Station Usage figures from the ORR

[whole diary]

[Adelante_CCT]

The ORR^» (Office of Rail and Road formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about) statistics are aware of that:

Explanation of large change
User group campaign   

Source for explanation of large change
http://www.pilningstation.uk/why-it-matters

[grahame]

Pilning Station up 107.8% not bad going
Now if they could encourage some proper passengers!.

The ORR^» (Office of Rail and Road formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about) statistics are aware of that:

Explanation of large change
User group campaign   

Source for explanation of large change
http://www.pilningstation.uk/why-it-matters

I caught the train at Pilning a couple of weeks back ... and noted "proper passengers".  For sure, the user group is encouraging people to use the station as best they can and that may well be how the proper passengers found out about it.  For sure waymarking to the station from the village is notable by its absence.

Good to have the ORR noting the local support at their London base - putting the station and group on the radar. That's the second year of good growth too, which indicates consistency of local support, another factor that would make anyone looking to improve services there feel rather more comfortable.

[dhassell]

Pilning Station up 107.8% not bad going
Now if they could encourage some proper passengers!.

I noticed there was a twitter group trying to get people to travel there to distort the numbers

I personally don't see how getting people to use the station is 'distorting the numbers'.
At the end of the day, a twitter group can't physically force someone to use the station. They can persuade someone though...
At the end of the day, passengers are passengers, regardless of their interests!
Also in the cases of other 'least used stations', their figures seem to rise/drop everytime there is a mass visit to a station, the stats for Pilning so far are consistent.

[grahame]

I noticed there was a twitter group trying to get people to travel there to distort the numbers

I personally don't see how getting people to use the station is 'distorting the numbers'.

Welcome to the forum!

What you read is Phantom's view ... I don't share it.  "Distortion"s as I would describe them come in with some of the ticket sales anomalies such as buying tickets to other stations beyond where you're going as they may be cheaper, or splitting your journey at Didcot which (on  return trip) will give 4 uses that don't exist

At the end of the day, a twitter group can't physically force someone to use the station. They can persuade someone though...
At the end of the day, passengers are passengers, regardless of their interests!
Also in the cases of other 'least used stations', their figures seem to rise/drop everytime there is a mass visit to a station, the stats for Pilning so far are consistent.

Exactly what user groups and community rail groups are encouraged to do - especially if (as Pilning) they are consistent / growing from one year to the next.

P.S. You Avatar looks like it might be one of the tunnels just to the west of Aztec West Station.

[dhassell]

I noticed there was a twitter group trying to get people to travel there to distort the numbers

I personally don't see how getting people to use the station is 'distorting the numbers'.

Welcome to the forum!

What you read is Phantom's view ... I don't share it.  "Distortion"s as I would describe them come in with some of the ticket sales anomalies such as buying tickets to other stations beyond where you're going as they may be cheaper, or splitting your journey at Didcot which (on  return trip) will give 4 uses that don't exist

At the end of the day, a twitter group can't physically force someone to use the station. They can persuade someone though...
At the end of the day, passengers are passengers, regardless of their interests!
Also in the cases of other 'least used stations', their figures seem to rise/drop everytime there is a mass visit to a station, the stats for Pilning so far are consistent.

Exactly what user groups and community rail groups are encouraged to do - especially if (as Pilning) they are consistent / growing from one year to the next.

P.S. You Avatar looks like it might be one of the tunnels just to the west of Aztec West Station.

Thank you!
I have used that Didcot example quite a few times... (probably into the hundreds of times  )
Yes, my avatar photo was taken from Over Lane in between the two Patchway Tunnels on the down line.

[Western Pathfinder]

Pilning Station up 107.8% not bad going
Now if they could encourage some proper passengers!.

I noticed there was a twitter group trying to get people to travel there to distort the numbers

I personally don't see how getting people to use the station is 'distorting the numbers'.
At the end of the day, a twitter group can't physically force someone to use the station. They can persuade someone though...
At the end of the day, passengers are passengers, regardless of their interests!
Also in the cases of other 'least used stations', their figures seem to rise/drop everytime there is a mass visit to a station, the stats for Pilning so far are consistent.

Firstly Welcome Always pleased to see a supportive member of The Pilning legends !
And do please take time to have a good look around the Coffee Shop plenty to see and do here .
As you will know I'm one of the people that does my bit to fly the flag for Pilning
And have put a great deal of time and effort into that support
Should it be the case that my previous comment about Some Real Passengers has been misinterpreted,let me make it clear hear and now, the support that a small number of like minded individuals can give to a campaign like Pilning is marvellous and everyone connected to Pilning has worked very very hard to get the numbers up over the last couple of years ,But there are only so many journeys that a small number of people can make ,given two services a week both on the same day and in the same direction.
So now with this excellent rise in the number of people traveling to and from the Station we have to look at widening the appeal and actively encouraging members of the ordinary traveling public to do the same,in other words Real Passengers.

