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Light Rail statistics for UK

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deltic

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Thanks nerd for posting this link - Some mixed results shown here.

Using passenger kilometers/miles there has been a big turn round in fortunes of Blackpool Tram and Tyne and Wear Metro with showing highest usage since the data begins in 1983. Manchester Metrolink and Notttingham show not surprising massive growth. Midlands Metro is most unusual showing no change in patronage ever since it opened - interesting to see if extension to New Street will make much difference. Whilst Sheffield supertram goes backwards with patronage back to the levels they were 20 years ago.

Croydon Tramlink is fairly static but will presumably pick up now Wimbledon has been dealt with and DLR continues to impressively grow in usage. Edinburgh tram is building up patronage nicely while Glasgow subway remains fairly static - again interesting to see if the new rolling stock will give it a boost.
 

nerd

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For the purpose of comparison, I am assuming that all the DLR services are run in 3-unit sets, and all the T&W Metro services are run in 2-unit sets. So I have multiplied the published vehicle miles totals by 3 and 2 respectively.

Occupancy per unit - 2015/16 (2014/15)

Docklands Light Railway - 33.9 (34.2)
Croydon Tramlink - 52.6 (55.4)
Nottingham Express Transit - 31.1 (33.8)
Midland Metro - 31.6 (28.6)
Sheffield Supertram - 33.3 (33.1)
Tyne and Wear Metro - 30.5 (28.8)
Manchester Metrolink - 31.0 (36.2)
Blackpool Tramway - 22.5 (22.6)

England average - 33.2 (34.3)

Of course units vary in capacity; but not that much. Interesting that almost all systems are currently carrying around 33 passengers on average per unit - exceptions being Tramlink at over 50, and Blackpool at less than 23.

Metrolink, before its recent trebling in fleet size, was carrying around the same average passenger numbers as Croydon now.

Fare revenue per passenger mile - pence

Docklands Light Railway - 42 (39)
Croydon Tramlink - 22 (22)
Nottingham Express Transit - 27 (33)
Midland Metro - 27 (27)
Sheffield Supertram - 24 (27)
Tyne and Wear Metro - 23 (24)
Manchester Metrolink - 28 (28)
Blackpool Tramway - 45 (50)

England average - 31 (31)

Non-concession fare revenue per passenger mile - pence

Docklands Light Railway - 43 (40)
Croydon Tramlink - 21 (21)
Nottingham Express Transit - 29 (33)
Midland Metro - 28 (28)
Sheffield Supertram - 31 (34)
Tyne and Wear Metro - 24 (24)
Manchester Metrolink - 31 (31)
Blackpool Tramway - 46 (50)

England average - 34 (33)

The most expensive systems to ride on are the DLR and Blackpool. T&W Metro and Tramlink are exceptionally cheap - and both require an operating subisidy. Metrolink is a bit lower than average.

Total Fare revenue 2015/16 £m

Docklands Light Railway - 161.9 (143.8)
Croydon Tramlink - 22.8 (24.4)
Nottingham Express Transit - 13.6 (8.8)
Midland Metro - 8.6 (7.7)
Sheffield Supertram - 11.4 (12.6)
Tyne and Wear Metro - 50.2 (47.9)
Manchester Metrolink - 62.4 (56.8)
Blackpool Tramway - 6.1 (5.6)

Total Fare revenue per trip 2015/16 £

Docklands Light Railway - £1.38 (1.28)
Croydon Tramlink - £0.84 (0.76)
Nottingham Express Transit - £1.11 (1.09)
Midland Metro - £1.79 (1.75)
Sheffield Supertram - £0.98 (1.10)
Tyne and Wear Metro - £1.25 (1.26)
Manchester Metrolink - £1.82 (1.82)
Blackpool Tramway - £1.24 (1.37)

England average - £1.34 (1.28)

Fares per trip in London have been increasing; while most other fares have been frozen (Manchester, T&W) or have gone down a bit (Blackpool, Sheffield)
 
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Simon11

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Any reasons for why LU passenger journeys have fallen in 2015/16 than the year before?
 

telstarbox

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Some of the central stations have been closed for a few months at a time, but you'd expect most passengers to displace to the nearest station (eg Oxford Circus for Tottenham Court Road).
 

nerd

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Any reasons for why LU passenger journeys have fallen in 2015/16 than the year before?

On the face of the statistics; there has been a big price-hike for season tickets.

Though not being a London season ticket holder, I could not confirm this.
 

edwin_m

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For the purpose of comparison, I am assuming that all the DLR services are run in 3-unit sets, and all the T&W Metro services are run in 2-unit sets. So I have multiplied the published vehicle miles totals by 3 and 2 respectively.

