FGW to increase capacity by converting first class carriages

An agreement has been reached for First Great Western to convert some of its first class carriages into standard class to increase capacity on busy services.

The operator has reached an agreement with the Department for Transport (DfT) to create almost 3,000 more standard class seats a day for customers across its network by introducing the changes to all of its high speed trains.

It will include 16 per cent more standard class accommodation on high speed services into London in morning peak times.

The remaining first class accommodation will be improved with changes including the installation of privacy screens, more comfortable headrests and re-covered seats.

The first completed carriages are expected to be running in June 2014, with the entire fleet due to be completed by late summer 2015.