NEW STATISTICS SHOW MORE GO BY RAIL
Passenger numbers are rising strongly at Deal and Sandwich rail stations, but there's been a small fall at Dover according to new statistics from ORR, the Office for Rail Regulation.
DEAL UP, SMALL DIP AT DOVER
Deal saw a 8.2% rise in 2011-12, benefiting from the first full year of a limited High Speed commuting service. Sandwich saw a massive 21.8% increase, reflecting the surge of Open Golf visitors. Meanwhile Dover Priory saw 2% fewer passengers, which local rail campaign Trains4deal says may be due to fewer Deal and Sandwich commuters now driving there.
HS "CHANGING TRAVEL PATTERNS"
"Although just released, the figures only cover up to March 2012 so we've yet to see the full impact of the recent improvement in the local High Speed service," said IAN KILLBERY of Trains4Deal. "We're pleased to see that user numbers have held up well at Walmer and Martin Mill stations, whilst above-average increases at stations like Folkestone (7.6%), Ashford (6%) and Canterbury West (10.9%) show that an attractive frequent HS service can attract lost of extra customers who are 'new-to-rail' rather than just diverting them from other stations. This summer sees the 4th anniversary of the 2009 timetable shake-up that introduced HS trains to Kent, and it's clear that this had a huge impact on travel patterns in the east of the county."
DEAL AS BUSY AS BROADSTAIRS STATION?
"Deal station now has almost as many passengers as Broadstairs (both just over 500,000pa), a seaside town of similar size but with 6 trains an hour instead of 3. With more trains, think how busy Deal could be."
DEAL UP, SMALL DIP AT DOVER
Deal saw a 8.2% rise in 2011-12, benefiting from the first full year of a limited High Speed commuting service. Sandwich saw a massive 21.8% increase, reflecting the surge of Open Golf visitors. Meanwhile Dover Priory saw 2% fewer passengers, which local rail campaign Trains4deal says may be due to fewer Deal and Sandwich commuters now driving there.
HS "CHANGING TRAVEL PATTERNS"
"Although just released, the figures only cover up to March 2012 so we've yet to see the full impact of the recent improvement in the local High Speed service," said IAN KILLBERY of Trains4Deal. "We're pleased to see that user numbers have held up well at Walmer and Martin Mill stations, whilst above-average increases at stations like Folkestone (7.6%), Ashford (6%) and Canterbury West (10.9%) show that an attractive frequent HS service can attract lost of extra customers who are 'new-to-rail' rather than just diverting them from other stations. This summer sees the 4th anniversary of the 2009 timetable shake-up that introduced HS trains to Kent, and it's clear that this had a huge impact on travel patterns in the east of the county."
DEAL AS BUSY AS BROADSTAIRS STATION?
"Deal station now has almost as many passengers as Broadstairs (both just over 500,000pa), a seaside town of similar size but with 6 trains an hour instead of 3. With more trains, think how busy Deal could be."