Extra carriages added to busy Newbury trains

First Great Western has said more carriages will be added to reduce overcrowding but commuter groups wary

TRAIN operator First Great Western has agreed to add 48 carriages to some of its busiest trains across the Thames Valley routes.

The announcement comes three months on from publication of a Government study which showed Newbury commuters suffered some of the worst cases of overcrowding on trains in the entire south of the country.

Transport Minister Theresa Villiers said the Thames Valley region will benefit from 4,500 extra seats, and that 40 carriages will be added to the lines into London Paddington, with six extra carriages providing extra capacity between Reading and Basingstoke.

The MP for Newbury Richard Benyon, said from February commuters would see the high speed trains grow from seven carriages to eight, giving 84 more seats per train and the smaller turbo trains increase from two to three carriages, and that all the changes will be in place by September next year.

“This shows how the Government is listening to the needs of commuters and I am pleased to have been involved in lobbying for this outcome along with First Great Western,” he added.

Thames Valley branch of commuter protection group Railfuture cautiously welcomed the news but warned that the number was not nearly enough.

Spokesman Hugh Jaeger said: “The extra carriages announced today will barely keep pace with one year's increase in passenger numbers.

“Passengers on the Newbury line should definitely benefit in the morning on trains heading into Reading and London.

“The problem will be in the late afternoon coming home from London. The number of passengers for Slough, Maidenhead and Reading has increased by hundreds of thousands in recent years, and they will still compete with Newbury line passengers for the same seats.

“Doubling the length of Newbury trains from three to six coaches will simply make them more attractive to commuters for Slough and Reading who can't find room on any other overcrowded First Great Western trains.”