Passenger numbers remained significantly below pre-pandemic levels for Hull Trains as it managed to narrow losses following the lifting of Covid travel restrictions.
Having recorded an £8.2 million deficit in the year dominated by lockdowns - with services paused for the bulk of the three separate stages - the return of the London link to constant operations reduced the hit to £3.2 million in 2021/22. And there has been a further blow as cracks were discovered in the new Hitachi fleet, only welcomed months before services were shut down.
The open access operator is reliant on ticket sales for revenues, with no government subsidy to operate like other providers, with the pandemic also scuppering Hull Trains' 20th anniversary celebrations.
