12.03.12
Rail passenger numbers hit new high
In the last 12 months, the number of rail passengers grew by 6%, with the number of journeys reaching over 1.4 billion – a new high for a peacetime year – according to new statistics from ATOC.
ATOC suggested that cut-price fares and high petrol prices were the cause of such a historic rise. The sales of reduced-price tickets, including advance, off-peak and railcard journeys, rose by 9% in the last year.
Petrol is now priced at a record of 137.4p per litre, making the average cost per mile 38p, compared to 20p for travel by rail.
Michael Roberts, ATOC chief executive, said: “People are voting with their feet and wallets by choosing to travel by train in growing numbers. Operators have attracted people to the railways by providing a range of affordable tickets and cut price deals.
“The rising cost of motoring also means that rather than automatically reaching for the car keys, more and more people are heading to the train station to get from A to B.
“The latest figures show the growing popularity of booking ahead to cash in on cheap advance tickets. But they also show that the walk-up railway continues to offer value to passengers, with train companies selling a record 365 million off-peak tickets over the last year. From students to pensioners, families to businesspeople, the railways are keeping the country moving in tough times.”
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