Shropshire's most and least used railway stations in 2025 revealed as passenger numbers rise

That represents a rise of more than 300,000 from the year before, and half a million more than the year before that. 

Telford Central - second on the list - recorded 1,177,576 entries and exits (up by more than 100,000) followed by Wellington with 676,396. 

Ludlow was Shropshire's fourth-busiest station (271,100) followed by Gobowen (247,608) and Shifnal (236,680). 

This year the county's least used station was at Broome in south Shropshire, which saw 1,682 entries and exits - kicking Hopton Heath off the bottom-spot it acquired last year. 

At 2,230 entries and exits, Hopton Heath saw its figures almost double from last year, and treble from the 724 recorded in the 2022 to 23 period. 

The new data shows that the number of passenger journeys taken at rail stations in the Shropshire Council area increased overall by 16 per cent from the year before. 

It also means that passenger numbers have surpassed those recorded in the year to March 2020, the last full year before the Covid pandemic.

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.

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."