Anyone noticed anecdotally another uptick in passenger numbers

[Adrian1980uk]

Past 3 to 4 weeks I've noticed the peak GEML Norwich trains have gone from comfortably full ( everyone getting a seat although not many spare) to full and standing now, I put it down to Easter holidays but this week again full and standing. Also looking across at the other GEML trains leaving Liverpool Street are also now full and standing

 

[Snow1964]

Yes, certainly true in Bristol metro area. Already commented in Portsmouth-Cardiff thread, but this morning saw a 5car turbo set on Friday morning commuter service with about 90% of seats taken, including the middle seats.

Some people talk as if negligible commuting on Fridays, but clearly is booming in Bath and Bristol area, even if not same everywhere

 

[Blindtraveler]

The same is true of the small little bit of the Southeastern empire that I regularly observe. Meanwhile north of the border my friends teenage daughter who left school at Christmas and is currently doing a five or six times weekly commute to work in a well-known fashion retailer also has noticed an upscreen since about March and only a small proportion of this is the usual crop of seasonal holiday makers

 

[DanNCL]

I’ve noticed the exact opposite in the North East, some trains that would two months ago have been standing room only are now turning up with quite a few spare seats.

On other trains where standing was never common to begin with I've also noticed fewer passengers. XC running single voyagers that for the first time in probably forever aren’t overflowing with passengers, TPE running half empty 802s, LNER running services with many seats free in each carriage (often despite being ‘fully reserved’). I’m surprised the North East is an outlier I’d expected this to be the case in other regions too.

 

[The exile]

Yes, certainly true in Bristol metro area. Already commented in Portsmouth-Cardiff thread, but this morning saw a 5car turbo set on Friday morning commuter service with about 90% of seats taken, including the middle seats.

Some people talk as if negligible commuting on Fridays, but clearly is booming in Bath and Bristol area, even if not same everywhere

Not on the 07.30 Bath - Bristol train it isn’t. Still noticeably quieter this morning than the midweek days (as was the 07.58 Manchester departing Temple Meads). I would agree with the general statement though that things seem to be getting busier…
Just realised that the 07.58 was 5 cars this morning not 4, which obviously spreads people out a bit!

 

[yorksrob]

I think it depends on when and where you are.

My morning commute into Leeds has certainly got busier, but there are times at Leeds on a Saturday morning when I've thought "this is quiet" (and not just on strike days).

 

[dk1]

Past 3 to 4 weeks I've noticed the peak GEML Norwich trains have gone from comfortably full ( everyone getting a seat although not many spare) to full and standing now, I put it down to Easter holidays but this week again full and standing. Also looking across at the other GEML trains leaving Liverpool Street are also now full and standing

Pesky hare fares don't help and cause considerable crowding.

 

[Adrian1980uk]

Pesky hare fares don't help and cause considerable crowding.

I assumed that over the Easter period but this week was back to peak fares, I was expecting it to back to normal.
Hare fares if get more passengers on GA are definitely worth it but it goes back to the issue of needing just enough and not giving the problem of having to run more trains on infrastructure that can't cope

 

[dk1]

I assumed that over the Easter period but this week was back to peak fares, I was expecting it to back to normal.
Hare fares if get more passengers on GA are definitely worth it but it goes back to the issue of needing just enough and not giving the problem of having to run more trains on infrastructure that can't cope

Yes that’s it, they are in no way limited or quota controlled causing issues on the most popular trains. It’s not unusual for catering trolleys to have to give up or get stranded.

You are so right regarding peak trains in/out of Liverpool St/Stratford. We where one of the quickest routes to see shoots of recovery but some services are getting silly busy now.

 

[L401CJF]

A lot of companies have been trying to get staff back into the office from what friends have been saying. A friend of mine who has been working entirely from home for the last 4 years is now having to do a week in the office every couple of months, plus one day every week now. She says it is gradually going to increase at her company to have them back in the office full time. I'm not surprised, a lot of people certainly take the mick working from home. My former mother in law leaves the system logged in with somebody else in the house hold to occasionally move the mouse (to prevent it logging her out and showing her as offline) and goes out shopping, out for lunch, and even does cash in hand food testing during her work hours.

