Plans to rebuild East Croydon station were given a boost, as results of a public consultation showed overwhelming support across South London.

The proposals aim to resolve the "Croydon bottleneck" problem, improving reliability and capacity for the 300,000 daily passengers travelling through the station on the Brighton Main Line.

East Croydon station would be rebuilt with two additional platforms and a larger concourse with improved facilities for passengers.

The Selhurst triangle, the junctions north of East Croydon station, would be remodelled with additional tracks, new flyovers and diveunders.

More than 90 per cent of respondents to Network Rail’s first consultation, which ran from November to December 2018, either agreed or strongly agreed with the proposals.

John Halsall, managing director for Network Rail south east, said: “Regular travellers on the Brighton Main Line are all too aware how busy and congested this section of railway is.

"So, while we are extremely pleased with the overwhelmingly positive response to our proposals, I’m not surprised that people are eager for us get on with it and improve train performance to a level people expect and deserve.

“I’d like to thank people for taking the time to respond to our consultation. The feedback we received from local people, businesses, passengers and the rail industry is important to us and is already helping to shape our designs.

“We will work with stakeholders to develop our designs over the months ahead, while also continuing to bang the drum for this much needed investment.”

Only two per cent of respondents opposed the scheme, while seven per cent were undecided.

The most frequently raised concerns were the potential impact of construction work on train services, the highway network and the local area.

Councillor Stuart King, cabinet lead for environment and transport, said: “I look forward to seeing detailed designs for the new station at East Croydon and the associated rail network changes early next year.

“Thank you to everyone who took the time to have their say on the proposals last year, and please do let Network Rail know what you think of the detailed designs when they are released. Improving the rail network through Croydon is key to helping the borough achieve its full potential over the coming years.”

East Croydon is the busiest and most congested station in Britain, with 1,700 trains travelling through it every weekday.

The complex layout of the railway in the area and the lack of capacity the station mean the impact the most minor incident is magnified, causing delays across the Brighton Main Line, its branches and the wider network.