Rail route from Glasgow named most crowded service in Britain
AN inter-city train service that begins its journey in Glasgow early in the morning has been named the most crowded in the UK.
According to research by the Labour Party, the 4.22am train from Glasgow Central to Manchester Airport is the highest overcrowded train.
The party said it has twice the number of passengers it is designed to carry.
The analysis of the findings also includes an increase in delays and cancellations in the last year across Britain.
The party said it expects the overcrowding and disruption to passengers to continue through 2019.
Labour Shadow UK transport secretary, Andy McDonald, said: “Under the Tories, fares have risen three times faster than average wages and severe disruption has blighted the network, meaning services are often delayed or cancelled, which in turn has led to overcrowding.
“It’s outrageous that passengers will be hit with yet another above-inflation fares rise following such a miserable year on the railway.
“Making passengers pay more in real terms to travel on increasingly overcrowded trains is simply not sustainable.”
Labour wants rail services back under state control.
Mr McDonald added: “The Government’s blind obsession with privatisation is putting the future of the railway at risk.
“Labour will do what’s best for passengers and taxpayers
‘‘ It’s outrageous that passengers will be hit with yet another above-inflation fares rise
by taking the railway back into public ownership to improve services and cap fares.”
Meanwhile, fares in Scotland rise by an average of 2.8 per cent from this week.
Rail bosses north of the border said that most delays and disruption is caused by issues under the control of Network Rail, which is responsible for the track and signalling infrastructure.
A Transport Scotland Spokesman said Scotland does not have full control.
He said: “Many delays are due to infrastructure issues which are the responsibility Network Rail, which remains the responsibility of the UK Government.
“Devolution of Network Rail’s activities to Scotland would allow us to take further action to improve services.”
A ScotRail spokesman said: “Eighty-five per cent of our revenue comes from fares set by the Scottish Government, which decides how much our customers pay.
“We are investing millions of pounds to build the best railway Scotland has ever had.”