THE number of people using the Manningtree railway station has increased in the past year, figures have revealed.

More than 10,500 people travel every week at the Manningtree Railway Station according to data from the Office of Rail and Road.

Passenger numbers have risen by 2.6 per cent last year, with more than 1.1 million entries and exists being recorded at Manningtree between January and December 2019.

Greater Anglia is working on expanding the car park at the station to adapt for the additional passengers, creating 220 more spaces once work is completed early next year.

Martin Moran, Greater Anglia’s commercial, customer service and train presentation director, said: “With the rising costs of travelling by car, increasingly congested roads and the need for all of us to reduce our carbon footprint, more and more people are choosing to travel by train.”

He added: “We expect this as we continue to transform rail travel in East Anglia with our brand-new fleet of longer trains and upgraded stations.”