CRUSHING and other safety fears on busy commuter trains in Wharfedale could be a thing of the past - thanks to a multi-million pound investment.

Northern Spirit and Metro this week revealed a Government decision to help provide 21 extra carriages at a cost of £3.4 million in a bid to relieve overcrowding on peak services across the region.

The extra carriages will be introduced in two main stages, the first by the summer 2000 timetable. The second stage is an extra eight carriages to supplement the ones currently on order for the Leeds to Bradford, Ilkley and Skipton routes.

This means that by next year most of the busiest trains on the Wharfedale line will have four carriages, rather than three.

Derrick Joanes of the Wharfedale Rail Users' Group, said the boost was very welcome.

"I think this will ease a lot of overcrowding but with the number of rail passengers increasing every year, this sort of initiative needs to be repeated in the future. I hope this isn't going to be just a one-off. Problems with overcrowding are increasing and safety is becoming a bigger concern. But I admit this boost is a big help."

Horsforth and Aireborough MP Paul Truswell, who has been lobbying for more carriages to relieve overcrowding, said: "We are now on the right track - but a lot more investment is still needed.

"I know that congestion and overcrowding at peak times has gone beyond a joke. The news we are going to get more rolling stock is extremely welcome but we can't afford to sit back, given the ever-increasing numbers of people who are travelling by rail.

"While some of the rolling stock will be available by this summer, I am concerned that the timescale for the electrified routes, such as the Wharfedale Line and Leeds-Bradford, is longer, said Mr Truswell.

"I shall continue to push for those new carriages to be delivered at the earliest opportunity. I regret the fact that our national railway manufacturing capacity was so badly demolished by privatisation."

The additional carriages will also be welcomed by Horsforth Town Council, which only last month organised a public meeting to discuss train congestion and safety fears.

And Councillor Mick Lyons, chairman of the West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Authority said: "This is excellent news for passengers who for too long have had to put up with overcrowded trains at peak times."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.