Overcrowding fear as train firms seek to cut services

The chief executives of the companies which own most of London's commuter firms want to reduce the number of trains they run to save money, forcing even more passengers to pack into already overcrowded carriages.

Stations could also be left without staff for longer. At a meeting tomorrow the companies - Go-Ahead, Stagecoach, Arriva, First Group and National Express - will tell Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon they want him to agree changes to their franchise contracts which would allow them to cut services.

It comes despite the big five companies making tens of millions of pounds in profits on their London franchises. They will base their demands on passenger numbers not increasing as much as forecast due to the recession.

Each of the companies has recently increased fares by the maximum allowed, an average of six per cent during peak times, with many individual fares having risen by much more than that, adding hundreds of pounds to the price of annual season tickets.

Passenger numbers rose by under five per cent last year, against growth of 7.8 and 6.7 per cent in the two previous years. Gerry Doherty, leader of the TSSA transport union, said: "The companies are circling their wagons to protect their vast profits.

"If they are allowed to cut services it can lead to more cattle truck conditions. The companies are desperate to cut costs to keep their shareholders happy and never mind what happens to the hapless, captive commuters."

Mr Hoon is expected to refuse the demands - but that will mean the operators reducing costs elsewhere, including yet more staff cuts.

A senior industry source said: "The train companies are desperate to reduce the services they run. If they are not allowed to do that it will inevitably lead to job and other cuts."

The Evening Standard revealed last month that stations could be left without staff for longer as jobs go.

South West Trains, which runs local and long-distance services into mainline Waterloo, is planning to axe nearly 500 staff and is cutting the length of 100 trains a day. Some 12 carriage trains will be reduced to eight and eight car trains to four.

The company, owned by Stagecoach which recorded a 25 per cent increase in operating profits to £31.7 million for the six months ending 31 October, was prevented last week by ministers from drastically cutting ticket office opening times at 114 stations. Even so, the company will still reduce opening times at more than 50.

First Capital Connect, owned by First Group which announced operating profits of £48.3 million for the half year ending 30 September, also wants to cut ticket office opening times at many Thameslink stations.

Southeastern, the busiest of the commuter companies serving Kent and south-east London into Charing Cross, Cannon Street and Victoria, plans to axe 300 jobs and has already cut some trains. Southeastern's parent company is Govia, 65 per cent of which is owned by Go Ahead which made an operating profit of £77.2 million for the year ending 28 June.

National Express is cutting 750 jobs across its busiest routes, which includes the East Coast line.

There was a growing row today over the 480 SWT job cuts. The company says these will be confined to management, administration and "other roles". It denies that train drivers, guards or frontline staff will go. But the RMT, largest of the rail unions, insists front line staff will be axed.