The worst train stations for cancellations in the UK have been revealed, with some surprising locations making top of the list.
The data has been published for the first time by the Office for Rail and Road (ORR) in what transport secretary Heidi Alexander has called “a new era of rail accountability.”
These performance statistics will be compiled every four weeks by the agency and made publicly available for over 1,700 stations in the UK.
Major stations will display the data on digital screens, while passengers at smaller stations can access the information online by scanning QR codes.
The initiative comes at a time when train reliability across Britain has plummeted to a record low, with cancellations equivalent to more than one in 25 services in the year leading up to February 1.
Here are the UK stations that have made the most cancellations this year:
Surprisingly, the station with the highest cancellations at nearly a quarter (22.8 per cent) is Ince and Elton in Cheshire. This is a small station in the North West, with just 92 scheduled stops in the first four weeks of 2025.
The stations with the highest cancellation rates also tend to be grouped together. Joining Ince and Elton in the top 20 is Gathurst (16.2 per cent) Ellesmere Port (9.7), and Little Sutton (9.1) – all located in the North West. Meanwhile, a few groups of stations in Surrey and South Wales all came with an 11.7 per cent cancellation rate.
There is also a group of five stations in Cornwall which all come in with a 9.7 per cent cancellation rate, much higher than the 3.2 per cent average. These stops are all found along the same line with services run by Great Western Railway.
Of the UK’s major stations (over 15,000 scheduled stops with services across the country) it was London Paddington that had the highest cancellation rate, at 5.6 per cent. This was just trailed by Liverpool Lime Street, with 5.4.
Ms Alexander said: “Today marks the beginning of a new era of rail accountability.
“These displays are a step towards rebuilding trust with passengers using our railways, as we continue to tackle the root causes of frustrating delays and cancellations.
“Through fundamental rail reform, we’re sweeping away decades of dysfunctionality – putting passengers first, driving growth through connectivity as part of this Government’s Plan for Change.”
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