A second entrance could be built in Graham Road to alleviate congestion at Hackney Central station.

The proposals would see development of a vacant council-owned site at 231-237 Graham Road, which is used to park cars.

It would lead directly to the west-bound platform, and be in addition to the current entrance and path in Amhurst Road on the east-bound platform side, and the footbridge between the two platforms.

Hackney Central is now classified as one of London's major town centres, and a 160pc increase in use of the North London Line which is expected to rise a further 35-40pc by 2031, have led the council and Transport for London to explore the proposals.

During peak times, when two trains arrive at the same time - or indeed when trains don't bother stopping at the station in order to massage TfL's time performance figures - the platforms, station entrance and footbridge become extremely overcrowded.

Initial feasibility work has started on the proposals, and ground investigations are expected to begin next month.

Depending on the outcome and funding arrangements, construction of the second entrance may start next year.

The need to improve Hackney Central station is apparently a regular theme in the council's ongoing 'Hackney Conversation' listening exercise.

People have complained it's too small, too congested or unsafe, and some people have said they would even prefer to walk to other stations rather than use it.

The council's transport chief, Cllr Jon Burke, said: "As anyone who regularly uses Hackney Central Station knows, it is often overcrowded and frustratingly busy, and the current single entrance and narrow footway is no longer fit-for-purpose.

"If the number of passengers continues to rise as expected, overcrowding is only going to increase and could become dangerous.

"While increased passenger numbers at Hackney Central Station is good news, demonstrating the increasing popularity of clean public transport - which is central to the council's ambitions for reducing polluting car use in the borough, this means that the time has now come to deliver the upgrade that the station desperately needs."

The Council and TfL have agreed in principle to contribute to funding the scheme and to work with Network Rail on the project.