The six UK train stations which didn't have a single passenger last year

Andy Wells
·Freelance Writer
·3 min read
Six train stations in the UK had no passengers throughout the past year. (Getty/stock photo)
Six train stations in the UK had no passengers throughout the past year. (Getty/stock photo)

With the UK under strict lockdown for much of 2020, train services were understandably less busy.

But new figures show that six UK train stations did not have one single passenger for the year to the end of March 2021.

Passenger numbers across Britain dropped by 78% over the 12-month period due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to the Office of Rail and Road (ORR).

The six stations that had no passengers in 2020/21, mainly due to services being suspended because of COVID, were:

  • Abererch, Gwynedd

  • Beasdale, Highland

  • Llanbedr, Gwynedd

  • Sampford Courtenay, Devon

  • Stanlow and Thornton, Cheshire

  • Sugar Loaf, Powys

The locations of the six train stations that had no passengers last year. (Yahoo News)
The locations of the six train stations that had no passengers last year. (Yahoo News)

Publicity surrounding last year’s least-used station – Berney Arms in Norfolk – saw its passenger usage increase eightfold, from 42 to 348.

That was the biggest percentage increase of any station compared with the previous year.

Abererch in Gwynedd had no passengers last year. (Creative Commons/John Lucas)
Abererch in Gwynedd had no passengers last year. (Creative Commons/John Lucas)
No passengers used Beasdale station in Highland last year. (Creative Commons/Nigel Thompson)
No passengers used Beasdale station in Highland last year. (Creative Commons/Nigel Thompson)
During a year of lockdowns, Llanbedr in Gwynedd had no passengers. (Creative Commons/Nigel Thompson)
During a year of lockdowns, Llanbedr in Gwynedd had no passengers. (Creative Commons/Nigel Thompson)

On the other end of the scale, Stratford in east London was named Britain’s busiest railway station in the past year, with an estimated 14.0 million passengers travelling through it in the year to the end of March.

Stratford’s place on the top spot means it is the first time in 17 years that Waterloo was not the most-used station in the annual figures.

Just 12.2 million people used the station in 2020/21 – down from 86.9 million a year earlier, making it the fourth busiest station.

Stratford is a key interchange, enabling people to connect with other transport routes, including c2c, Greater Anglia, London Overground and TfL Rail mainline services.

With less people travelling, no one used Sampford Courtenay station in Devon last year. (Creative Commons/Roger Geach)
With less people travelling, no one used Sampford Courtenay station in Devon last year. (Creative Commons/Roger Geach)
Stanlow and Thornton in Cheshire was one of six UK stations that had no passengers last year. (Creative Commons/Rept0n1x)
Stanlow and Thornton in Cheshire was one of six UK stations that had no passengers last year. (Creative Commons/Rept0n1x)
Sugar Loaf in Powys was one of six stations with no passengers last year. (Creative Commons/Jaggery)
Sugar Loaf in Powys was one of six stations with no passengers last year. (Creative Commons/Jaggery)

The station also has London Underground and bus connections.

Birmingham New Street was the busiest station outside London, with 7.4 million passengers.

Scotland’s most used station was Glasgow Central (5.3 million), while Cardiff Central (2.0 million) took top spot in Wales.

Passenger journeys drastically reduced last year due to the pandemic.
Passenger journeys dramatically reduced last year due to the pandemic.

The figures are based primarily on ticket sales.

ORR director of planning and performance Feras Alshaker said: “This year we have seen many railway stations with very few passenger entries and exits. However, we know that recent figures show leisure journeys are nearly back to pre-pandemic levels, while there has been a slower increase in commuter journeys.”

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