Overcrowding on South West Trains

Studies have shown that you're actually safer in an overcrowded train which crashes - people cushion each other from impact. Add to the fact that you're more likely to be struck by lightning or win the lottery jackpot than being in a train crash.

The overcrowding is horrendous of course, but that's the Government's fault and that of our custom of working set hours.

problem is, train opperators can't afford to buy trains outright they have to lease them, the more they lease the more it costs, and they don't have the money to do that, Public transport is about business not public transport these days.

My Dad works for them And I can assure you the Drivers have more gripes about the trains than the Public do! consider the trains have air conditioning, not in the drivers cab, in last years heat wave, temperatures in the cabs reached over 45 Celsius, in a safety critical role, south west trains didn't even give them free drinks! the drivers seats are badly designed and lead to injuries due to operation of the AWS (advanced warning system) pedals on some trains. the list goes on, but the drivers (and guards) have to put up with it for hours on end.

I'm not belittling the gripes of passengers, in fact I'm all for them being resolved but whilst the railway is privatised I don't see that there will be any major improvements at all.

the reason a train has no safe limit is partly because it would be impossible to enforce and partly because a train is just as likley to derail when empty as when full and standing.

You can't really blame South West Trains for the frequent overcrowding on peak-time services because it's the number of people choosing to travel from the same places at the same time in the morning that creates overcrowding. Where all the suburban routes into London converge around Clapham Junction and Raynes Park there is no way service frequency could be increased. Every service carries 8 carriages. And (touch wood) the services have remained reliable for a long time now. There IS a problem with the numbers of passengers and at some time in the near future, the Government or the GLA with have to draw up a staggered office hours requirement on businesses in London. This way the morning peak could be spread across 3 hours instead of 1.

I once travelled by South West Trains. I was trying to get to a meeting in Egham. Someone had boarded the train who hadn't paid their fare. Instead of proceeeding all the way to its destination, the train stopped at Ashford for half-an-hour whilst they waited for the police to eject the non-payer. Everyone was late.

South West Trains = South West Torture

After reading one gripe that I completely agree with, "Overcrowding on South West Trains", I felt I had something to say myself. Safety issues aside I feel SWT is a expensive, poorly run, disgrace.

I have traveled between Walton on Thames and London Waterloo for many years now and some things have improved. The new Siemens Trains that are in service now, at very least, are an improvement on the grotty old trains we suffered for many years. Although I think our German friends designed them with Pixies in mind. I am 5,7" and 10.5 stone and still find it impossible to manoeuvre through the carriages, or sit in just one seat.

I did travel in 1st class for a while, which is 50% more expensive that a standard fare, until I found that it was only policed at peak time and I still couldn't get a seat returning from work in the evenings.

It also tires me the amount of times in a week I have to listen to an excuse regards canceled or delayed trains.

The issue of safety is a worry though, I couldn't believe that there is no maximum capacity for one of these trains. Especially in our time of Heath and Safety. Talk about the sublime to the ridiculous. It must have been a heavy envelope that got passed across the table at that meeting. But in all seriousness, will it take a bad accident for these imbeciles to take note, I wonder!

Unfortunately thats the way business works. The more people you can cram in a train the more you make. it doesn't matter that it's expensive for the customer, the train's a cramped heap of sweat-stinking diesel-farting crap.
Sorry about the delays too but Network Rail are too busy making artsy-fartsy offices for their shirt and tie peopel to swan about in whilst the infrastructure goes to s**t

Ok. We'll raise your ticket prices above the rate of inflation to pay for even more shiny new carriages....

...then watch this person whinge about the cost of travel rising!

You have a choice whether you use the train or not. If you don't like it, don't do it. SWT's performance is at its best ever and that is why people want to use the train

I don't think their services are that bad !!!! Most, if not practicly all of their trains are on time !!! It's not SWT fault if their's overcrouding ... if anything it's a good sign because it means that their services have improuved and people are turning back to trains. It's the gouvernement's fault or some others organisation's if their aren't enoguh trains beacause SWT don't actualy own any of their trains. I think we need to show some thanks towards them for the vast emprouvements in the south west services. You need to travel on the of the south eastern services ... now that's over crounding and disgusting. And as for european rail services ... they're not all that great ... over here the TGVs are decedantly old, often running late, and the regional trains are still stuck in the 60s where you can still open the doors while you're going along. Traveling with SWT is like a breath of fresh air ...

You thought this toilet was a developed and NOT a third world country?
Take a look at the legal immmigrant birth rate and do the math. 58 years and that's our lot mate. bye bye WASPs

I have for years commuted from Teignmouth to Exeter on a train leaving about 7-50 & getting me in Exeter in good time to start work by 8-30. People compained that it was always full & needed more carriages. So what did SW trains do? They took it off this week leaving a choice between the 7-15 miles too early or the 8-13 rather too late. I bet they will be paying a big dividend this year, - but not with my money I will be taking the bus.

We’re looking for contributors for a documentary we’re filming for BBC3 looking into transport in Britain. If you commute into London each day by train and are sick of paying over the odds to stand in an overcrowded carriage and want the opportunity to vent your frustration, we want to hear from you. Please email Thomas.Hewitson@bbc.co.uk with you contact details and information about your commute and we’ll get in touch with you shortly