25 September 2023
In response to reports that HS2 Phase 2 between Birmingham and Manchester may be scrapped, the Railway Industry Association (RIA) has been reviewing the Department for Transport (DfT) data on rail passenger numbers, which shows that passenger numbers today are significantly higher than when HS2 was originally approved in 2012, and also shows positive news on the return to rail since the Covid pandemic.
From April 2022 to March 2023 overall rail passenger numbers were the same as in 2012, when the UK Government first confirmed support for HS2. Rail ridership since April 2023 has been around 15% higher than when HS2 was approved, with the original business case focusing on the need for extra capacity for a growing railway.
Rail passenger numbers have continued to rise as we come out of the pandemic. The DfT figures, which include the new ridership on the Elizabeth line, show that over the last year average daily passenger levels – when compared with 2019-20, which up until the effect of Covid had the highest ridership on record – have risen from 83% in calendar year 2022 Quarter 4, to 91% in 2023 Q1, to 96% in 2023 Q2 and Q3. In April this year, passenger levels had reached over 100% on 14 out of the month’s 30 days.