Network Rail have called for passengers to comment on plans to remove the infamous “Croydon bottleneck” on the Brighton main line.

The plans would see additional tracks laid in the Croydon area as well as the simplification of the “spaghetti junction” where South coast lines meet London routes and an upgrade for East Croydon

John Halsall, Network Rail route managing director for the South East, said: “Removing the Croydon bottleneck is the only practical way to provide the step-change in reliability and capacity that passengers so desperately want to see.

“For too long, train performance on the Brighton Main Line has been below the level that commuters and other passengers expect and deserve.”

The Croydon section of the London-Brighton route is according to Network Rail the busiest and most congested part of Britain’s rail network, with 30 per cent more passengers and trains passing through it each day than London Euston and King’s Cross stations combined.

Train punctuality on the Brighton Main Line is the lowest of any major route, as the bottleneck magnifies the impact of even the most minor incident or delay, causing 60 per cent more knock-on delays compared with similar routes.

A six-week public consultation period will take place from 5 November to 17 December 2018 to give passengers, businesses and members of the public the opportunity to have their say on the proposals.

They can do so online at networkrail.co.uk/croydon or by completing a questionnaire which will be handed out at stations along the Brighton Main Line including Brighton, Gatwick Airport, East Croydon, London Bridge and London Victoria.