ORR Estimates of Station usage April 2021-March 2022

[Stathern Jc]

If you look at a map, there are also 2 stations less than 2 miles away from Elton & Orston too, so I imagine there's a lot of overlapping catchment from those bigger and better well-served stations.

Quite correct. But, anyone from neighbouring villages who can't get to park near Bingham, Aslockton or Bottesford stations will just make their journey by car. The Google Streetview image at Bottesford was obviously taken on a Sunday, whenever I've been back to the Vale the grass area in front of the station has usually also been filled with parking.
An increased service at Elton & Orston would make the stopping services even more so. But the station is there with it's fixed costs, and even if the paltry one service each way was at a useable time for either commuters or shoppers the useage figures needn't be so dire. They are unlikely to be next year given it's new "celebrity status".
Something similar has been said about numerous stations in the past, and while they (and many others) will never turn a profit and if they weren't already there nobody would want to build one, they could easily make a better contribution to operating costs.

 

[philosopher]

According to these ORR figures, total patronage on National Rail in 2021/2 was 59% of the total for 2019/20, which includes a few weeks at the start of Covid restrictions. (I haven't even looked at 2020/21). Major London termini are in the range 48 to 63% apart from Cannon Street (38%). There are wide variations between stations elsewhere, with some at more than 90%. Scotland and Wales would have had longer periods of lockdown than England in the period we are looking at and presumably the passenger figures reflect that.

We know that DfT/Treasury are looking at service cuts and no doubt hope that they and the TOCs will take this data into account when planning cuts in service. For example, on the Exmouth branch, my local line, all the stations apart from Lympstone and Exton had patronage levels in 2021/22 between 90 and 110% of the 19/20 totals! (Note: I've only looked at the total "ons and offs", not season tickets etc.)

From what it looks like, it seems like the recovery has been strongest in the North of England. Leeds, Manchester Piccadilly, Liverpool Lime Street and Newcastle all have usage levels around two thirds or greater than in 2019 / 2020. For Newcastle Central station it seems to be closer to 75% (I have not done the exact maths).

Stations serving airports seem to have recovered the least and are typically 60% to 80% less than 2019 / 2020 levels, which is probably not surprising given how much air travel was restricted in 2021 / 2022.

In the 2019 / 2020 rankings, Birmingham New Street was quite a bit of ahead of Leeds and Manchester Piccadilly, but now is only slightly ahead. Glasgow Central has dropped out of the top ten altogether.

 

[InOban]

'Of those, only East Linton looks like it might be worth spending money on, I doubt it’ll be amazing, sometimes I think it might get into six figures like Drem (another fairly rural station in that neck of the woods), but Drem must be some use as a Haddington/Gullane railhead (or changing from North Berwick to Dunbar and the south without having to go into Edinburgh), whereas East Linton has a fast road into Edinburgh and a regular bus service (ECB X7) so looks a tougher nut to crack. Certainly not guaranteed but the best of the three you’ve mentioned IMHO'

East Linton has no access to the fast road (A1) which passes it, You have to drive to Haddington to join it.
Its new housing is next the station, unlike Dunbar where it's next the A1.

 

[LowLevel]

Quite correct. But, anyone from neighbouring villages who can't get to park near Bingham, Aslockton or Bottesford stations will just make their journey by car. The Google Streetview image at Bottesford was obviously taken on a Sunday, whenever I've been back to the Vale the grass area in front of the station has usually also been filled with parking.
An increased service at Elton & Orston would make the stopping services even more so. But the station is there with it's fixed costs, and even if the paltry one service each way was at a useable time for either commuters or shoppers the useage figures needn't be so dire. They are unlikely to be next year given it's new "celebrity status".
Something similar has been said about numerous stations in the past, and while they (and many others) will never turn a profit and if they weren't already there nobody would want to build one, they could easily make a better contribution to operating costs.

It'll not happen because it would require some money to be spent. There are several issues with Elton.

One is that the up platform is solely accessible by barrow crossing. Any significant increase in numbers would require some alternative provision to be constructed.

