Fewer seats on revamped trains
There are poles to grab on to, wider aisles, spaces for wheelchairs - there's only one catch: fewer seats.
South West Trains today unveiled the first of its £7 million fleet of refurbished commuter carriages.
The 455s will be introduced on all the company's London suburban services over four years. They will be welcomed by commuters fed up with being squeezed into a narrow aisle. But those who like a leisurely read will have to compete for seats.
It's a compromise which train bosses hope will satisfy most passengers who use the trains for short journeys. The new design involved removing a row of seats to widen the aisles and give more room near the doors. South West's managing director Andrew Haines defended the removal of seats, saying: "The realities of funding mean longer trains are a long way off and this is an innovative solution.
"Standing is a fact of life and will continue to be. We're confident that it will have the support of the vast majority of passengers."
The company says passengers-were consulted at every stage and their preferences incorporated.
Today's launch of the bright red 455 saw actors dressed as Henry VIII and his six wives join the special service to Hampton Court to demonstrate how freely a well-built man and his family could move along the new carriages.
The real test will come when trains begin rolling out on South West's routes to Richmond, Dorking, Guildford, Hampton Court, Shepperton and Windsor from tomorrow.
At Waterloo, mother Tania Cruise, 31, welcomed the new design. "Usually there's nowhere for people like me, with prams, to put ourselves," she said. However, Louise Wickstead, 25, said: "I like to read a paper on the way into work so I'd much rather sit."
