Shepherds Bush, Dalston Kingsland, and Hackney Central Rank Poorly for Service Reliability
Three stations on the London Overground network have been highlighted as some of the worst in the country for train cancellations. Shepherds Bush, Dalston Kingsland, and Hackney Central – all located on the renamed Mildmay line – have seen over six per cent of trains fail to operate since the beginning of the year, making them among the worst performers nationwide.
A survey conducted by the BBC, using data from On Time Trains and the official regulator, the Office of Rail and Road, revealed that these stations were ranked among the highest for cancelled services. Shepherds Bush station, in particular, experienced a cancellation rate of 6.8 per cent, placing it as the third worst station in the UK. Dalston Kingsland and Hackney Central followed closely, with 6.6 per cent and 6.5 per cent of trains cancelled, respectively.
In total, over three million train services were cancelled across the UK between January and November, representing 3.8 per cent of the 83 million scheduled stops, according to the BBC. Manchester Victoria station was the worst, with nearly one in 10 trains cancelled. St Albans station in Hertfordshire was also a top performer on the cancellation list, ranking fourth with a cancellation rate of 6.8 per cent.
While these stations were singled out for poor performance, Euston, Farringdon, and Paddington stations also had high cancellation rates, with 4.4 per cent, 4.3 per cent, and 4.2 per cent of their trains cancelled, respectively.
Shepherds Bush, which ranks as the 71st busiest station in the UK, saw 8 per cent of its Overground services cancelled in the past 12 weeks, resulting in an 81 per cent performance rating. Dalston Kingsland and Hackney Central, with 14,000 to 15,000 daily entries and exits, also reported 8 per cent of trains cancelled, reflecting their shared position on the same Mildmay line.
The recent data highlights concerns over the London Overground’s recovery post-pandemic, with its usage stagnating in the past year. London Mayor Sadiq Khan introduced new branding and line names for the Overground in November, and recent figures from the Office of Rail and Road show that the network carried 45 million passengers in the July-September period, a modest 0.9 per cent increase compared to the previous year.
Despite its struggles, the London Overground remains the third most used railway network in the country, following GoVia Thameslink Railway and the Elizabeth line.
