'Sardines' protest over crowded trains
ANGRY rail passengers have launched a campaign against overcrowding by sending tinned sardines to East Midlands Trains boss, Tim Shoveller.
They are protesting over conditions on the Liverpool to Norwich line, which, as the Post reported previously, is running at up to 150% capacity at peak times.
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Rail passengers say they are being treated like sardines
Called TrainSardine.org the campaign said the company "regularly turns passengers into sardines by sending two carriage trains when it should send four".
They claim this results in severe overcrowding and leaves some passengers behind. A campaign spokesman said: "Passengers are sick of the poor service and the excuses we have been given over the past 12 months to explain the shortage of carriages and overcrowding.
"We intend to discover who is behind the chaos. Once we know, we will make sure they get recognition – their own tin of sardines. We are not sardines, we are people and we are not standing for this."
When East Midlands Trains won the right to run the line in November 2007, it was on the basis of low passenger figures submitted to the Government by its predecessor Central Trains, so they were given fewer trains to run it. Since then, passenger numbers have surged.
East Midlands Trains said it was "acutely aware" of the problems and was ploughing £10m into a 13% increase in seats on the route by April, 2010.
The firm has also joined with Passenger Focus and local authorities to set up the Liverpool to Norwich Stakeholder Board, to lobby the Government for more carriages from national rolling stock.
3 Comments
by Andy, Mansfield
Tuesday, November 25 2008, 6:41PM
“It's the same on the Robin Hood Line. They have now reduced almost all the services down to 1 carriage and are causing absolute chaos. They simply don't care”
by Paul, Nottingham
Monday, November 24 2008, 2:15PM
“I used to use that service... note the past tense!!!
I found it incredulous that I could get on the train in the morning with my bike, get to notts then cycle to work. But in the evenings, because it was so overcrowded, wasn't then allowed on the service with my bike!... so there I was stranded in Nottingham with a 25 mile bike ride in front of me in the dark and rain. Useless service... I ended up buying a car. Cheaper, cleaner, quicker and noteably I'm no longer late for work in autumn when those pesky leaves don't cancel services!”
by Sal, Nottm
Monday, November 24 2008, 1:49PM
“Really gives incentive to use the train and not your car doesn't it!!!!”