Station Usage for 2008/09

[whole diary]

[marky7890]

Hi,
Just to let everyone know today the latest station usage stats have been released by the Office of Rail Regulation for April 2008 - April 2009.

The files can be downloaded here: http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/server/show/nav.1529

I have however noticed that the total entries and total exists (and full, reduced and season) for most stations are the same figure.

Mark

[John R]

The point re entries and exits is mentioned in the Report (5.2) so is not a mistake.

A quick look shows significant increases for many stations in the West, eg North Somerset line stations aggregate an increase of over 13%. Bear in mind that at least half of the period in question was after the recession started and it is a startling result.

It appears to make a mockery of the projections built into the RUS^▸ (Route Utilisation Strategy) re growth and the number of additional carriages required in the West.

[grahame]

I note the availability of this data ... which I will build into our comparator here in the near future.   I have a lot on my plate with a major meeting tomorrow evening and other things too that must take priority.

[IndustryInsider]

Thanks for the link, Marky7890

Always an interesting read, even if the figures are always open to interpretation - especially with grouped stations and, ever increasingly, stations that accept Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services) cards.

Still, here's a snapshot of some of the noticeable changes from FGW^▸ (First Great Western)-land since last years report:

Avonmouth from 44000 to 62000
Bicester Town from 51000 to 60000
Bodmin Parkway 203000 to 285000
Falmouth (Town and Docks combined) from 159000 to 210000
Hanborough (spelt Handborough in the file!) from 84000 to 105000
Melksham from 38000 down to 27000 - no doubt Graham will provide some reasons for the decline!
Newquay from 87000 to 126000
Saltash from 32000 to 50000
Severn Beach from 54000 to 75000
Tiverton Parkway from 304000 to 451000

I'll be interested to see Bicester Town's figures for next year after the full impact of the 'Bicester Link' branding has taken effect, as numbers have swelled considerably since then!

[Brucey]

I'm very pleased with the Severn Beach Line figures.  Just goes to show that if an improved service is offered, people are willing to use it:

Lawrence Hill 55730 to 67702
Stapleton Road 72182 to 104348
Montpelier 60629 to 86406
Redland 61394 to 88214
Clifton Down 204397 to 284220
Sea Mills 33222 to 36878
Shirehampton 30893 to 34742
Avonmouth 44468 to 62400
St Andrews Road 3183 to 3616
Severn Beach 54034 to 74864

Total for all these stations 620,132 to 843,390.  An increase of around 36%.

[JayMac]

The Severn Beach Line figures are interesting with as brucey say around a 36% increase in usage over the 07/08 figures.

Although it's worth bearing in mind that the increase in frequency was 60%, from 15 return weekday trips to 24, as far as Avonmouth.

Of course that 36% increase could potentially be a lot higher if all fares were able to be collected. Just yesterday 3 people who sat in seats near me from Redland to Stapleton Road got away with no tickets issued, one even commented to another that there was a good chance they'd travel for free as their return journey would be on a busy evening service.

[John R]

More thoughts:-

The overall increase of 8% is stated to be largely attributable to inclusion of PTE^▸ (Passenger Transport Executive) tickets which were not included in previous years. Without that the increase would have been less than 2%. Given the increase on West Country services appears well in excess of 8% on many routes, (with no inclusion of PTE to distort our figures), surely it follows that the west has significantly outperformed the national picture. So why do we get so little of the crumbs available for additional rolling stock (bearing in mind that the forthcoming cascade won't result in any additional stock once other stock is handed back).

[RailCornwall]

Have analysed from extracted data Cornwall's figures, See the relevant thread in the Local Forum. If I'm at a loss over the weekend, I'll do Devon as well.

[Lee]

Melksham from 38000 down to 27000 - no doubt Graham will provide some reasons for the decline!

As the GW^» (Great Western - used as an abbreviation for the area / lines under the Great Western franchise, as opposed to FGW which includes "First", the company operating them too. For tickets - about) RUS^▸ (Route Utilisation Strategy) put it, "This is due to an earlier discrepancy with ticket purchases at Melksham station for travel between Trowbridge and Bath which was rectified in September 2008."

[Chris from Nailsea]

Thanks, Lee! 

There's an acknowledgement of this point on page 11 in the RUS^▸ (Route Utilisation Strategy).

[Lee]

And also on Pages 85 and 86 - http://www.savethetrain.org.uk/forum/index.php?topic=8080.msg13089#msg13089

[RailCornwall]

Have now done Devon CC, Plymouth UA and Torbay UA.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Thanks very much for that, RailCornwall! 

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

page 250 Appendix G ^ Stakeholder Aspirations... interesting!

[Chris from Nailsea]

Line Reinstatement / Conversion

Exeter - Okehampton - Tavistock - Plymouth

... by any chance?