Public Transport in your particular part of the region

[Martin Phillp]

The ORR rail station stats were released today. Some staggering figures were released where Covid really did change everything where some London interchange stations performed better this year than the main terminal stations.

Stratford in East London was the most used rail station in the UK, followed by London Victoria. Highbury & Islington & Clapham Junction had more users than Birmingham New Street while Barking and East Croydon had more than London Euston, while Vauxhall had more users than London King's Cross.

https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/statistic ... tion-usage

[Beep]

The ORR rail station stats were released today. Some staggering figures were released where Covid really did change everything where some London interchange stations performed better this year than the main terminal stations.

Stratford in East London was the most used rail station in the UK, followed by London Victoria. Highbury & Islington & Clapham Junction had more users than Birmingham New Street while Barking and East Croydon had more than London Euston, while Vauxhall had more users than London King's Cross.

https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/statistic ... tion-usage

BNS is nearly always the most used station outside London, the surprises being the local interchanges within London though. Presumably because there were enforced rules about not travelling unless necessary or from region to region or area to area. I remember the first week of the first lockdown borderline checking people for ID at King's Cross St Pancras LT station (which remained consistently busy throughout Covid, although the lockdown months there was a notable lack of a 'peak' with most travel being done between 5:30 and 6:30am, 13:30 and 14:30pm and between 1630 and 1830 or 2030 and 2130pm for all the 'key workers').

Wonder if next year's figures will reflect a slow return to some normality?

[thegeek]

I think my favourite Covid transport stat is that for a while last March, Aberdeen overtook Heathrow as Britain's busiest airport in terms of aircraft movements. (ITV didn't appear to notice.)

[scottishtv]

So the NX/Stagecoach merger (takeover) is confirmed as going ahead.

Not sure about Citylink coaches up here which is owned jointly by ComfortDelGro/Stagecoach. It's a rather tired looking operation - would be nice to see it branded NX with a better website and apps.

My former wish won't be happening as Stagecoach has confirmed they will be selling their stakes in Scottish Citylink, Megabus UK and Falcon South-West coaches completely to ComfortDelGro.

[scottishtv]

So the NX/Stagecoach merger (takeover) is confirmed as going ahead.

I lied.

Well, maybe. The Competition & Markets Authority still wanted to look into it, and in the meantime another offer came in so Stagecoach has provisionally agreed a sale to DWS Infrastructure. More info.

NX look like they might be left high and dry.

[Dr Lobster*]

I don't need to travel to the big smoke very often, but had to earlier this week for this work.

fooking hell trains are expensive these days.

I purchased my ticket from kings Lynn to kings cross, I asked the man the cheapest way to get to Lambeth North, he said "don't bother with the rail card, it's cheaper to pay at the gate"... ended up paying best part of £70 to get to London and back. yikes. I think that's like £30 more expensive than the last time I went, half the journey is spent standing or with your head in somebodies arm pit.

[Blewatter]

Meanwhile, in Liverpool, Steve Rotherham has added his own voice to the 'Lets TFL all the cities' crowd by planning a takeover of the Liverpool City Region bus routes, with apparent plans to start the process in the St Helens part of the city region. Something that I believe was a long time coming for our region, but we've been burnt before. In my opinion, the big masterplan should be the TfL-isation of The City Line, that takes rail users from Liverpool to Wigan, Newton Le Willows, and Warrington. Have all three branches be run by Merseyrail.

[Jonwo]

Meanwhile, in Liverpool, Steve Rotherham has added his own voice to the 'Lets TFL all the cities' crowd by planning a takeover of the Liverpool City Region bus routes, with apparent plans to start the process in the St Helens part of the city region. Something that I believe was a long time coming for our region, but we've been burnt before. In my opinion, the big masterplan should be the TfL-isation of The City Line, that takes rail users from Liverpool to Wigan, Newton Le Willows, and Warrington. Have all three branches be run by Merseyrail.

I am surprised none of the other UK cities have adopted the TfL approach but maybe it's on a case by case basis.

[Blewatter]

I am surprised none of the other UK cities have adopted the TfL approach but maybe it's on a case by case basis.

The closest to it outside of London is probably Manchester, and even then, its only in the actual city. Greater Manchester is still quite patchy.

[Pete]

I am surprised none of the other UK cities have adopted the TfL approach but maybe it's on a case by case basis.

I believe the issue is that the original legislation that let other cities try was flawed and when Newcastle tried the bus companies sued and stopped it.

Hence they’ve all been waiting for Manchester to get it through with the updated law before getting burned a second time.

[JAS84]

So the NX/Stagecoach merger (takeover) is confirmed as going ahead.

I lied.

Well, maybe. The Competition & Markets Authority still wanted to look into it, and in the meantime another offer came in so Stagecoach has provisionally agreed a sale to DWS Infrastructure. More info.

NX look like they might be left high and dry.

It's also a better offer, £595m instead of £437m. NX will need to counter offer, or yeah, they've just been gazumped.