According to the latest passenger numbers from Transport for London (TFL), the post-pandemic return to the office may have stalled.

This includes commuters from Kingston into central London.

TfL finance chiefs have revealed that its "Cumulative journey growth is just over two per cent compared to last year".

However, it was "targeting six per cent year-on-year journey growth over the full year, on top of the nine per cent [it] saw in 2023/24.

TfL finance chief Patrick Doig told the TfL board that the "return to the office" was pertinent to TfL continuing to grow its income.

However, despite growth on last year, journeys since April are 52 million below Budget, with passenger income £78m below Budget.

Doig said: "The evidence we have got, and it is hard to measure office attendance directly, is that that growth has decelerated at a faster rate than we had assumed.

"We could be at an equilibrium."

This means that TfL has a £16m deficit in its accounts and is facing a £150m shortfall in anticipated income over the course of the financial year.

TFL had "budgeted for an operating surplus in the year to date; lower passenger income means we have a deficit of £16m at Period 5". This has dropped from £161m.

Kingston Council's Transport councilor has been contacted for comment.