Around a quarter of a million Northern Ireland train seats are left vacant each and every week.

The figures were generated during a study of an average week over the last year.

However, these statistics also incorporate off-peak times.

The report has suggested more Translink train seats were empty than occupied, across Northern Ireland.

Capacity was at 70% on the Belfast to Londonderry line, which Translink said was not unusual compared to other regions.

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Train passengers on the Bangor route can expect plenty space to stretch their legs after it was revealed only 36% of seats were occupied.

The popular cross-border Enterprise service, which shuttles Belfast passengers directly to Dublin, was at 35% capacity during the study.

Half of the 114,000 seats on the Portadown line were taken up.

Across all the Ulster lines, around 257,000 seats were empty each week.

The Consumer Council’s Susie Brown said the challenge to Translink was "to ensure that are enough seats at peak times so that passengers choosing to go by rail get a seat and enjoy a comfortable and safe journey".

Translink’s Head of Rail Operations, Richard Knox, said it would have to look at how to attract additional passengers to its services.

"We do also have to take into consideration that we've seen over a 50% growth in our services since 2001, and 23% in the last two years," he added.

(PR)