Working the trains I have noticed a massive increase lately (on our mostly 2 car trains) and had to go into summer holiday season mode moving people down, rearranging people to maximise capacity, and even leaving people behind. Something so far I've only ever experienced on strike days and in summer holidays. Its becoming quite difficult to get on some Merseyrail peak trains again too!

 

[Adrian1980uk]

A lot of companies have been trying to get staff back into the office from what friends have been saying. A friend of mine who has been working entirely from home for the last 4 years is now having to do a week in the office every couple of months, plus one day every week now. She says it is gradually going to increase at her company to have them back in the office full time. I'm not surprised, a lot of people certainly take the mick working from home. My former mother in law leaves the system logged in with somebody else in the house hold to occasionally move the mouse (to prevent it logging her out and showing her as offline) and goes out shopping, out for lunch, and even does cash in hand food testing during her work hours.

Working the trains I have noticed a massive increase lately (on our mostly 2 car trains) and had to go into summer holiday season mode moving people down, rearranging people to maximise capacity, and even leaving people behind. Something so far I've only ever experienced on strike days and in summer holidays. Its becoming quite difficult to get on some Merseyrail peak trains again too!

That's my experience too, I work at a consultancy and clients are now expecting more than a token office appearance once a month to a 2 or 3 times a week.

 

[Mikw]

I've done EMR a few times recently - it's been really hard to get cheap tickets all of a sudden. So assume they're selling out more, unless something else is afoot?

 

[DannyMich2018]

I went from Kettering to Leicester on Tues 9th April on 15.22 train. This off peak train was surprisingly busy. Trains at Leicester were also busy.
Meanwhile the Birmingham-Leicester route in my opinion is much busier than it's ever been during weekend and in the week too getting busy.

 

[TrainGeekUK]

Some of the Eastbourne to Victoria services recently have been full and standing from Eastbourne.

The poor passengers trying to board and get a seat at Lewes has become a real problem.

I‘m also suprised that the 8 coach length is maintained. Definitely a case for 12 coaches on some of the post peak services after 10am

 

[Bald Rick]

I think it depends on when and where you are.

Is the right answer.

Nationally, it was the busiest week post Covid a couple of weeks before Easter. Its about 5% less than that now. But there are some places busier because of fares promotions or the advent of better weather.

 

[morgainelive]

Pesky hare fares don't help and cause considerable crowding.

Absolutely the 12 car 1101 was full and standing at Colchester this saturday I passed and went on the 1112 which by Chelmsford was full and standing only 5 car which needed to be 10 it's really crowded saturdays GEML now and not in a pleasant way.

 

[ThameslinkUser]

Some of the Eastbourne to Victoria services recently have been full and standing from Eastbourne.

The poor passengers trying to board and get a seat at Lewes has become a real problem.

I‘m also suprised that the 8 coach length is maintained. Definitely a case for 12 coaches on some of the post peak services after 10am

Littlehampton to Victoria services are just as bad, if not worse. Very much concur with the need for 12 cars until midday at the least.

 

[dk1]

Absolutely the 12 car 1101 was full and standing at Colchester this saturday I passed and went on the 1112 which by Chelmsford was full and standing only 5 car which needed to be 10 it's really crowded saturdays GEML now and not in a pleasant way.

And you have to remember that that train (11:01) didn’t stop at Colchester before the pandemic. It ran fast Manningtree to Stratford with an EMU picking up the path as an 11:03 Colchester to Liverpool Street.

The 08:00/09:00/10:00 ex-Norwich were all booked like this on Saturdays.

 

[Adrian1980uk]

And you have to remember that that train (11:01) didn’t stop at Colchester before the pandemic. It ran fast Manningtree to Stratford with an EMU picking up the path as an 11:03 Colchester to Liverpool Street.

