Tube journeys regularly hitting over 80 per cent of pre-pandemic levels as commuting rebounds
Weekday tube and bus journeys are regularly hitting over 80 per cent of pre-pandemic levels and often exceed 2019 footfall figures on the weekend, according to Transport for London’s chief operating officer Glynn Barton.
The most recent week of TfL tube data shared with Morning Wire shows tube trips reached over 80 per cent of 2019 levels on four out of the seven days leading up to 24 June and as high as 91 per cent on Monday 24 June.
Barton described recent numbers as “hugely positive to both TfL and the wider city as we continue to support and grow the UK economy”.
“Public transport is the backbone of our economic recovery, and we remain focused on encouraging more people back to public transport, helping to support our vision of being the green heartbeat of London.”
He added that weekday ridership levels on the tube were now “regularly reaching at least 80 per cent of pre-pandemic levels”, with central London stations often seeing footfall hit pre-pandemic levels at weekends, “if not exceeding them”.
Bus trips were all well above 80 per cent over the same week.
It comes after a booming April saw weekday commutes consistently hit as high as 90 per cent of 2019, with 91m Tube journeys made in total over the month, up 12 m on the year prior.
The £19bn Elizabeth Line has also played a key role in propping up the figures and encouraging people back onto public transport, according to Barton.
London’s new route – which recently marked its one year anniversary with an announcement that it had helped 150m Londoners travel across the capital – has boosted office footfall by 23 per cent since last year.
Adam Tyndall, programme director for transport at BusinessLDN, said that the figures were “good news for businesses across the capital, especially in sectors such as hospitality and retail that have been hit hard over the last few years”.
However, Tyndall warned that London’s recovery could be hampered by further industrial action, as well as ongoing uncertainty surrounding TfL’s financial future, with the lack of a long term funding package from government still restricting the service.
Tfl tube data is gathered from by tracking taps on the Oyster and contactless ticketing system.