Rail figures show how Northampton is struggling to get back on track after Covid lockdowns

Only around six in every ten people who used trains at Northampton before Covid-19 lockdowns have returned to the railway, according to official figures, confirming a big switch to working from home in the town.

The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) says station usage more than doubled in 2021-22 as people across the country returned to normal — but is still way down on pre-pandemic levels. ORR numbers show 1.9 million passengers entering and exiting Northampton station in the 12 months to March 2022, up from just 657,004 the year before when the UK was gripped by Covid and spent months in lockdown but just over 59 percent of the 3.2 million in 2019-20.

ORR director of planning and performance Feras Alshaker said: “It is heartening to see passengers return to travelling by rail following what was a difficult period for the industry during the pandemic. There’s still some way to go in order for station usage figures to return to pre-pandemic levels.

“Once again it is important to thank all those in the rail industry, who continue to work hard to help people travel safely and with confidence.”

Operator London Northwestern Railway will introduce a new timetable from Sunday (December 11) offering faster journey times for peak-hour travellers to London. The company is also promising a new fleet of trains will enter service on the London-Northampton-Birmingham line during 2023 with more seats, tables, air conditioning and free WiFi.

Across the country, passenger numbers rebounded from a pandemic drop in 2020-21. An estimated 1.8 billion visitors entered and exited train stations in Great Britain last year – more than double the 690 million visitors the year before. But this was still well below the three billion passengers who used stations in 2019-20.

The ORR’s estimates of station usage are taken from the rail industry’s ticketing and revenue system Lennon, with some local ticketing data. Adjustments are made to ensure the estimates as accurate as possible, the regulator said.

Elsewhere in Northamptonshire, Kettering station saw a 10 percent increase in passengers compared to pre-pandemic levels to 1.1 million — helped by improvements to East Midlands Railway upgraded Intercity service. At Wellingborough 519,094 passengers entering and exiting in 2021-22 was still below the 917,400 in 2019-20.

Transport think tank, the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy, says it is positive to see numbers rebounding but Jacob Mason, research and impact director, said: “As we recover from the pandemic, the time for a major investment into public transport is now.”

After falling to number four in the rankings in 2020-21, London Waterloo – which was the most active station for 16 straight years before the pandemic – returned to the top with 41.4 million passengers. Euston was seventh with 23 million.

Meanwhile, Elton and Orston in rural Nottinghamshire was the least-used station in the country with 40 recorded entries and exits. Long Buckby, one stop up the line from Northampton, had 211,282.

The Department for Transport said it has provided more than £16 billion of funding for passenger services since the start of the pandemic. A spokesperson added: “We now need to reform our railways to reflect changes in travel trends and restore financial stability on our railways.”