Rail passenger numbers have almost doubled in two years (From Gazette Series)

Rail passenger numbers on Severn Beach line have almost doubled in two years

8:30am Friday 13th January 2012 in Thornbury news By Alexandra Womack

RAIL supporters have welcomed new figures which reveal passenger numbers at Severn Beach have nearly doubled in the past two years.

The statistics, published as part of the Severnside Community Rail Partnership’s (SCRP) 2011 annual report, show that the number of people using the station on a weekday in November jumped from 135 in 2009 to 201 on a similar day in 2011.

The 49 per cent increase has been well received by local councillors keen to see more people take to the trains.

Cllr Robert Griffin (Con, Pilning and Severn Beach) said: "The Severnside Community Rail Partnership does a tremendous amount of good work and this whopping 49 per cent in passenger numbers is testament to these marvellous efforts.

"All we can do is encourage people to leave their cars at home and use public transport and it’s great to see this being done in ever increasing numbers on the Severn Beach line.

"And there’s always more we can do to keep this trend heading in the right direction."

Elsewhere in South Gloucestershire, there were also rises in passenger numbers.

The same count found a five per cent increase at Yate Train Station, up from 931 people in 2009 to 974 in 2011. At Filton Abbey Wood there was a 12 per cent increase, from 3,102 to 3,461 and in Patchway figures rose by 26 per cent from 234 to 295.

Cllr Brian Allinson (Con, Stoke Gifford), executive member for planning and transport at South Gloucestershire Council, said: "I’m delighted to see the increasing use of our local train stations because, as a council, we have regular discussions with the rail industry about how we can work together to make travelling by train as attractive as possible.

"This has included successfully lobbying for extra carriages, which were added at the end of last year to help ease overcrowding on a number of local services.

"And we have already worked with First Great Western to fund a Sunday rail service to and from Severn Beach for the last couple of years."