COMMUTERS have called on rail firm, Abellio Greater Anglia, to up carriage numbers after latest figures revealed more than a quarter of its peak morning rush hour trains are over capacity.

Statistics, from the Department for Transport, show 26 per cent of trains arriving at Liverpool Street between 8am and 9am were over-crowded.

Figures also showed that 16 per cent of trains running from 7am to 10am were over capacity too, with 159 services arriving at the station within that time scale.

A train’s capacity is measured when all seats and standing room are taken, when those standing are on their feet for more than 20 minutes.

The department say the data is taken from a “typical autumn day” on the service.

Stuart Wilkes, chairman of the Brentwood Bus and Rail Users Association, said passenger numbers have doubled since 1995 and show no sign of slowing down.

He said: “What we need in Essex and across the UK is pro-active action to improve capacity, space and comfort on trains, not just during rush hour but throughout the week and at weekends too.

“Though Crossrail will help, train companies seem consistently slow to change, partly because of the poor Government- led structure and partly because their focus is on profit.

“Train companies like Abellio Greater Anglia need incentivising to improve the lot of passengers in Brentwood and Shenfield who, if they manage to get a seat, still have to endure journeys on some of the oldest and most uncomfortable trains in the country.”

Derek Monnery, chairman of the Essex Rail Users Federation, said its another wake-up call for new rolling stock to be installed on the line, with some Greater Anglia trains as old as 20 years.

He said: “The figures once again raise the issue of rolling stock on the tracks which are ancient and need replacing as a matter of urgency.

“If there was modern stock with things like better seats and air conditioning people would feel better about having to stand and overcrowding.”

Greater Anglia said work was being done to bring the numbers down, but stated 16 per cent was well below the London average of 24 per cent for the same time period of 7am to 10am.

A spokeswoman for the company said: “Our figures have improved when compared to 2012. Now in addition we’re beginning a programme to provide more capacity for our customers, with 1,600 extra standard seats on weekdays on our intercity services which serve Brentwood.”

The Rail Delivery Group, which represents Network Rail and rail operators, said there are plans to increase capacity over the next five years.

A spokesman said they recognised that some services remained crowded and understood users’ frustrations.

He added: “Because rail users are at the heart of what we do, the industry is already planning to increase peak time seats.

“This will be into and out of many major cities by over a third in the next five years.”