Published on: Monday, 26 October 2015
Last updated: Wednesday, 5 October 2016
Improvements made by Abellio Greater Angliato 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 andAugust.
More than 105,000 passenger journeys weremade on the line over that period in 2015 compared to 100,000 in 2014.
The train operator added two extra returnservices (four services in total) on Summer Saturdays and four extra returnservices (eight services in total) on Mondays and Fridays over the schoolholidays between mid-July and early September, compared to previous years.
As well as offering a more frequentservice, the hire of an extra locomotive-hauled train (using Class 37locomotives and carriages hired from Direct Rail Services) helped to improvetrain performance and reliability, as well as providing extra seating andluggage capacity on some busy services.
These extra services helped meet increaseddemand for visitors travelling to Great Yarmouth, with more holidaymakerstaking popular mini breaks and weekends away, boosting the holiday trade andlocal economy.
James Reeve, Abellio Greater Anglia’s AreaCustomer Service Manager said: “Over recent years we have seen an increase inholidaymakers visiting Great Yarmouth by train for short breaks and weekendsaway, in addition to those taking the more traditional week and fortnightholiday.
“By running extra trains this summer, weimproved not just service frequency, but also reliability and seating capacity,thereby encouraging more people to travel and helping to boost the localeconomy.”