More and more people are now regularly using public transport again across London, according to new figures released by Transport for London (TfL).
Analysis of ridership data by TfL has revealed that, since working from home restrictions were lifted on 19 January 2022, the number of people using the Tube during weekdays has increased by at least 25%.
Ridership is now regularly around 60% of pre-pandemic levels during the week – up from around 45% in early January, with stations close to financial institutions such as Canary Wharf, Mansion House and Aldgate seeing ridership numbers between 8 and 9am on track to having double seen while working from home restrictions were in place.
Ridership on the Waterloo and City line is currently just under 50% of pre-pandemic levels during peak hours, following a full weekday service resuming on 31 January.
At weekends, ridership on the Tube is now at around 75% of pre-pandemic levels and key tourist stations such as Leicester Square are seeing ridership levels above 80% on Saturday.
The Night Tube is continuing to see increased ridership, with levels on the Victoria and Central line currently at around 45% of those seen on those lines prior to the pandemic.
Ridership on the Night Overground, which operates between Highbury & Islington and New Cross Gate on Friday and Saturday nights, is also currently around 50% of levels seen before the pandemic.
While bus ridership has consistently been more than 50% of pre-pandemic levels since April 2021, the recent lifting of restrictions has led to the overall number of journeys increasing by around 8% compared to early January.
In outer London boroughs, weekday bus ridership is now regularly at 75% of pre-pandemic levels, with ridership in Hillingdon and Barking seeing levels at around 80% – especially at weekends.
Andy Lord, chief operating officer for TfL, said: “It’s great to see that ridership on our services is continuing to grow in recent weeks as restrictions about working from home have been lifted.
“Public transport is key to the capital’s recovery from the pandemic, and we continue to run a near-normal service across our Tubes, buses and trains.
“These latest figures indicate that millions of Londoners are now regularly using public transport, showing continued confidence that services are safe, clean and reliable.”
TfL said it expected ridership to continue to improve as domestic and international tourism recovers, and offices and businesses reopen and reoccupy during the week.
It also maintained that increased ridership is “hugely important if the capital is to drive the national recovery from the pandemic”.
London’s net contribution to the Treasury was reportedly £36bn in the year before the pandemic, and TfL contracts are said to contribute around £7bn to the UK economy while supporting 43,000 jobs around the country, with 55p of every pound spent on London Underground by TfL going outside of London.
