12.12.14
Passenger growth continues to add pressure to a congested railway
New figures from the Office of Rail Regulation show that passenger numbers on franchised rail services rose by 4.4% in the July-September period, compared to the same period last year.
The ORR said it was the highest number of journeys recorded in a quarter since the present series of data collection began in 2002-03.
The statistics show that rail passenger growth has defied the economic downturn, with an increase of 17% since 2008 when it began.
While growth in journeys will be viewed by many as a good thing it adds further stress to an ageing and congested network, with the pressure felt especially on key routes such as the West Coast Main Line.
According to the ORR 407.7 million passenger journeys took place last quarter, with 284.1 million journeys recorded in the franchised London and South East sector (up 4.3% since last year), 33.6 million journeys in the franchised long distance sector (up 3.5%) and 90 million journeys in the franchised regional sector (up 5.5%). There were also 540,000 journeys made on open access passenger services, an increase of 16%.
In 2013-14 there were 62 billion passenger km in the UK rail industry, the third highest in the European Union behind France and Germany. Since 2008, only Austria has experienced faster growth in passenger km than the UK.
A spokesperson for the Rail Delivery Group, representing operators and Network Rail, said: "Phenomenal growth in rail journeys is helping operators to pay £2bn a year back to government, which in turn is enabling investment by Network Rail in further improving Europe’s safest and fastest growing railway.
"By aiming to run more and better services safely, make the railway simpler to use and get more for every pound invested, the industry will not rest in our goal to make Europe's best railway even better."
Tell us what you think – have your say below or email [email protected]