During the last year, there has been a continuing increase in passengers using the Leeds to Morecambe route, commonly known as the Bentham Line.
According to the latest figure from the Office of Road and Rail for the 2022-23 financial year, the most popular station on the line was Bentham, from where over 37% of journeys were to Lancaster.
The city was also the most popular destination for travellers from Heysham Port (32%), Morecambe (39%), Bare Lane (80%), and Carnforth (42%).
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The most popular destination from Lancaster was Preston, from Giggleswick it was Skipton, and from Leeds it was London King’s Cross.
Leeds was the most popular destination from other stations on the Bentham line.
As many people now work from home or go into their offices on fewer days, there are fewer commuting journeys.
Leisure travel has seen a clear increase, with more groups and families travelling together and weekends and school holidays are now the busiest days.
In March, Leeds – Morecambe Community Partnership won the “Community Creative Projects and Station Arts” award at the Community Rail Awards held in Swansea.
Comparing the latest figures with those from previous years highlights some contrasting situations”.
Our analysis shows that there has been further positive recovery throughout the route in 2022-23, since the return of passengers to the Bentham Line during 2021-22, after covid restrictions were lifted. The percentage changes, from one year to the next, show that it is our most rural stations; Wennington, Bentham, Clapham, Giggleswick, Long Preston and Gargrave, which have recovered better than the larger towns and cities at both ends of the line.
It is also the rural stations which have led the way by exceeding the earlier footfall figures from 2019 to 20, prior to the pandemic.
Bentham has gone well beyond its best figure pre-Covid of 29,932 journeys annually and reached the dizzy heights of 36,416 trips, some 22% above pre-Covid numbers.
Gerald Townson, chairman of the Leeds-Morecambe Community Rail Partnership
We look forward to the passenger numbers continuing to grow, as people seek to travel in a more environmentally friendly manner. We are also continuing our trips, tailored for those living with dementia, to the coast and countryside. The scenic qualities of the route make the train travel part of a great day out for them and their carers.
Rod Tickner, who is particularly involved with the Partnership’s work on dementia
Responses
The Bentham Line Money needs to be spent on this route on Stock allocate to this route, Signalling, the need to connect Leeds/ Bradford west yorkshire into Northern Lancashire and the Lake District via Skipton, what happened to the Leeds Windermere service that was talked about as someone mentioned in one early reply?, I wish someone would would work on improving Leeds via Skipton to the Lake District a brilliant opportunity and will generate custom come on train operators and Department for Transport please work on providing a service.
Despite making mentioned of the (long ago) contemplated Leeds to Windermere service, over the Bentham line, I cannot see it happening.Northern will be seeking to procure new stock ,over the next few years, probably to replace 150 and 156 spriiters.This process will take a long time and I cannot see them changing how things are at the moment.One train a day, strategically timed, might make all the difference
The above comment is correct but the frequency and timings of trains is challenging.More trains on the routes, say two each way per day would improve things dramatically.Many years ago a Leeds to Windermere service ( reversing at Lancaster) was proposed but has not been mentioned since.This would give Yorkshire passengers a through train to the lakes.The scenery on the line is spectacular and on a par with the Settle to Carlisle line nearby.
If they’d restore the long-gone connection from the WCML north of Carnforth to the northern end of Carnforth station, for which there’s still open land, they could do a very convenient reverse at Carnforth that might also allow for local service along the WCML without blocking the main line tracks in the station for a stop.
The upgrade from Pacers to 158s and more frequent service must have something to do with increase in numbers.
Well said. My thoughts entirely
I do agree to an extent with your post. However, if it hadn’t been for the Pacer trains, yes they could be uncomfortable and not the best type of train, there might not be a service on the Bentham Line at all! As with a lot of lightly used lines costs had to be brought down and the Pacers allowed this whilst still providing a valuable service for these rural communities.
I am a frequent user of the Bentham Line; I use it for both walking and visiting a family member in Arnside so am also familiar with Carnforth Station and if there is time between trains the excellent ‘Brief Encounter’ cafe! The upgrade in rolling stock from Pacers to Class 158 dmus was long overdue and made a considerable difference to passenger comfort on this route. I recall a pre Covid journey from Carnforth to Leeds where the Pacer was bouncing all over the place on the jointed track. The coupling between the two coaches was faulty so the guard sealed off one coach so all passenger crowded into one coach. Unfortunately the sealed off coach was the one with the toilet. I recall the train probably rightly was terminated in Skipton.