Woolwich Elizabeth line station sees 526,871 passenger journeys in first month

Figures obtained via a Freedom of Information request to Transport for London have shown that Woolwich station saw 526,871 passenger journeys in the first month of operation.

From opening day on 24th May to the 23rd June the station proved popular with journey times to Canary Wharf and the City of London substantially reduced.

Woolwich’s new Crossrail station

While it’s simplistic to extrapolate too much from the first month, the first year should see over six million journeys.

That’s impressive but somewhat below pre-pandemic DLR usage levels at Woolwich Arsenal which totalled 14.6 million.

Woolwich DLR station seen from Powis Street

Woolwich Arsenal rail station figures for 2019-2020 were 4.4 million, however avoiding paying on Southeastern Metro is incredibly easy for many journeys and the likelihood of accurate figures are low.

Another revealing question that we’ll hopefully get an answer to soon is whether the new Elizabeth line attracts new passengers rather than simply cause people to switch from one mode to another.

Woolwich Arsenal railway station

On a personal level I’ve switched fair bit to Crossrail though somewhat surprisingly to me returned to the DLR on occasion – particularly for Abbey Wood to Stratford or close variants of that general route. For the first couple of weeks I’d take Crossrail to Custom House then a DLR to Canning Town then the Jubilee line.

A lot depends on how hot it is given the Elizabeth line’s blissful air con (new DLR trains coming in 2024 will have air con), but the DLR is clearly fewer changes.

Despite this being obvious, in my head I’d sort of just assumed I’d use the Elizabeth line for everything which hasn’t quite worked out. I supposed I expected it due to the turn up a go nature of Crossrail being every five minutes and the high frequency levels of connecting services.

When the eastern section of the Elizabeth line opens I may revert and solely use it from Abbey Wood/Woolwich to Whitechapel then change to head east.

Housing

One thing that certainly will bring additional custom to Woolwich stations are new homes in the area. People should be moving into the converted Carriage Factory right about now:

Almost complete

Then there’s Mast Quay to the west.

New development in Woolwich

The total number of passengers using stations in  Woolwich will keep rising in years to come.

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J Smith

I've lived in south east London most of my life growing up in Greenwich borough and working in the area for many years. The site has contributors on occasion and we cover many different topics. Living and working in the area offers an insight into what is happening locally.

    3 thoughts on “Woolwich Elizabeth line station sees 526,871 passenger journeys in first month

    • This is good news for the Elizabeth Line and local residents. I am looking forward to when the Elizabeth be Line is fully open and will.be a great boost for many

      I still feel there is a need to keep the Boroughs bus links to Central London (routes 53 & 188) as it is cheaper for many working in the NHS and hospitality on lower incomes to use buses with many staff starting early in the morning and finishing late at night.

      Reply
    • Yes it is good news and encouraging for the future of the Elizabeth Line as more stations open and the whole Elizabeth line is eventually fully open and operating 7 days a week.

      It will benefit may people over the whole Elizabeth Line Route which is really good news.

      However, I do agree with CDT we need our Central London Bus Routes 53 and 188 serving the heart of Central London. Route 53 should not be cut back to Elephant & Castle many people rely on these services to get to work and Hospital appointments at St Thomas Hospital including those on low incomes and the elderly disabled and parents with small children and buggies.
      .

      Reply
    • The Elizabeth line has been an insane boost for Woolwich and Abbey Wood. There are always tourists with suitcases coming and going from Abbey Wood, and I have been surprised by the number of my friends and colleagues from other (swankier) parts of London who have said they popped down to Woolwich to be nosey and were pleasantly surprised. Of course they only will have seen the Arsenal Riverside Berkeley development, and not Powis St or the main squares or they would not have been surprised at all

      I certainly have been travelling into London much more. The commute has gone from an hour on the Thameslink (a pain best avoided when you can work from home) to 25 minutes on the Elizabeth line, which is among the most pleasant places to be anywhere in London!

      Now that I’m saving hours a week commuting, I think nothing of the occasional time when I miss the last Elizabeth line and I have to schlep on the DLR to Woolwich, or the Jubilee line to North Greenwich, and take a bus the rest of the way. I never would have done this before

      It has brought Woolwich, and particularly Abbey Wood, into the “central London” orbit and made them livelier. In Abbey Wood’s case, it has literally been put on the Tube map for the first time

      Reply

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