[dhassell]

Pilning Station up 107.8% not bad going
Now if they could encourage some proper passengers!.

I noticed there was a twitter group trying to get people to travel there to distort the numbers

I personally don't see how getting people to use the station is 'distorting the numbers'.
At the end of the day, a twitter group can't physically force someone to use the station. They can persuade someone though...
At the end of the day, passengers are passengers, regardless of their interests!
Also in the cases of other 'least used stations', their figures seem to rise/drop everytime there is a mass visit to a station, the stats for Pilning so far are consistent.

Firstly Welcome Always pleased to see a supportive member of The Pilning legends !
And do please take time to have a good look around the Coffee Shop plenty to see and do here .
As you will know I'm one of the people that does my bit to fly the flag for Pilning
And have put a great deal of time and effort into that support
Should it be the case that my previous comment about Some Real Passengers has been misinterpreted,let me make it clear hear and now, the support that a small number of like minded individuals can give to a campaign like Pilning is marvellous and everyone connected to Pilning has worked very very hard to get the numbers up over the last couple of years ,But there are only so many journeys that a small number of people can make ,given two services a week both on the same day and in the same direction.
So now with this excellent rise in the number of people traveling to and from the Station we have to look at widening the appeal and actively encouraging members of the ordinary traveling public to do the same,in other words Real Passengers.

My comments where wholly aimed at Phantom's post. I agree that the way forward for Pilning is to try and attract more 'proper passengers'. I just don't agree that those traveling now are 'distorting' passenger numbers by using the station.

[Adrian]

Which 12 months does the data cover?  I'm sure it must be there in the notes somewhere, but I don't see this information.

[stuving]

Which 12 months does the data cover?  I'm sure it must be there in the notes somewhere, but I don't see this information.

It's the first FAQ^▸ (Frequently Asked Questions):

What is the reference period for the estimates of station usage?

The estimates of station usage are based on the financial year. Each year runs from 1 April to 31 March.

[Adrian]

Which 12 months does the data cover?  I'm sure it must be there in the notes somewhere, but I don't see this information.

It's the first FAQ^▸ (Frequently Asked Questions):

What is the reference period for the estimates of station usage?

The estimates of station usage are based on the financial year. Each year runs from 1 April to 31 March.

Thanks.

So that means this set is prior to all the various works on the main line between Bristol Parkway to Cardiff.  No doubt that will have some impact on next year's numbers.

[grahame]

Due today http://orr.gov.uk/statistics/publication-dates
via http://orr.gov.uk/statistics/published-stats/station-usage-estimates

Assuming that the release does happen (pretty probable!) I will update stations pages and graphs tonight - doing my day job during the day today!

OK ... the station comparator on the top of these pages and the postcode area graphs have been updated to add in today's release of figures.   So you have pages like

http://www.wellho.net/demo/railuse.php?place=BA^» (British Airways - about)

and

(Frome - next trains).html" target="_blank">http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/smr/FRO.html

Please note I need to check the percentages by which traffic has risen / fallen is being displayed for the years it says it is for, and also I need to add about 4 dozen stations which have come on tap since the data / these charts were started.   That's now made an easier job as the ORR^» (Office of Rail and Road formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about) are publishing a time series - I should probably charge them for the idea because I was doing it here before them  ... but it does mean I can check against and switch to their data - which also goes back further.  Just not doing it tonight or indeed this week.

[RailCornwall]

An hour to waste .... The 'all the STATIONS' crew have done an hour's chat on these figures tonight.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDWVHXDWI_4

[lympstone_commuter]

Fascinating to see that Exeter Central has overtaken Exeter St David's for the first time (ever?)

2,607,502 versus 2,605,166

[Phantom]

Pilning Station up 107.8% not bad going
Now if they could encourage some proper passengers!.

I noticed there was a twitter group trying to get people to travel there to distort the numbers

I personally don't see how getting people to use the station is 'distorting the numbers'.
At the end of the day, a twitter group can't physically force someone to use the station. They can persuade someone though...

Sorry, meant as in the numbers are not a true reflection of those people that are using the station because they need to.
The Twitter group is exactly that, they use these figures to highlight stations with little usage and then organise days out to visit these stations. it's kind of a badge of honor to them to not only to visit these stations but to also see a spike in usage figures

[LiskeardRich]

Coombe junction dropped from 212 to 156, but that it is a real life increase, as the 16/17 crowd getter event generated 108 on the event.