A train operator is increasing the number of carriages in a bid to stop overcrowding on one of its most popular summer routes.

East Midlands Railway (EMR) said services between Nottingham to Skegness would have five carriages at peak times, an increase of more than 30% compared with summer 2023.

It is also offering free vacuum bags, to allow passengers to reduce the size of their bedding, and is urging customers to “resist the urge to take food shopping with you”.

Emma Davis, from EMR, said the changes were introduced after analysing passenger data.

Customers are also being encouraged to book in advance to guarantee a seat.

“What we have done is taken all the information from the past two years of customers travelling and understood when they would like to travel,” Ms Davis said.

“So we know that out of Nottingham customers like to travel in the morning to get to their destination at Skegness and also at lunchtime coming back from Skegness, when people have left their accommodation, our services get really busy.”

Ms Davis added the new booking system, introduced in 2023, should ensure that demand was managed with an hourly service to and from the seaside resort.

“Rather than everybody rushing for two or three trains out of Nottingham, we’ve been able to spread customers out by making some services a bit cheaper,” she said.

“So if you’re price sensitive, you might want to travel on a less busy service for a cheaper price.”