TRANSPORT Ministers have been accused of failing to grasp the scale of the problem of overcrowding on Worcestershire trains.

Mid-Worcestershire MP Peter Luff referred the complaints of his constituents regarding the Droitwich Spa to Birmingham line to the Department for Transport last week.

He asked Transport Secretary Alistair Darling to investigate the health and safety implications of overcrowding on the trains.

Transport minister Tony McNulty yesterday replied to Mr Luff in a Parliamentary written answer, saying that responsibility for the safety, welfare and convenience of passengers rests with the train operators.

He added: "I have been informed by the Strategic Rail Authority that 'short-formation' two-car carriages have sometimes replaced three car services on a certain morning peak time service between Droitwich Spa and Birmingham New Street.

"However, I understand that over the next three months the proportion of three-car units will increase."

Despite improvements over the last year, Mr Luff said he had received several complaints that the service was getting worse.

He said: "At least they realise there is a problem, but there are many other problems too.

"That they think it's just one train shows they haven't grasped the scale of the problem and I'm worried it's being underestimated by ministers.

Mr Luff is now asking Ministers to reveal their assessment of overcrowding on Worcestershire trains by putting it in the House of Commons Library.

Mr Luff added that the disbandment of operator Central Trains - announced last week and effective from 2006 - would improve matters.

He said that the company's management faced an impossible task in juggling services stretching from Liverpool to Stansted Airport in Essex.

"I like Central Trains' management - I think they are wresting with impossible problems because the franchise is too big and they are having to juggle too many services.

"Changing the franchise operator should help because it will reduce the chance of units being diverted to other places."

Central Trains' services will be split up between existing operators from 2006.