Elizabeth line remains TfL’s highlight with strong passenger growth
With some pretty sombre news for passenger transport growth across London seen in recent Transport for London reports the Elizabeth line remains the stand-out performer.
The line has seen ambitious growth targets set by TfL this year and still managed to beat them.
A report before TfL’s Finance Committee this week states: “Journeys are over 12% higher than last year and are almost 3 million higher than Budget. Passenger income is £37m higher than last year, but slightly down on Budget.”
While income is slightly down on budget it’s overall welcome news for TfL given a wider context of stagnating bus numbers and issues with London Overground and DLR.
Both of the latter quickly bounced back and London Overground is still at or around pre-pandemic numbers despite a poor year so far, but the DLR has been hit by delayed new trains, short forms of existing stock and regular closures for testing.
With no sign of Elizabeth line growth stopping it does bring some headaches such as overcrowding at Woolwich. Like Abbey Wood the station was built with an entrance/exit at only one end of the station. At Abbey Wood the Felixstowe Road ground floor entrance does help to split passenger flows but at Woolwich everyone is fed to the same space.
Future
On the bright side an additional ten trains have been ordered for the line from Alstom with an entry into service expected around 2027. The major catalyst is Old Oak Common and the HS2 connection planned there but benefits cascade to other locations.
The sheer number of new developments around stations such as Abbey Wood, Woolwich, Custom House, Stratford and Canary Wharf where North Quay is underway (to name just a few) beside the station should keep that growth going for years to come.
