Why are So Few People Using North Ealing Station?
Local stop is one of the least used on the tube network
A typically empty platform at North Ealing Station
January 12, 2023
North Ealing station is one of the least on London Underground and some locals think it’s because it’s hard to find and nowhere near offices and popular shops. The station is also further from stores and restaurants compared to others on the Piccadilly Line, which may be a reason for its unpopularity.
North Ealing sits on the Uxbridge branch of the Piccadilly line between Ealing Common and Park Royal just off the busy Queen’s Drive on Station Road and, because it is tucked away in the corner, it can be difficult to spot from the main road.
In 2021, only 357,587 people walked through its doors, according to Transport for London data. Meanwhile, the next stop on the route, Park Royal, had 918,332 users in the same year. Ealing Common, which is also served by the District Line as well as Piccadilly, had 1.31 million passengers.
Hamid, who works opposite North Ealing at 11 Coffee & Co, believes that people often get lost trying to find the station. He said, “It is hidden in the corner people can’t see it. They come in here asking where it is and we have to go out and show them. It’s mainly used by people who live around here. Visitors don’t know where it is so they walk to other stations.”
North Ealing Station
Of course, the latest figures are relatively low because of the impact of the pandemic. In 2020 and 2021, businesses were shut and people were encouraged to stay at home, which meant people using the Tube fell across the city.
But, even before the pandemic, North Ealing still suffered from low passenger numbers. In 2019, just more than 880,000 people used the station, a fraction of the 3.07 million that used Ealing Common.
Hamid, a barista who had lived in the area for six years, said that he uses North Ealing regularly, but if he needs another line he’ll walk to Ealing Broadway. He said, “Ever since I’ve lived here it has been quiet, it’s not very busy at all.”
Data proves that the low passengers are nothing new. In 2009, when Ealing Common served more than 3.1 million people, North Ealing only had 940,000 passengers. It has never had more than one million people use the station per year, according to the TfL data available.
Chart of usage of tube stations in Ealing and Acton
Hamid also thinks people might not use North Ealing station to avoid long waits at other stations. He said that his girlfriend will often walk home from Ealing Common or tube stations in Acton to avoid a long wait on the platform.
Councillor Fabio Conti, a ward councillor of Hanger Hill, was shocked to hear North Ealing was one of the least used stations in the borough. He said, “That does sound really surprising. A bit unusual. There are lots of homes and flats nearby so it does seem strange.
“The only thing I could think of is that the people who live in the vicinity would be the only people who use it. Other stations are closer to offices and shops, Hanger Hill is near a big retail park. This is probably the reason, rather than anything else.”
Fewer that 400,000 journeys were made from North Ealing station last year
Park Royal serves a massive retail park which has a cinema, restaurants and shops including B&Q and ASDA, all of which attracts shoppers and workers alike. Central Middlesex Hospital is also nearby, as well as a business park whose employees likely use Park Royal to get to work.
Ealing Common not only benefits from being served by two Tube lines but is near a number of local shops and popular chains like Costa and Starbucks. It also has a lot of housing and flats nearby.
While North Ealing has a pub, an Italian restaurant, as well as a newsagent and a laundrette, it seems that many skip the stop for busier, better-known areas. Only those who live near the station seem to know what’s nearby.
When North Ealing first opened in 1903, it used to be served by the District Line, but that all changed in 1932 when Piccadilly opened to passengers and replaced the District.
The small station is the only Piccadilly stop on the former South Harrow branch that wasn’t rebuilt into the “Holden” style and still looks like a traditional railway station.
Transport for London has been approached for comment.
Megan Stanley - Local Democracy Reporter