Tube passenger numbers have returned to levels not seen since before Covid
(Picture: AFP via Getty Images)Almost three million journeys a day are being made on the Tube - a level not seen since before the pandemic.
Weekday numbers hit 73 per cent of “normal” last Thursday, equating to 2.97m trips on the London Underground.
This is the highest level since March 12, 2020, just over a week before the Prime Minister imposed the first national lockdown as Covid ripped through the nation.
Weekend Tube travel has been recovering much more quickly than weekdays, due to the reluctance of many workers to return to the office five days a week.
The figures, from the Department for Transport, show that Tube travel reached 86 per cent of pre-pandemic levels on Saturday, and 89 per cent on the previous Sunday.
Last Friday, bus journeys were at 83 per cent of “normal” - a level last seen two months ago. This equated to more than 5.1m trips.
The figures are based on early analysis of Oyster and Contactless card use. Transport for London hopes the reopening of the Bank branch of the Northern line on Sunday evening, and next Tuesday’s launch of the Elizabeth line, will further increase passenger numbers.
Julie Dixon, interim customer and revenue director at TfL, said: “Ridership on the Tube continues to grow and last Thursday we saw passenger numbers reach the highest levels to date since the pandemic began.
“Weekend Tube travel continues to head towards previously normal levels – reaching 86 per cent on Saturday. We are delighted to see people return to our services to enjoy the city, especially as we move into the warmer months and tourists return to experience everything London has to offer.”
Boris Johnson on Tuesday rounded on people who “eat cheese and houmous” while working from home, saying the Elizabeth line was the ideal way to get back to their workplace.
TfL’s current Government bailout runs out on June 24. The deals are designed to replace fares income lost as a result of the pandemic to ensure the Tube and buses keep running.
Ms Dixon said: “There is, however, still some way to go to bring our overall fare revenues back to levels seen pre-pandemic. Public transport is the backbone of our economic recovery and therefore a long-term financial deal is vital to ensure a strong TfL going forward.”
