£750m rail blueprint to ease overcrowding

They are designed to cope with massive housebuilding in the region, which will result in millions more rail passengers.

Under the £750 million blueprint for the next decade, there would be longer platforms to take 12 carriage trains, extra tracks and bigger car parks at stations. This would benefit the already overcrowded routes into Liverpool Street, Fenchurch Street and Stratford stations. Some of the work could be completed in time for the 2012 Olympics.

It is forecast that Liverpool Street station, already used by more than 120 million passengers a year, will have to carry an extra 20 million passengers by 2016.

The Government predicts an extra 450,000 homes will be built in the east London and Anglia regions by 2021, creating more than 400,000 new jobs in Anglia alone.

The Network Rail blueprint announced today includes plans for:

Longer platforms on the Tilbury Loop and Ockenden branch to allow longer trains during peak hours.

Platform extension at Stratford to accommodate more Great Eastern services.

Longer platforms to take 12 carriage trains from Cambridge and Stansted Airport to Liverpool Street.

Extra track between Tottenham Hale and Broxbourne to enable increased peak services between Hertford East, Cambridge, Stansted and Stratford.

Additional peak time Great Eastern services from Colchester, Chelmsford and Gidea Park.

Station improvements at Seven Sisters, Tottenham Hale, Stratford and West Ham to provide better interchanges with Tube services.

Network Rail has begun a 12 week consultation involving Mayor Ken Livingstone, train operating companies, the Department for Transport and London TravelWatch.

Patrick Hallgate, Network Rail's Anglia route director, said: "It's imperative that we plan effectively to deliver a network than can respond to this increased demand."

Brian Cooke, chairman of London TravelWatch, said: "The figures speak for themselves, we must have extra capacity. Lengthening platforms to run longer trains is the most effective and quickest way to help ease overcrowding." He added: "The great concern is whether enough is being done to cope with future demand."

The Evening Standard has highlighted overcrowding problems facing the railways with its "Seat for every commuter" campaign.

Already 500,000 commuters, on all routes, travel into London by rail during the morning peak. In addition to the Anglia proposals announced today, NR has already announced a £2.4 billion programme to improve services with longer platforms and new signalling.