The 08:00/09:00/10:00 ex-Norwich were all booked like this on Saturdays.

Does make me wonder if GA should look at trying to path an half hourly Colchester to London fast, stopping at Chelmsford and Stratford only rather than relying on the Norwich services

 

[43066]

I think anyone unfortunate to travel on the four car EMR 360s running around today will notice a significant uptick in overcrowding.

It really is getting to the stage where four cars will be dangerous to operate.

 

[trebor79]

Does make me wonder if GA should look at trying to path an half hourly Colchester to London fast, stopping at Chelmsford and Stratford only rather than relying on the Norwich services

We went into London from Diss last Thursday and there were hardly any seats on the train when it arrived at Diss. A few from Diss and everyone that got on later stood all the way to London. Return journey on the 1730 I used traksy so we could get on the train before the platform was displayed. It was already fairly well loaded and was almost crush loaded by the time departure time came.

Never mind Norwich in 90, it might better all round if the Norwichs only called Diss, Stowmarket, Ipswich and maybe Manningtee with Colchester/Ipswich to London picking up all the rest.

 

[stuu]

I was a bit surprised that the train I caught at Canary Wharf (EL) heading west the other night was full and standing when it arrived, that's a first. And the service was running normally, I had just missed the previous train

 

[Adrian1980uk]

We went into London from Diss last Thursday and there were hardly any seats on the train when it arrived at Diss. A few from Diss and everyone that got on later stood all the way to London. Return journey on the 1730 I used traksy so we could get on the train before the platform was displayed. It was already fairly well loaded and was almost crush loaded by the time departure time came.

Never mind Norwich in 90, it might better all round if the Norwichs only called Diss, Stowmarket, Ipswich and maybe Manningtee with Colchester/Ipswich to London picking up all the rest.

I also noticed the 7:05 was really busy from Norwich Thursday, we had a Stansted unit an the extra seats came in handy from Ipswich onwards. The 18:30 was full and standing coming back as well.

 

[dk1]

Does make me wonder if GA should look at trying to path an half hourly Colchester to London fast, stopping at Chelmsford and Stratford only rather than relying on the Norwich services

I think it all becomes very controversial because of the loss of direct Norfolk-Essex links. Things will improve a little with sharing the Chelmsford/Stratford calls from June. The latter stop is too important to miss these days.

I also noticed the 7:05 was really busy from Norwich Thursday, we had a Stansted unit an the extra seats came in handy from Ipswich onwards. The 18:30 was full and standing coming back as well.

Unfortunately the relief to both these services (06:48up & 18:10dn) have not returned and there are no plans to do so.

 

[Adrian1980uk]

I think it all becomes very controversial because of the loss of direct Norfolk-Essex links. Things will improve a little with sharing the Chelmsford/Stratford calls from June. The latter stop is too important to miss these days.



Unfortunately the relief to both these services (06:48up & 18:10dn) have not returned and there are no plans to do so.

I'm pretty sure they won't be reintroduced even if there was a requirement, as that would require another diagram and steeling another Stansted unit.

 

[dk1]

I'm pretty sure they won't be reintroduced even if there was a requirement, as that would require another diagram and steeling another Stansted unit.

We just need some 720s to be converted for dedicated airport use. I have no idea why the DfT can’t see this.

 

[yorksrob]

It's amazing that there's any uptick at all, given how abysmally unreliable the railway's been these last few years.

 

[Adrian1980uk]

It's amazing that there's any uptick at all, given how abysmally unreliable the railway's been these last few years.

At the risk of jinxing it, GA have been reliable since the pandemic/new stock settled down

 

[dk1]

It's amazing that there's any uptick at all, given how abysmally unreliable the railway's been these last few years.

That doesn’t apply in East Anglia

 

[jammmmmsssssss]

I have noticed that the train is usually very busy in the peaks between Newmarket and Cambridge