Rail Overcrowding Figures Published

7 October 2010, 13:21 | Updated: 7 October 2010, 13:33

Overcrowding on some busy rail commuter routes has got worse, figures out today showed.

In the south east, the figures vary. Southern's figure rises, South Eastern and First Capital Connect show falls.

The official ORR term for overcrowding is ``passengers in excess of capacity''(PiXC).

This is established by measuring the planned capacity of each weekday service arriving in  London between 7am and 10am and each departing from the capital between 4pm and 7pm.

This is then compared with the actual number of passengers (excluding those in first class), with the PiXC being the difference between the two figures.

The ORR also announced today that passenger complaints had decreased to 36 per 100,000 journeys between April and June this year, down from 45 per 100,000 journeys for the same period in 2009.

Of the 2,434 complaint comments received by watchdog bodies Passenger Focus and London TravelWatch between April and June 2010, the largest area of comment was on fares, retailing and refunds.

These were the percentage of London rush-hour trains that were officially deemed to be overcrowded in 2008 and 2009:

COMPANY                                                 2009      2008

First Capital Connect                      1.0%      4.2%

London Overground                       1.6%      0.8%

Southeastern                                1.1%      2.3%

Southern                                      3.0%      2.7%

South West Trains                         2.3%      2.3%