Occupancy per unit - 2015/16 (2014/15)

Docklands Light Railway - 33.9 (34.2)
Croydon Tramlink - 52.6 (55.4)
Nottingham Express Transit - 31.1 (33.8)
Midland Metro - 31.6 (28.6)
Sheffield Supertram - 33.3 (33.1)
Tyne and Wear Metro - 30.5 (28.8)
Manchester Metrolink - 31.0 (36.2)
Blackpool Tramway - 22.5 (22.6)

England average - 33.2 (34.3)

Of course units vary in capacity; but not that much. Interesting that almost all systems are currently carrying around 33 passengers on average per unit - exceptions being Tramlink at over 50, and Blackpool at less than 23.

I note the footnote to the table states that the Metrolink figure is actually unit-miles so allows for the frequent use of double units. No assumption is stated for DLR or T&W but the implication of the lack of footnote is that these are actually "train-miles". This would square with your interpreted figures but not with my understanding of the use of "vehicle" in a light rail context.
 

WatcherZero

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Nerd is right, they all use train ilez with the exception. Of Metrolink which switched shortly after the M5000 started arriving in numbers. They didnt do it with the T68 doubles. TfL is advertising for the next DLR stock to be fixed formation length of 86.4m as opposed to be being made up of three car sets.

Occupancy per unit - 2015/16 (2014/15)

Docklands Light Railway - 33.9 (34.2)
Croydon Tramlink - 52.6 (55.4)
Nottingham Express Transit - 31.1 (33.8)
Midland Metro - 31.6 (28.6)
Sheffield Supertram - 33.3 (33.1)
Tyne and Wear Metro - 30.5 (28.8)
Manchester Metrolink - 31.0 (36.2)
Blackpool Tramway - 22.5 (22.6)

That would translate into average daily loading figures of

Docklands 284 (12%)
Tramlink 208/206 (25.4%)
Nottingham 194/191 (16.2%)
Midland 210 (15%)
Sheffield 241 (13.1%)
T&W 300 (10.2%)
Metrolink 206 (15%)
Blackpool 222 (10.1%)
 
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TC60054

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Fares per trip in London have been increasing; while most other fares have been frozen (Manchester, T&W) or have gone down a bit (Blackpool, Sheffield)

The Sheffield fares have dropped substantially with two price promotions being in place over two different periods of the financial year - one during the four phases of engineering work, and another as a "thank you" for patience during engineering works and also for their 21st anniversary of running.
 

MetroCar4058

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Just a quick note also, fare increases have occurred on the T&W Metro over the past year, especially in regard to season tickets.
 

higthomas

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Whilst Sheffield supertram goes backwards with patronage back to the levels they were 20 years ago.

Are there any obvious reasons why this is? It seems surprising to me at least; but I've never been to Sheffield.
 

Altfish

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Nerd is right, they all use train ilez with the exception. Of Metrolink which switched shortly after the M5000 started arriving in numbers. They didnt do it with the T68 doubles. TfL is advertising for the next DLR stock to be fixed formation length of 86.4m as opposed to be being made up of three car sets.



That would translate into average daily loading figures of

Docklands 284 (12%)
Tramlink 208/206 (25.4%)
Nottingham 194/191 (16.2%)
Midland 210 (15%)
Sheffield 241 (13.1%)
T&W 300 (10.2%)
Metrolink 206 (15%)
Blackpool 222 (10.1%)

I can only speak of the Manchester trams but the M5000s have less seats and more standing room to enable better rush hour capacity.
According to wiki the M5000s have 60 seats and 146 standing
the T68s had 84 seats and 122 standing
So, the M5000s can appear well loaded but less than 1/3rd full.
 

WatcherZero

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Yes its a measure of how well capacity is being utilised throughout the day. The seat to standing space ratio is pretty uniform across all networks, DLR cars are being refitted with less seats at moment.
 
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TC60054

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Are there any obvious reasons why this is? It seems surprising to me at least; but I've never been to Sheffield.

The five months of various closures for engineering works seems likely to have affected passenger numbers - as well as mileage per tramcar on the other sheets.
 

theking

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DLR still run a lot of 2 car consists.

Indeed two car train sets are used on:

Stratford - Canary Wharf (all services)
Stratford - Lewisham (all services)
Stratford International - Woolwich Arsenal (all services)
Canning Town - Beckton (all services)
Bank - Woolwich Arsenal (Saturday - Sunday)
Beckton - Tower Gateway (Saturday - Sunday unless excel event)
 
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