Rail services in Sussex are set to benefit from a share of more than 200 extra train carriages to tackle overcrowding.

Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly announced that the area currently served by Southern Railway will receive an additional 106 carriages - more than 6,000 seats - by 2014.

The South Eastern franchise, which serves parts of East Sussex, also stands to get an extra 110 carriages.

Although the precise location of the new carriages has yet to be determined, parts of Sussex, particularly along the Brighton to London route, are almost certain to gain capacity with longer trains.

A spokesman for Southern, the operator of the South Central franchise, said: "This is good news for passengers as the additional stock will go a long way towards alleviating the crowded conditions many passengers face on their way to and from London in the peak hours."

Watchdog Passenger Focus welcomed the announcement but a spokesman cautioned: "Passengers standing on crowded trains and stations will want to know when the new trains will arrive - it's cramped and uncomfortable now."

Nationally, an extra 1,300 carriages will be introduced on the UK's rail network - increasing the amount of rolling stock by ten per cent.

The Department for Transport said its rolling stock plan was a starting point for negotiations with Network Rail, which will have to lengthen some platforms, and train companies, adding that it was an "indicative" number rather than the final total.

Ms Kelly said: "Passenger numbers have grown by an unprecedented 40 per cent over the last decade, so that more people than ever before are travelling by train.

"This is a major step forward towards fulfilling our commitment to tackle overcrowding on the busiest routes and deliver real improvements for rail passengers."

Norman Baker, MP for Lewes and the Liberal Democrats' transport spokesman, said: "I welcomed the fact we are getting extra carriages but this is a sticking plaster solution from Government to buy us at most five to ten years.

"The reality is that with the expected increase in passenger numbers, unless the Government provides increased capacity there will be no tracks for the extra trains to go on."

The 2007 rail White Paper set out plans for the growth of railways over the next 30 years, including a £10 billion investment to increase capacity.

Anthony Smith, Chief Executive of Passenger Focus, said: "This new rolling stock will almost certainly be good news for the Sussex area. Passengers will not benefit overnight but this commitment, in time, will relieve overcrowding issues for Sussex passengers."

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