A look at growth on Southeastern’s Victoria to Orpington line via Brixton
After covering a number of Southeastern Metro lines earlier this month with the release of updated station figures now sees a look at a line from Victoria.
The route to Orpington meets a number of other lines on its route to Kent so station growth isn’t all on Southeastern services or on this line alone. For the sake of completeness though I’ve listed all stations from Victoria to Orpington.
Like many other Southeastern metro routes it saw service cuts in 2022 which have yet to be reinstated. One reduction was reducing the service to only every half an hour on weekends including Saturdays, which remains after the latest timetable change introduced last week.
Note the contrast to the Elizabeth line which is now almost as busy on a Saturday as weekday with service frequencies boosted from last week.
But of course it’s not just the Elizabeth line which sees Saturday frequencies generally on a par with weekdays. Other Southeastern lines do yet this line remains stuck at a 30-minute service frequency all weekend.
Brixton always seems an underutilised station. It’s situated on Atlantic Road with a not too welcoming entrance. With the town’s ample venues with live music and market it would appeal for a weekend visit, but reduced service frequencies aren’t encouraging rail use.
The station isn’t even listed on Brixton Village’s “getting here” section.
In fact in recent days plans have been submitted for towers including 288 homes metres from the station. Will any money go towards station improvements?
Other lines
I’ve previously looked at a number of lines since figures became available earlier this month.
- Click here to see figures for the Bexleyheath line.
- Click here for the Woolwich line.
- Click here for the Sidcup line.
- Here for the Hayes line.
- And here for stations in north Kent between Dartford and Rainham where much new housing is being built around stations.
Glad to see you’re highlighting the Bromley south line. I often feel it’s SE’s forgotten line. If it doesn’t pass through London Bridge or Lewisham then it doens’t get a mention.
Saturday’s are incredibly busy. A 30 minute service isn’t a turn up and go service of which the metro is often publicised to be.
(Of course being Christmas week it’s a Saturday service today. Trains were incredibly busy this morning. It’s a normal working day.)
A tweet to from SE planning has informed me that they are considering 4 trains per hour again on Saturday from Dec 26…………….
On a sideline one of the annoying things with this line is the constant holding of the stoppers at Shortlands London bound to allow the late running fasts through. Thus passengers missing a connection at Herne Hill with Thameslink. Why they don’t ulitise the Kent passing loop more I dont know.
@Colin Rance: ‘Glad to see you’re highlighting the Bromley south line. I often feel it’s SE’s forgotten line.’ I found myself at Victoria and thought I would get a train to Peckham Rye. There was nothing on the boards within 20 minutes. In the end I just caught the Bromley South train and headed home from there. Peckham had to wait until another day.
We need 4tph on a Sunday too. Still far less than suburbs lucky enough to have the Underground. As I understand it SE drivers are on 7 day rosters so I don’t know why it doesn’t happen, engineering works allowing. Overground takeover please!
I was hoping that would happen pre-covid but at the moment I’d just be greatful to get the 15 mins Saturdays back!
As the Victoria Line ends at Brixton. I still think that the Victoria Line should extend to Tulse Hill or Herne Hill. Or to see the Victoria Line extension down to Croydon. With the Bakerloo Line extension planned that would see it extend from Elephant and Castle to Lewisham, Hayes and Bromley.
I agree that the Victoria-Orpington line is looking increasingly neglected. The train interiors are worn and shabby and the service at weekends is ridiculously infrequent, considering that the entire line is within London Boroughs. We also need a proper interchange with the Overground (Windrush Line). It seems totally incredible that the Victoria-Orpington trains actually go past two Overground stops without any scheduled stopping. It would be lot cheaper to allow an interchange at one of these two stops, than the elaborate construction which would be necessary to provide an interchange at Brixton (and yet look at what has been achieved at Whitechapel).
As for Brixton, there are about 20 bus routes which converge there which means that buses contribute hugely to the perennial traffic jams on its main highway (A23). Khan blames motorists of course, but if TfL actually extended the Victoria line it would take the pressure off at least some of these bus-routes and speed up travel through the area for everyone.