The parking capacity also isn't *that* great and it is on a very rural road without so much as a proper footpath.

Providing an hourly service to at least Aslockton and Bottesford and possibly Radcliffe would be way above spending time serving Elton in my priority list.

It really is remote - it used to serve a pub, which then became an Indian restaurant, which has now been converted into housing and a couple of other small houses.

 

[Peter0124]

Wonder if the stricter lockdowns in Scotland led to Glasgow Centrals 4.2 million less pax than Manchester Piccadilly, who Glasgow previously beat.
2018/19 Glasgow Central 32.797m
2019/20 Glasgow Central 32.465m
2020/21 Glasgow Central 5.325m
2021/22 Glasgow Central 15.322m
2018/19 Manchester Picc 30.133m
2019/20 Manchester Picc 32.199m
2020/21 Manchester Picc 5.188m
2021/22 Manchester Picc 19.581m
(source: wikipedia)

Or maybe Glasgow Central is more of a commuting station than Manchester (more tourist focused?)?

Not to mention Edinburgh is catching up with Glasgow and could become Scotland's busiest in a few years.

2018/19 Glasgow Central 32.797m
2019/20 Glasgow Central 32.465m
2020/21 Glasgow Central 5.325m
2021/22 Glasgow Central 15.322m
2018/19 Edinburgh Waverley 23.873m
2019/20 Edinburgh Waverley 23.088m
2020/21 Edinburgh Waverley 2.958m
2021/22 Edinburgh Waverley 13.618m

 

[30907]

The figures for Okehampton are interesting. In its first 19 weeks there were 55k passengers (plus a definite uplift at Crediton), which equates to 150k/year. https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/okehampton-exeter-open-a-year-success.239826/post-5954598

 

[bib]

Re the hope valley line increases, I spotted in the documentation that Derbyshire wayfarer tickets are included in the figures for the first time, which might make a bit of a difference.

Following a review of tickets included in the estimates, a number of products were identified for inclusion for the first time. This includes the Derbyshire Wayfarer, Brighton and Worthing Unizone cards and more derivatives of the Bristol Freedom Pass product. This led to an addition of 616,000 entries and exits

On a more general theme I wonder what the effect of increased availability of split ticketing is having on "passenger numbers", Trainline and Trainpal apps both do it automatically now whereas a few years ago I think you would have had to do it manually or with a website, so I'd expect the total number of split tickets being sold would have increased in the last few years, although I don't know how significant an effect it would be.

 

[Watershed]

Re the hope valley line increases, I spotted in the documentation that Derbyshire wayfarer tickets are included in the figures for the first time, which might make a bit of a difference.


On a more general theme I wonder what the effect of increased availability of split ticketing is having on "passenger numbers", Trainline and Trainpal apps both do it automatically now whereas a few years ago I think you would have had to do it manually or with a website, so I'd expect the total number of split tickets being sold would have increased in the last few years, although I don't know how significant an effect it would be.

These apps won't be able to suggest Derbyshire Wayfarers though. With Sheffield ticket office frequently refusing to sell Wayfarers, it can be difficult for passengers from Sheffield to buy the cheapest combination of tickets. They are taking a risk if they buy a ticket to Grindleford and hope to buy the Wayfarer onboard.

 

[Killingworth]

Re the hope valley line increases, I spotted in the documentation that Derbyshire wayfarer tickets are included in the figures for the first time, which might make a bit of a difference.

Unlikely to make a statistically significant difference. Derbyshire wayfarer tickets can't be bought on Hope Valley line trains or at the unstaffed stations (but should be available at staffed stations, including now Sheffield; https://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/transport-roads/public-transport/fares-tickets-passes/rover-tickets/derbyshire-wayfarer/the-derbyshire-wayfarer-day-rover-ticket.aspx ) and aren't particularly good value for rail travellers on the route.

However the Manchester Wayfarer is popular for those going into Greater Manchester and can be bought on the train, including savvy Sheffield travellers who buy to Grindleford, then get a Manchester Wayfarer.

