Smart solution to train overcrowding

Workwise UK urges smart thinking for solution to train overcrowding.

The Government is expected to announce funding for 1,000 new carriages to help alleviate the chronic overcrowding afflicting much of the UK's rail network.

Work Wise UK welcomes the decision, but highlights there is a further way to reduce overcrowding on trains, that is very cost effective and has been largely overlooked.

Phil Flaxton, chief executive of Work Wise UK, explained: "By encouraging smarter working, such as flexible working, mobile working, remote working and home working, overcrowding can be cut by reducing the number of journeys people are required to make for their job.

Last year rail passenger traffic grew by a staggering 10%.

Demand is expected to continue rising rapidly and it will be very expensive, if not impossible, to match the growth in supply to prevent overcrowding on trains.

If people just worked one day a week from home using the communications network rather than the rail network this would represent a 20% drop in the number of commuter journeys they made a week.

"Working 9 to 5, five days a week, at a central location, coupled with the desire to travel many many miles in order to attend meetings, are working practices which are actually largely unnecessary considering the technology available today".

Work Wise UK, which has broad backing from business and the unions, supported by the TUC, CBI, BT, Transport for London, the RAC Foundation, Association of Commuter Transport, Henley Management College and British Chambers of Commerce, is a five-year campaign to encourage smarter working practices.

It was launched in May 2006 with the objective of half the working population having the opportunity of adopting working practices by 2011.

"Smarter working will not only reduce transport demand," added Phil Flaxton.

"There are also the benefits of reduced emissions, improved productivity and better work-life balance for employees.".

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