Extra seats to be added on Cambridge to Stansted train services to ease overcrowding

Extra carriages will be added to some of Britain's most overcrowded trains.

Among those to benefit is Cross Country's Cambridge to Stansted service.

An extra 15,000 weekly seats will be added from the middle of next year.

It's part of a 2.5 million pound government initiative for CrossCountry to operate trains with more carriages.

CrossCountry managing director Tom Joyner said: "We are delighted to now be able to get on and deliver these benefits for our customers, with improvements to the journey experience and three new community groups to bring our train services closer to the places we serve.

"Most importantly, many of our trains have become increasingly busy as more and more people choose rail for their journeys."

The carriages will come from West Midlands Trains, which is receiving newrolling stock.

Just 58 per cent of CrossCountry passengers are satisfied with the level of crowding on trains, the latest major survey by watchdog Transport Focus said.

The Rail Minister Chris Heaton-Harris said: "Investing in transport is essential to levelling up the country, as we look to modernise our rail network and restructure the industry to put passengers at the heart of the railway.

"But we want to fund benefits to address pressing needs and improve journeys for passengers in the short-term, as well as in the future.

"More seats mean more people can travel, increasing access to opportunities and better connecting our regions."