Woolwich Elizabeth Line station almost as popular as Canary Wharf in first year

Figures out today showing passenger usage of stations across the country show strong numbers at Elizabeth line stations with Woolwich proving almost as popular as Canary Wharf.

Woolwich saw 8.34 million journeys up to 31st March 2023 with Canary Wharf at 9.9 million.

Abbey Wood recorded 7.12 million journeys albeit alongside National Rail. One curious thing is that interchanges between Southeastern Metro and the Elizabeth line were not recorded accorded to this extract today.

Custom House saw 5.27 million journeys and it’s revealing how the approach of TfL and DfT-run Southeastern differed once the Elizabeth line opened.

Transport for London increased services along the DLR Beckton branch up to every five minutes improving connections to the Elizabeth line at Custom House.

Southeastern on the other hand under the control of central government cut services in December 2022 running through Abbey Wood linking to the Elizabeth line. This saw the longest service gaps for decades at 27 minutes from areas of growth in northwest Kent such as Dartford while also axing rounder services from the Sidcup line.

Elsewhere

Elsewhere on the line Tottenham Court Road saw 34,900,000 journeys while Bond Street which opened later than the rest of the core saw 19,400,000.

As covered earlier Liverpool Street jumped to the country’s most used station with 80.4 million journeys (Elizabeth line and the mainline station).

Future growth looks assured and we know that since March the Elizabeth line has continued to grow.

Housing, offices and shops

Abbey Wood’s numbers are impressive given interchanges are not measured and many homes nearby were demolished for a stalled redevelopment from Peabody.

In the past year one site has completed but many more remain to be built.

Woolwich of course remains a hotbed of development both underway and proposed.

Next year is set to see major projects such as Woolwich Exchange begin near the Elizabeth line station.

A major redevelopment of homes around Custom House station has also been given the green light by Newham Council.

The Excel Centre alongside is also seeing expansion underway.

Canary Wharf too is finally seeing action at North Quay directly beside the Elizabeth line station after many years of land lying empty.

A life sciences block will be the first of a number to rise bringing thousands of homes, offices, shops and public space.

As ever I’ll be keeping tabs of progress and documenting what’s happening on this site.

The line was delayed for decades and then missed its eventual 2018 opening but now it’s here, areas along the route are seeing huge benefits.