The exact number of people that used Essex’s busiest railway station this year
Almost six million entries and exits were recorded at Chelmsford railway station in the year up to March 2023, according to the latest from the Office for Rail and Road (ORR). It’s an increase of around 1.3 million journeys compared to the previous year.
Stansted Airport, on the border between Essex and Hertfordshire, had a total of 7.9 million entries through the station’s turnstiles. Their figures have increased by 4.5m compared to the previous year, making it the 50th busiest station in Britain – up from 93rd last year.
The level of users at Chelmsford railway station continues to highlight the importance of the new station being constructed at Beaulieu Park, to the city’s north. The station is being constructed with a targeted opening date of 2025 and aerial photos have shown the latest stages of the development.[1]
Shenfield (5.1m), Colchester (3.4m) and Grays (3.1m) were the next busiest railway stations in Essex. At the other end of the scale, White Notley had the fewest journeys in our region.
Just 8,128 entries and exits were made at the station. That’s followed by Battlesbridge (19,086), Wrabness (20,006), and Althorne (21,908).
London Liverpool Street has overtaken Waterloo as Britain’s busiest train station. There was a total of 80.4 million entries and exits there leading to March 2023, around 2.5 times more than a year ago when 32.2m journeys either started or ended there.
The opening of the new Elizabeth Line in London has had a massive impact on the rankings. Newly opened stations on the line had 78.3 million entries and exits in the year to March 2023.
Existing stations on the line’s route saw entries and exits increase by 126.7 million That’s a combined total of 205.0 million. Britain’s two busiest stations – Liverpool Street and Paddington – are both on the Elizabeth Line. They were ranked the country’s fourth and fifth busiest last year respectively.
They experienced an extra 48.3 million and 35.3 million passengers, the largest increase of any station in the country. Tottenham Court Road is a new entry on the list, straight in as the seventh busiest in the country, with 34.9 million passengers in the year to March. Bond Street is new in at 19th with 19.4 million passengers.
References
- ^ aerial photos have shown the latest stages of the development. (www.essexlive.news)
- ^ The commuter town with attractive sea views named the happiest place to live in Essex (www.essexlive.news)
- ^ Interactive map pinpoints the cheapest places to fill your car up with petrol or diesel near you (www.essexlive.news)