Passenger numbers soar on Wrexham-Bidston railway line amid punctuality boost

A key rail route connecting Flintshire with England has experienced a major boost in both passenger numbers and punctuality.

The Wrexham to Bidston route, operated by Transport for Wales (TfW), saw 60,000 more passenger journeys over the past year, alongside a 27% improvement in trains arriving on time.

The line had been blighted by poor performance following the introduction of Class 230 trains.

These upcycled former London tube trains are the first battery-hybrid trains to be used in regular passenger service in Wales.

Working closely with rail user groups, TfW introduced a new timetable in December 2023, running more trains and allowing more time to turn them around.

New figures show that between January and July 2024, 197,047 journeys were made on the line, a significant rise from 138,743 during the same period in 2023.

In terms of punctuality, just 48.4% of trains arrived within three minutes of schedule in July 2023, but by this July, that figure had increased to 87.7%.

Cabinet Secretary for Transport & North Wales, Ken Skates, welcomed the improvements. “I am delighted that after all the hard work, passengers are now beginning to see a significant improvement to this important service,” he said.

Jeremy Williams, appointed as the dedicated rail route officer for the Wrexham to Bidston line last year, said customers were finally receiving the quality of service they deserved. “Last year, things simply weren’t good enough,” he said. “So we put a real focus on the line, looking at our timetable, the trains we were using, and fleet issues, among other factors.”

“It’s drastically improved performance, and I think customers are finally getting the service they deserve, with the numbers travelling reflecting that,” Williams added.

July 2024 saw 27,936 journeys on the route, the highest monthly figure since TfW took over operations in 2018. The line now uses a combination of Class 230 and Class 197 trains.