Network Rail's plans to tackle overcrowding on local rail services will do little to address chronic overcrowding on local services, Wandsworth councillors claim.
The council's transport spokesman Guy Senior said Network Rail needed to be more ambitious in their plans for south London: The rail company says that over the next four years it will switch from eight- to 10-car trains on services into Victoria from south east London.
But Coun Senior said the company's own figures show Wandsworth is the fastest growing part of the London rail network and more needed to be done.
"Every day local commuters are squeezed off rush hour trains because they are so full," Coun Senior said.
"The Government needs to put the investment in to make sure the East London Line extension goes ahead in time for the Olympics.
"We need to ensure the industry delivers on its plans for 10 car services but also want Network Rail to bring forward the proposed platform extensions so we can have 12-car trains on the line into Victoria by 2012."
Coun Senior said passenger numbers on the line in to Victoria from south London, including Balham and Wandsworth Common, had increased by 40 per cent in the last decade and could rise a further 20 per cent over the next 10 years.
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