wrote

My guess is, the planners knew from the get-go that 4tph
just wouldn't cut it - that that's basically a token service, and that
it is going to be jam-packed from Day One, starting at the first
station (Clapham Junction), so they took out as many seats as possible
in order to pack as many people in like sardines. Looks like I'm
going to stick with bicycling to Canary Wharf - at lesat that way I
get a seat to sit on the whole way.

The existing SLL serevice (Victoria - London Bridge) is half-hourly with
2-coach trains, and even in the peaks most passengers get a seat. I am sure
that the ELLX phase 2b service will be well used, but I wouldn't expect it
to be jam-packed. Off-peak everyone who wants one will get a seat, with
plenty of space for bikes and buggies, while in the peaks passengers who
have to stand will, I would expect, have a reasonable space.

It won't be anything like the quickest route from Clapham Junction to Canary
Wharf (via Canada Water) or the City (via Whitechapel or walk from
Shoreditch High Street) - going via Wazterloo will be much quicker - though
the ELLX route will avoid a Zone 1 fare.

Peter