UK Rail: Statistics, Analysis and Comment
Insight Articles: Our Blog
A series of articles analysing and commenting on the passenger transport scene.
Winter warmer from rail customers
Long distance patronage moves ahead of pre-Covid levels
Demand growth in the British rail industry slowed again during the winter: non Elizabeth Line passenger numbers were 5.6 per cent higher than the same quarter in 2024, reaching another new post-Covid high. Including traffic on the recently opened line, growth was 5.9 per cent. Overall, demand rose to 97.4 per cent of pre-Covid levels, according to National Rail Trends statistics, published by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR). However, without the Elizabeth Line, the recovery was limited to 86.5 per cent.
- By: Chris Cheek
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London bus trips down 21%, says NTS
Commuting down by more than half since Covid,
Trip making by the London public fell by over three per cent in 2023/24 compared with a year earlier, according to new data published by the Department for Transport. Londoners made an estimated 739 trips per person per year (tpppy) by all modes in 2023/24, down by 3.2%, so that trip making in the capital is 10.5% lower than before Covid. The bus market shows a surprising reversal in trip making, down by 21.4%, from 16.0 in last year’s survey to 12.6, leaving bus trip rates more than 30% lower than before the pandemic.
- By: Chris Cheek
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Public transport use up, say new NTS figures
Trip rates increase for both bus and rail in survey update
The Department for Transport (DfT) has published new data from its National Travel Survey†, combining data from the last six months of the 2023 survey with the first six of 2024. The limited number of tables predates publication of the full 2024 survey results later in the year. NTS has been an England-only project since 2012.
- By: Chris Cheek
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What sort of railway will GBR be?
A "return to British Rail" is on the cards under reform plans, but which version will it be?
As the first TOC returns to the public sector this month under the government's renationalisation scheme, I am wondering what sort of organisation will emerge from the rail reform plans - and I have been delving into British Rail's history to see if it offers any clues.
- By: Chris Cheek
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An autumn glow in the rail market
Annual long distance patronage moves to within one per cent of pre-Covid levels
Demand growth in the British rail industry slowed slightly during the autumn: non Elizabeth Line passenger numbers were 6.6 per cent higher than the same quarter in 2023, reaching another new post-Covid high. Including traffic on the recently opened line, growth was 6.9 per cent. Overall, demand rose to 97.1 per cent of pre-Covid levels, according to National Rail Trends statistics, published by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR). However, without the Elizabeth Line, the recovery was limited to 86.0 per cent.
- By: Chris Cheek
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Summer sun shines on the rail market
InterCity and Regional Franchises see double digit gains, but revenue still falls short
Demand growth in the British rail industry accelerated again during the summer: non Elizabeth Line passenger numbers were 8.9 per cent higher than the same quarter in 2023. Including traffic on the recently opened line, growth was 9.1 per cent. Overall, demand rose to 97.2 per cent of pre-Covid levels, according to National Rail Trends statistics, published by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR). However, without the Elizabeth Line, the recovery was limited to 86.1 per cent.
- By: Chris Cheek
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