Many commuters remain standing for their entire journey

Passengers on the Brighton line into London Victoria face "daily trauma" on their journeys, according to a 2003 Commons select committee report.

Now, the Strategic Rail Authority hopes to reduce overcrowding by increasing the frequency of Gatwick Express trains and running them to the south coast.

The train companies which use the line are being consulted on the proposals.

The House of Commons Transport Select Committee report found commuters were regularly forced to stand for journeys of more than an hour as they made the daily trip into work.

'Work smarter'

Under the proposals announced on Thursday, the Gatwick Express service would run every 10 minutes, calling at East Croydon and continuing past Gatwick to towns on the coast.

The SRA said the trains were usually only half full, while fast services on the Brighton main line often run well above capacity.

It hopes that by increasing capacity on the line, overcrowding can be reduced.

"This strategy marks a major step towards delivering a better railway for users," said SRA chairman Richard Bowker.

"It demonstrates how the rail industry can work smarter to bring about better performance and more capacity for its customers."