The train now standing... is at UK’s quietest station It had just 24 passengers in whole year
MOST rail passengers endure packed platforms on the daily commute.
But there are no such agonies for those travelling to and from Britain’s least-used station.
For the second year running, Barry Links in Angus had the fewest number of passengers at only 24 – down from 68 in 2015-16.
The annual study by the Office of Rail and Road found three of the five least-used stations in the UK were north of the Border.
Breich in West Lothian was third with 48 passengers, while Kildonan in Sutherland had 76, putting it at number five.
In England, Teesside Airport had 30 passengers and British Steel Redcar, in North Yorkshire, had 50.
Scotland’s busiest stations saw a rise in passenger numbers. Glasgow Central had 32million, up from 30million the previous year. Edinburgh Waverley had 22.5million, a rise of 1.5million.
Both stations were in the top five of the UK’s busiest outside London, with Glasgow Central second only to Birmingham New Street, with 43million passengers.
Local councillor Brian Boyd said Barry Links was used much more than the figures suggested.
He added: ‘Many people buy Carnoustie tickets but get off at Barry. These figures are based on who buys tickets for stations and you can’t buy a ticket at Barry, so you buy it at Carnoustie.
‘I can assure you there’s at least a dozen passengers coming off each and every evening from the teatime train at Barry. Yes, there aren’t many trains that stop there, but the figures are way out.
‘People at the west end of Carnoustie are closer to Barry Links than the main Carnoustie station, so there would be a lot of disgruntled customers if it was ever closed down on the view that it’s not used.’
Mr Boyd expects the station to be well used for next year’s Open Championship at Carnoustie.
He said: ‘It will used considerably more because it’s right on the perimeter of the world-renowned golf course. It’s an important station for the area.’
The study also showed Scotland gained a new station, Edinburgh Gateway. It was built in December last year and connects to the city’s airport.
It was one of three new stations opened in the UK, alongside Kirkstall Forge in West Yorkshire and Lea Bridge, Greater London. This brought the number of stations across the country to 2,560.
London Waterloo maintained its title as the country’s busiest station for the 14th consecutive year, with 99.4million passengers using it in the past year, up by more than 250,000 on the previous 12 months.
In total, there were more than 2.9billion entries and exits at railway stations in Great Britain in 2016-17, an increase of 0.4 per cent on the previous year.