‘Two million extra seats are being provided over the next year’ at peak times targeting the busiest Northern Rail services.
Northern Rail said:
“Since the start of the Northern Rail franchise in 2004, more and more people have chosen to travel on our trains with the result that on some peak services there has been increasing levels of overcrowding.
“From the December timetable change we will be introducing an additional 50 carriages. These together with 10 carriages that are already in service will mean we will be able to provide customers with an extra two million extra seats on peak services every year.
“The extra capacity will help to alleviate crowding in the five main urban centres Northern serves (Leeds, Liverpool, Newcastle, Manchester and Sheffield) and the additional trains have been planned to serve the most crowded train services as a first priority.
“We have been able to analyse customer demand by using our automated on-train counting equipment.
“On some services we will be doubling the capacity, providing four carriages where previously there have been two.
“To accommodate longer trains some stations, for example Cottingley near Leeds and Mossley in Greater Manchester, have had platform extensions.
“Northern operates more than 10 different types of train carriages so we have also looked at ways of providing more seats by using different combinations of trains.
“Some of the modest increases in capacity are a result of these changes, however they all add up to nearly 9,000 additional seats every weekday across our network.”
Below are details of the routes that will benefit.
Marple – Manchester: over 1200 extra seats
Northern Rail is increasing the number of seats on eleven peak time services which call at Marple, Romiley, Bredbury, Brinnington and Reddish North; most of these trains run to Strines and New Mills Central.
Six trains in the morning peak and five leaving Manchester in the afternoon and early evening will have extra seats.
Rose Hill – Manchester: over 440 extra seats
The number of seats on four peak time services which call at Rose Hill, Romiley, Woodley, Hyde Central, Hyde North, Guide Bridge and Fairfield will increase.
Three trains in the morning peak and one leaving Manchester in the afternoon will have extra seats.
Lincoln – Sheffield: over 300 extra seats
Between Retford and Sheffield Northern is increasing the number of seats on three peak time services which call at Worksop, Shireoaks, Kiveton Park, Kiveton Bridge, Woodhouse and Darnall.
Sheffield commuters will benefit from extra seats on one train into Sheffield in the morning peak and two leaving Sheffield in the afternoon.
Knaresborough and Harrogate – Leeds: over 220 extra seats
Between Harrogate and Leeds the train operator is increasing the number of seats on six peak time services which call at Hornbeam Park, Pannal, Weeton, Horsforth, Headingley and Burley Park.
Leeds commuters will benefit from extra seats on three morning trains and three returning services.
Leeds – Sheffield: over 225 extra seats
Northern Rail is increasing the number of seats on five peak time services: four trains via Barnsley and one via Moorthorpe.
Commuters for both cities will benefit and the additional seats are split between two trains in the morning peak (one in each direction) and three in the afternoon and early evening.
Wigan – Manchester: over 600 extra seats
The number of seats on ten peak time services will increase, including two Southport services and two Kirkby services.
Manchester commuters will benefit from extra seats on five trains in the morning peak and five in the afternoon and early evening.
Clitheroe – Manchester: over 350 extra seat
Some peak time trains between Clitheroe and Manchester have ‘already had some additional carriages provided since summer 2010’.
Leeds – Manchester: 1100 extra seats
Northern Rail is increasing the number of seats on ten peak time services, most of which run on the route via Brighouse and Dewsbury and a couple which run via Bradford.
Leeds and Manchester commuters will benefit from extra seats on six trains in the morning peak and four in the afternoon and early evening.
Liverpool – Manchester: 300 extra seats
Northern is increasing the number of seats on eight peak time services, most of which run on the route via Warrington Central.
Liverpool and Manchester commuters will benefit from extra seats on four trains in the morning peak and four in the afternoon and early evening.
Huddersfield – Stalybridge – Manchester: over 500 extra seats
Four of the busiest services on this route have seen an increase of more than a hundred additional seats, with some of the changes introduced in summer 2010. A couple of other trains will see more modest increases. Three morning services and three afternoon peak trains will see increases that total over 500 additional seats.
Several other routes will benefit from additional seats on commuter services, Northern Rail said.
