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Topic: Bedwyn - London Paddington Service Was The UK's Most Overcrowded In 2006 (Read 2810 times)
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Lee
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The 0635 Bedwyn - London Paddington service was the most overcrowded train service in the UK in 2006 (link below.) http://www.dft.gov.uk/foi/responses/2007/july2007/foitenmostcrowded/foicrowdedtrains2The 0614 Oxford - London Paddington , 1752 London Paddington - Worcester Shrub Hill and the 1806 London Paddington - Oxford also made the "overcrowding top ten." So , just to recap , 4 OUT OF THE TOP TEN most overcrowded train services in the UK in 2006 were operated by FIrst Great Western , whose fleet size was agreed to be reduced as part of the new franchise. An interesting aside is this March 2007 Transport 2000 link revealing the 10 train services "that most urgently need their capacity increased." (link below.) http://www.transport2000.org.uk/news/maintainNewsArticles.asp?NewsArticleID=365For some reason , no FGW services appear. |
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« Last Edit: July 06, 2007, 05:32:09 PM by Lee »
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Industry Insider
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Interesting reading, though I am always slightly sceptical of the accuracy of these reports/surveys. Who exactly counted the 771 passengers so accurately on the 06:35 ex Bedwyn? It couldn't be done ON the train as nobody could move through the train as it's so crowded full of punters, and on all platforms at Paddington there is more than one exit to watch, coupled with passengers boarding/alighting trains on adjacent platforms.
From my experience several arrivals at Paddington (and doubtless other London termini) are about as full as a train can get, though I would argue that the busiest section on FGW in the London area is between Southall and Ealing Broadway. It is simply not possible to cram anyone else on board the several 3-car Turbos that run in the morning peak. The Heathrow Connect trains are now all enhanced from 4 to 5-car units (bar one which should be ready soon), and this is giving much needed capacity between Hayes and Paddington, but it only needs one of these to be cancelled or delayed and it's situation meltdown again! Ideally of course all peak hour trains in/out of London should be operated by 5-car Connects, 5/6 Car Turbos, HST's or 10 Car Adelantes. Nobody will fund these extra resources though, so it'll just keep getting worse and worse.
The Transport 2000 stats list a Durham-Newcastle train as 88% over capacity topping the list, but quotes the tenth busiest train as only 54% over capacity. None of the top 10 quoted are FGW operated, but the only way such hapless commuters beween Durham and Newcastle could achieve their alleged extra 35% over FGW's is if they are all weigh 8 stone and carry each other on their shoulders!
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Industry Insider
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I think the phrase 'for which complete data is available' is very pertinent. I wonder what percentage of trains 'complete data' is/was available for?
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Lee
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Another caveat would be that , although the request asked for the 10 most overcrowded services in the UK , the table states that "this table refers to arrivals in or departures from London , for London & South East commuter services."
That said , number 10 on the list , the 0637 Hertford East - London Liverpool Street service , had a load factor of 147% , whereas number 1 on the Transport 2000 list , the 0759 Durham - Newcastle service , had a load factor of 88%.
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Industry Insider
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I think that if you study the wording carefully the Durham-Newcastle train was allegedly 88% over capacity (in other words for every 100 seated passengers, 88 were standing), whereas the Hertford-London train allegedly had a 'load factor' of 147%, which I think equates to about 50% over capacity (or for ever 100 seated passengers, 47 were standing)? Maths in not my strong point though, I hasten to add!  It reminds me of the highly dubious 'Average Peak Queuing Time' figures quoted at Ticket Offices for the Passengers Charter statistics. |
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« Last Edit: July 07, 2007, 02:40:20 PM by Industry Insider »
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Lee
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The DfT table states "Load factor - the value in this column refers to the number of passengers in excess of the maximum allowable passenger capacity for that service , expressed as a percentage."
However , it also states "a train which has the same passenger load as the passenger capacity has a load factor of 100%"
So it could be read both ways.
Lets say Industry Insider is correct (and the figures suggest he is.) The top 4 on the DfT list should all have made it into the Transport 2000 list.
3 of them are FGW services , and the other one , poetically enough , is a First Capital Connect service.
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« Last Edit: July 07, 2007, 03:31:00 PM by Lee »
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Industry Insider
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"So it could be read both ways." Statistics open to interpretation? Hmmmm, surely not...  |
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Fat Cat
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You may be interested to know that the Bedwyn to London train in question was run under the old timetable, and has now been replaced by two trains - a rare case of an improvement in the service due to the new timetable! It was a two set turbo, which on my observation (I board at Newbury) normally had no seats after stopping at Reading West. It filled up with standing passengers at Reading, though the number quoted in the FOI request sounds excessive.
The two replacement services were one set Adelantes (I believe 282 seats each), which came from Westbury and Frome respectively. The result was that both trains had no spare seats by Thatcham, and were absolutely packed from Reading - more so than the one service they replaced. I don't think this was not helped by a reduction in high speed capacity through Reading. Following the efforts of a number of people, including the Newbury MP, FGW agreed that the later service should be run as a two set Adelante, the second set being open from Newbury. Even this morning, this two set service still has standing from Reading.
I suspect a similar FOI request for 2007 would show a far worse position for a number of FGW services through Reading - particularly those from Oxford, and the those stopping at Maidenhead and Twyford.
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Lee
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« Last Edit: July 11, 2007, 02:32:54 PM by Lee »
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