New calls have been made for more carriages on the district’s railways.

A fresh survey revealed the region’s passengers were more concerned about over-capacity than those in the rest of the country.

The Passenger Focus report revealed that train passengers in Yorkshire and Humber ranked the ability to get a seat on trains as the third most important priority for improvement, while nationally it was placed fourth.

Bradford Councillor Chris Greaves, chairman of Metro, the West Yorkshire Integrated Transport Authority, said the survey echoed last week’s announcement by the Association of Train Operating Companies that passenger numbers had increased during 2010.

He said: “We have had six per cent growth in the last few months. We have had 40 per cent growth since the franchise started and we haven’t got any more trains.

“In the days of the last Government we were told we would get a couple of hundred carriages in the North.

“That got cut down to 100 and then it got whittled down to 60 and eventually eight appeared in the whole of the North of England, of which seven are on the other side of the Pennines.

“The position up here is absurd. The lines in both Wharfedale and Airedale are way over capacity during rush hour.”

Coun Greaves said platforms in the district would need to be extended if trains were to carry extra carriages.

He said: “The alternative would be to tell people that if they wanted to get off at a particular station they had to sit on a particular carriage.

“We actually need a huge amount of investment in rail up here.

“I think we have got to go back to the original studies which show we need a couple of hundred carriages up here in the North on both sides of the Pennines. The whole infrastructure needs bringing up to date.”

Tim Calow, chairman of the Aire Valley Rail Users’ Group, said he would also like to see the original plans implemented to allow trains to carry six carriages during peak times and throughout the day on services between Skipton and Leeds.

He said: “What was and really still is needed is this long-term investment for longer platforms which would give the possibility for extra capacity in the long term.

“The Airedale line has made an enormous difference to the economy. It is obviously essential for people to be able to travel.”

James Vasey, chairman of Bradford Rail Users’ Group, said: “We can show we have an overcrowding problem here.

“There’s a greater need in West Yorkshire because there’s a demand. We need to relieve the suppressed demand for train travel.”