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Overcrowding can lead to fainting and injuries
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Train passenger safety needs reviewing in light of warnings that overcrowding is set to get much worse, the chairwoman of a Commons committee says.
Louise Ellman, who chairs the transport select committee, is calling for rail health and safety legislation to be looked at again.
She said train passengers were often standing "for far too long".
The Rail Safety and Standards Board, owned by the train operating companies, denied safety was being compromised.
The body admitted overcrowding caused discomfort but insisted it did not affect passenger safety.
Earlier this week, another committee of MPs warned that overcrowding on trains in England and Wales would get substantially worse over the next four years, despite rises in ticket prices.
The Commons public accounts committee (PAC) said the Department for Transport's own plans suggested targets for increasing passenger places would be missed.
More than one billion train journeys are made in the UK every year and some estimates suggest demand could triple in the next 30 years.
Ms Ellman said: "People are standing for far too long on overcrowded trains, in London and the South East and in the north of England.
"It's time the government looked again at legislation regarding health and safety on overcrowded public transport.
"We can't carry on this situation, we need to put the matter right. We cannot ignore the health and safety issues of people jammed together for far too long on our trains."
Bob Crow, leader of the Rail Maritime and Transport union said overcrowding was a safety issue.
"You have got to be a sort of security guard now to make sure that the people are safe. You wouldn't treat cattle like that, yet we treat passengers like that."
Liz Fox, a commuter in Manchester, said overcrowding made her journey to work a nightmare and, on one occasion, the lack of space and air had caused her to pass out.
"Everyone was packed like sardines. I started to get really really hot, so I took off my coat but I started to feel really unwell.
"As we pulled into the station I knew I was going to pass out so I let the passengers know so they had warning of what was going to happen. As the doors opened, I collapsed onto the concrete floor."
Unlike planes and buses there are no legal restrictions on how packed a train can be.
However, the Office of Rail Regulation, which is in charge of keeping the railways safe, said overcrowding did not affect safety and pointed out that rail was the safest form of land transport.
The government said it would reveal measures to reduce overcrowding soon, but warned the cost would fall to passengers.
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
Overcrowding can lead to fainting and injuries Related stories
Train passenger safety needs reviewing in light of warnings that overcrowding is set to get much worse, the chairwoman of a Commons committee says.
Louise Ellman, who chairs the transport select committee, is calling for rail health and safety legislation to be looked at again.
She said train passengers were often standing "for far too long".
The Rail Safety and Standards Board, owned by the train operating companies, denied safety was being compromised.
The body admitted overcrowding caused discomfort but insisted it did not affect passenger safety.
Earlier this week, another committee of MPs warned that overcrowding on trains in England and Wales would get substantially worse over the next four years, despite rises in ticket prices.
The Commons public accounts committee (PAC) said the Department for Transport's own plans suggested targets for increasing passenger places would be missed.
More than one billion train journeys are made in the UK every year and some estimates suggest demand could triple in the next 30 years.
Ms Ellman said: "People are standing for far too long on overcrowded trains, in London and the South East and in the north of England.
"It's time the government looked again at legislation regarding health and safety on overcrowded public transport.
“As we pulled into the station I knew I was going to pass out so I let the passengers know”
Liz Fox Commuter Bob Crow, leader of the Rail Maritime and Transport union said overcrowding was a safety issue.
"You have got to be a sort of security guard now to make sure that the people are safe. You wouldn't treat cattle like that, yet we treat passengers like that."
Liz Fox, a commuter in Manchester, said overcrowding made her journey to work a nightmare and, on one occasion, the lack of space and air had caused her to pass out.
"Everyone was packed like sardines. I started to get really really hot, so I took off my coat but I started to feel really unwell.
"As we pulled into the station I knew I was going to pass out so I let the passengers know so they had warning of what was going to happen. As the doors opened, I collapsed onto the concrete floor."
Unlike planes and buses there are no legal restrictions on how packed a train can be.
However, the Office of Rail Regulation, which is in charge of keeping the railways safe, said overcrowding did not affect safety and pointed out that rail was the safest form of land transport.
The government said it would reveal measures to reduce overcrowding soon, but warned the cost would fall to passengers.
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.