Request ID: FOI-2036-2223 Date published: 08 December 2022
You asked
Since the Elizabeth Line service was "joined up" to enable services to run from Shenfield to Paddington via the tunnel portal at Pudding Mill Lane, there have been numerous reports from commuters into Liverpool Street station of difficulties in exiting the station from platforms A & B during the morning peak period due to crowding on escalators and further difficulties in joining eastbound trains towards Romford and Shenfield during the evening peak due to trains already being full when arriving at Liverpool Street from Paddington.
Advanced publicity for Crossrail/Elizabeth Line stated that "an ADDITIONAL 4 trains per hour will run between Gidea Park and Liverpool Street Main Line station, westwards in the morning peak and eastwards in the evening peak" (see attachment).
The current Elizabeth Line timetable shows just two trains PER DAY serving Liverpool Street Main Line station during each peak and this is also to be the case when the timetable changes from 11th December.
I shall therefore be grateful if you will provide the following information:
1. Why have the "additional 4 trains per hour" not been included in the current timetable and the new timetable effective from 11th December 2022?
2. When will these extra services commence? Will they be included when the timetable changes again from May 2023? If so, how many trains per day will operate to/from Liverpool Street Main Line station in each peak?
3. If these extra services to/from Liverpool Street Main Line station been permanently dropped, when was this decision taken, on what basis was the decision made and how was it publicised or communicated to the travelling public?
4. What percentage of commuters using the Shenfield to Liverpool Street branch exit Liverpool Street Station rather than continue to towards Paddington or transfer to another Underground or National Rail service during the morning peak or similarly commence their return journey at Liverpool Street towards Shenfield rather than joining from another Underground or National Rail service?
We answered
TfL Ref: 2036-2223
Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 16 November 2022 asking for information about the Elizabeth Line service.
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy. I can confirm that we hold the information you require. You asked for:
Why have the "additional 4 trains per hour" not been included in the current timetable and the new timetable effective from 11th December 2022?
The long term plan for four additional trains per hour has been reduced to two trains per hour, based on the assessment of post-pandemic demand. These will be introduced in the May 2023 timetable, providing 14 trains per hour in the peak from Shenfield. We can advise that the current timetable is an interim plan, introduced outside of a timetable change date, which allowed us to introduce through-running services sooner after Stage Three than the original Crossrail plans that includes two trains in each peak period between Gidea Park and Liverpool Street National Rail Station to supplement the service operating into the central section of the network.
When will these extra services commence? Will they be included when the timetable changes again from May 2023? If so, how many trains per day will operate to/from Liverpool Street Main Line station in each peak?
From the May 2023 timetable change, there will be six trains running into and out of Liverpool Street National Rail Station, operating during peak hours. In the morning peak, from 07:00- 09:59, there will be a train every 30 minutes (two trains per hour), operating from Gidea Park to London Liverpool Street National Rail station. In the evening peak, from 16:00-18:59, there will be a train every 30 minutes (two trains per hour), departing from Liverpool Street National Rail Station and terminating at Gidea Park.
If these extra services to/from Liverpool Street Main Line station been permanently dropped, when was this decision taken, on what basis was the decision made and how was it publicised or communicated to the travelling public?
Please see our response to Question One. As mentioned previously, the decision has not been taken to permanently remove these services; two trains per hour will run during the May 2023 Timetable.
What percentage of commuters using the Shenfield to Liverpool Street branch exit Liverpool Street Station rather than continue to towards Paddington or transfer to another Underground or National Rail service during the morning peak or similarly commence their return journey at Liverpool Street towards Shenfield rather than joining from another Underground or National Rail service?
We estimate that 14.0% of morning peak (07:00-10:00) westbound passengers onboard Elizabeth line trains on the Shenfield branch are travelling to Liverpool Street Station itself (for either the National Rail/ London Overground or London Underground/Elizabeth line part of the station). In the evening peak, from 16:00-1900, 16.2% of eastbound passengers originate at Liverpool Street itself, which we have based on estimated Oyster and contactless ticketing data from 15 17 November 2022. If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for any reason, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal as well as information on copyright and what to do if you would like to re-use any of the information we have disclosed.
Yours sincerely
Jasmine Howard FOI Case Officer FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
