 85%) and Edinburgh (up 89%)"
Later in the article he writes:
"The practical way to extend the revival of rail services outside London is to create more Passenger Transport Executives beyond those in the largest conurbations."
Somehow I think I have heard a local voice saying the same for sometime!!!
North Somerset would be even higher with the simple re opening of Portishead, and Bristol would be even higher with the Metro and Henbury as we have seen from the Severn Beach line.
The same edition reports that FGW are looking to replace 5 of its 142 units (on Tarka line) and is looking for further units.