HC Deb 15 February 1988 vol 127 cc453-4W
Dr. Marek

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if, pursuant to his answer of 1 February,Official Report, column 695, he will give the number of platforms at each principal rail terminus in the capitals of each of the countries of Great Britain; and how many of these would have to be lengthened to add an extra coach to trains leaving at peak hours.

Mr. David Mitchell

The length of platforms at termini is not the only consideration. The length of platforms at intermediate stations is equally important. It is not generally possible to add single coaches to EMUs and DMUs, which form the majority of commuter trains, because they are normally made up in permanently-coupled sets of two, three or four. There can also be problems of signalling and timetabling and at maintenance depots. NSE is already planning to lengthen some platforms to allow longer trains to run where this will solve acute overcrowding problems.