 

[Llandudno]

Unlikely to make a statistically significant difference. Derbyshire wayfarer tickets can't be bought on Hope Valley line trains or at the unstaffed stations (but should be available at staffed stations, including now Sheffield; https://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/transport-roads/public-transport/fares-tickets-passes/rover-tickets/derbyshire-wayfarer/the-derbyshire-wayfarer-day-rover-ticket.aspx ) and aren't particularly good value for rail travellers on the route.

However the Manchester Wayfarer is popular for those going into Greater Manchester and can be bought on the train, including savvy Sheffield travellers who buy to Grindleford, then get a Manchester Wayfarer.

And to reconfirm:

Sheffield station booking office will sell Derbyshire Wayfarers but NOT TfGM Wayfarers

Chesterfield Station booking office will sell Derbyshire Wayfarers AND TfGM Wayfarers

Go figure…!

 

[geoffk]

And to reconfirm:

Sheffield station booking office will sell Derbyshire Wayfarers but NOT TfGM Wayfarers

Surely staff at any National Rail station should sell you any ticket you ask for (but maybe be prepared to have the code with you). I remember buying a Cheshire Day Ranger ticket at Rochdale.

 

[Llandudno]

Surely staff at any National Rail station should sell you any ticket you ask for (but maybe be prepared to have the code with you). I remember buying a Cheshire Day Ranger ticket at Rochdale.

Indeed they should, but Sheffield Booking Office is a rule into itself!

They even flatly refuse to sell the tickets even when you tell them what keys to press on their ticket machine!

Last time I tried they told me I could buy one on the train…!
and you wonder why only 8% of tickets are bought at ticket offices, resulting in their eventual closure…?

 

[geoffk]

Indeed they should, but Sheffield Booking Office is a rule into itself!

They even flatly refuse to sell the tickets even when you tell them what keys to press on their ticket machine!

Last time I tried they told me I could buy one on the train…!
and you wonder why only 8% of tickets are bought at ticket offices, resulting in their eventual closure…?

I don't live anywhere near Sheffield now, but surely someone in charge at EMR should get them to do their job?

 

[William3000]

Surprised at how high Grantham is almost 1.2m, compared to Newark for example, that’s over 3,200 entries and exits a day Every day

Would part of that be that Newark has two stations and Nottingham must be a major flow, which go from Castle not North Gate?

 

[LeeLivery]

Wellingborough is at 500,000, 43% lower than pre-covid, while Kettering is now slightly higher than 2019-20 at +8%. In fact, Wellingborough looks to be the most down on the traditional Intercity route other than the two Airport Parkways. While only the two villages (King's Sutton and Long Buckby) are doing slightly worse in Northamptonshire, at -45%.

Who'd have guessed that giving Kettering all the fast services would have a serious negative impact on Wellingborough's recovery...

 

[30907]

Wellingborough is at 500,000, 43% lower than pre-covid, while Kettering is now slightly higher than 2019-20 at +8%.

Who'd have guessed that giving Kettering all the fast services would have a serious negative impact on Wellingborough's recovery...

But possibly a positive impact on EMR's revenue? Given that Kettering had no off-peak fast services before electrification, it's hardly surprising numbers are up.

I imagine some people are now driving to Kettering who previously went through to Wellingborough?

 

[LeeLivery]

But possibly a positive impact on EMR's revenue? Given that Kettering had no off-peak fast services before electrification, it's hardly surprising numbers are up.

I imagine some people are now driving to Kettering who previously went through to Wellingborough?

A good example of 'provide and they shall come'.

I imagine many people from the surrounding villages drive to Kettering now

 

[scarby]

Nick Badley has made an entertaining video of a recent visit to Elton and Orston:

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

This is for a pub quiz that I am compiling, does anyone know where I can find our the average passenger numbers / usage for Shepperton Station in 2022 or 2021?

Thanks Steve.

 

[zwk500]

This is for a pub quiz that I am compiling, does anyone know where I can find our the average passenger numbers / usage for Shepperton Station in 2022

Link in post #1 to the ORR data

or 2121?

This might be a long-term projection!

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

Link in post #1 to the ORR data

This might be a long-term projection!

Whoops, thank you.