Wandsworth Council is stepping up the pressure on South West Trains (SWT) to introduce longer trains on increasingly congested local routes.
 
When SWT was awarded its current rail franchise in 2006, it was expected that ten car trains would be up and running on Windsor to Waterloo services by December 2010.
 
So far no new trains have materialised and no new delivery deadline has been set.
 
The Windsor line is the most overcrowded in South West London and is relied upon by thousands of Wandsworth commuters. It stops at Putney, Wandsworth Town and Clapham Junction before terminating at Waterloo.
 
Longer trains were also promised for other heavily congested local routes by the end of 2013 but this is now looking increasingly unlikely.
 
Wandsworth Council’s transport spokesman Cllr Ravi Govindia says: “Overcrowding is getting worse on local services and commuters are becoming increasingly frustrated with the sardine-like conditions.
 
"Network Rail has begun extending platforms at local railway stations to prepare for ten car services but this won't help matters unless SWT start using longer trains. We want a positive response from the rail company and a clear commitment to getting these badly needed trains on the tracks."
 
Cllr Govindia has written to SWT and the Transport Minister Theresa Villiers setting out his concerns and calling for a new delivery timetable.
 
April 13th, 2011