South West Railway Line: Overcrowding

(asked on 25th October 2017) - View Source

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to reduce overcrowding on the South West Mainline into London Waterloo.


Answered by
Paul Maynard Portrait
Paul Maynard
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
This question was answered on 31st October 2017

The newly let South Western Railway franchise will oversee a £1.2 billion investment that will improve journeys for millions of train passengers, and provide a boost for the communities served. This franchise will see the following mainline improvements:

  • more space for passengers including a:

o 35% increase morning peak capacity into London Waterloo

o 41% increase evening peak capacity out of London Waterloo

  • 35 additional services each weekday and Saturday between Portsmouth & Southsea and London Waterloo
  • more Sunday services across the Main Line, with the equivalent of a weekday service after 1:00pm
  • faster journeys to London with trains being:

o 8 minutes faster from Southampton Central

o 9 minutes faster from Bournemouth

o 14 minutes faster from Weymouth

o 5 minutes faster from Portsmouth

o 11 minutes faster from Salisbury

  • comfortable 2 plus 2 seating on all Portsmouth fast trains to London
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