Published on: Monday, 26 October 2015
Last updated: Wednesday, 5 October 2016
Improvements made by Abellio Greater Anglia to Norwich to Great Yarmouth services in Summer 2015 have helped drive a 5% increase in passenger numbers on the line in the peak summer months of July and August.
More than 105,000 passenger journeys were made on the line over that period in 2015 compared to 100,000 in 2014.
The train operator added two extra return services (four services in total) on Summer Saturdays and four extra return services (eight services in total) on Mondays and Fridays over the school holidays between mid-July and early September, compared to previous years.
As well as offering a more frequent service, the hire of an extra locomotive-hauled train (using Class 37 locomotives and carriages hired from Direct Rail Services) helped to improve train performance and reliability, as well as providing extra seating and luggage capacity on some busy services.
These extra services helped meet increased demand for visitors travelling to Great Yarmouth, with more holidaymakers taking popular mini breaks and weekends away, boosting the holiday trade and local economy.
James Reeve, Abellio Greater Anglia’s Area Customer Service Manager said: “Over recent years we have seen an increase in holidaymakers visiting Great Yarmouth by train for short breaks and weekends away, in addition to those taking the more traditional week and fortnight holiday.
“By running extra trains this summer, we improved not just service frequency, but also reliability and seating capacity, thereby encouraging more people to travel and helping to boost the local economy.”