ATOC: Rail Passenger Numbers Rise To Near-Record Levels

<http://www.atoc-comms.org/atocstory.asp?abstractorder=&toc=&category=&File_reference=976978>

By the end of 2005 the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC)
predicts that approximately one billion and seventy million journeys
(1.07 billion) will have been made on the National Rail network, an
increase of 30 million (2.5%) over 2004. This will be the highest
number in almost 50 years and on a rail network that is 40% smaller.

Passenger Numbers

During 2005, significant increases in passenger journeys have been
recorded in the three categories of rail travel:

* 5% on long distance services
* 5% on regional services
* 1% on London and South East services

In London, passenger numbers have increased despite the short-term
impact of the terrorist attacks in July. The successful ?2 for 1?
railways promotion added 600,000 extra journeys into the capital to
enjoy London?s attractions like Madame Tussauds and the London
Aquarium.

Long distance services saw particular growth following the completion
of the West Coast Main Line upgrade ? now running at high speed
between London and Glasgow. Passenger numbers between London and
Manchester are up by 19%. The railway on all long distance routes are
winning business back from the airlines ? to the great benefit of the
environment.

Passengers on regional services continue to grow and support the
development of the City-Regions of Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, and
others. Local Authority leaders say ?From the dark days of the
post-Beeching era, these networks have been transformed. Indeed on
some of these routes, ridership has doubled? (*).

On rural lines, Community Rail lines growth on most pilot schemes was
above average with income up by a staggering 25% on the St Ives Bay
line in Cornwall.

In total, in the last ten years passenger journeys have increased by
40.4%.

In terms of passenger kilometres, the increase is 2.4% in 2005 while
freight tonne kilometres are up by 7%.

Investment needed

This increase in travel and ATOC?s forecast of a 28% increase in the
next ten years underscores the need for investment to grow the
capacity of the railway.

The rail industry, led by Network Rail, is carrying out studies on all
the major routes to identify where investment should be targeted in
the most low cost effective way ? longer trains, and small
infrastructure schemes. To date, initial results are available for the
South West Main Line down to Southampton, Cross-London, and the East
Cost Main Line with over 30 possibilities from which to choose the
best.

George Muir, ATOC?s Director General says: ?The strong rise in
passenger numbers underscores the urgent need for incremental
investment ? in rolling stock and to relieve pinchpoints - to grow
railway capacity?.

?Lead times in new rail projects are long and the planning for this
needs to begin now.?

More new trains, new lines and new stations in 2005:

Improvements to the network in the past twelve months include the
opening of new stations and sections of line - Allington Chord in
Lincolnshire, which provides more capacity on the East Coast Main
Line; the Larkhall branch (Strathclyde) together with new stations at
Chatelherault, Merryton and Larkhall; and the Bridgend/Barry line in
South Wales, with stations at Rhoose Cardiff International Airport and
Llantwit Major. During 2005, eight new stations opened.

In the past twelve months, almost 800 new passenger vehicles (8% of
the total national fleet) have been introduced onto the network,
notably on Midland Mainline, Silverlink, Southern, South West Trains,
South Eastern, First ScotRail and Hull Trains.

In the latest National Rail timetable which started on 11th December,
there are an additional 286 services each weekday to a daily total of
19,643.

--
Neil Sunderland
Braunton, Devon

Please observe the Reply-To address
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