Number of rail journeys in Burnley rises by more than a tenth

The Campaign for Better Transport said it was "cause for celebration" that more people across Britain are taking the train and called for investment to expand the rail network further.

New figures released by the Office of Rail and Road show there were around 814,000 entries and exits recorded across the five stations in Burnley in the year to March.

This was a 12% increase on the 725,000 the year before, and a 16% increase on the 700,000 recorded in the year to March 2020, the last full year before the Covid pandemic.

Some 99,000 of those were made using a season ticket, accounting for 12% of all entries and exits in Burnley.

Michael Solomon Williams from the Campaign for Better Transport said: "More people travelling by train is a real cause for celebration, disproving all the gloomy predictions that the railways wouldn't bounce back after the pandemic.

"People love travelling by train, and everyone who does is helping to cut congestion and carbon emissions – but, unfortunately, not everyone has that choice.

"Some people have no station nearby, and many struggle to afford train travel.

"We are campaigning for Great British Railways, the new public body that will soon run both trains and track, to have clear targets to increase passenger numbers and expand the rail network.

"Connecting more communities by rail, building on the success of new lines like the Elizabeth Line, and reopened lines like the Northumberland Line, will bring enormous economic, environmental, and social benefits, as rail has always shown it can do."