OVERCROWDING exists on South West Trains (SWT) primarily because Stagecoach won the franchise by bidding more than its rivals and quickly ending the lease on its 120 best-quality carriages.

The company then started to receive substantial rebates from Government because profits were below forecast. Presumably the expected profit levels were based on even higher passenger numbers, so comfort was never an issue.

The final British Rail timetable had weekday departures from Waterloo to Southampton every 20 minutes, the three services per hour taking 69, 79 and 84 minutes.

Current times are 74, 77 and 93 minutes. A similar service pattern on the Waterloo-Portsmouth route had trains taking 81, 85 and 98 minutes. They now take 88, 92 and 119 minutes.

SWT now operates some of the worst services in the south-east.

The normal journey time from Waterloo to Totton has increased by 25 minutes, and from Totton to New Milton and Christchurch it has roughly doubled. On Mondays to Fridays there is no train from Southampton to Eastleigh between 07.38 and 08.35.

Meanwhile, Stagecoach shares are performing well; its annual report shows that directors hold £150m of them.

DENIS FRYER, co-ordinator, South Hampshire Rail Users’ Group.