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PASSENGER NUMBERS AT ‘NEAR-RECORD LEVELS’ — ATOC

Discussion in 'On Track.' started by LSWR, Jan 4, 2006.

  1. LSWR

    LSWR Part of the furniture

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    THE Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) estimates that approximately 1.07 billion passenger journeys will have been made on the Britain’s rail network by the end of 2005 — an increase of 30 million (2.5%) over 2004.

    ATOC also claims that this will be “the highest number in almost 50 years” — and on a rail network that is 40% smaller than in the 1950s.

    However, comparisons with passenger numbers prior to privatisation in 1996/7 cannot easily be made.

    This is because — as the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) pointed out in its National Rail Trends for the second quarter of 2005/6, published earlier in December —the passenger numbers “include an element of double counting.”

    Currently-quoted figures “represent the numbers of different trains used in the course of journeys,” explained the ORR.

    “This contrasts with results published for British Rail, for which most through-ticketed journeys were counted only once.”

    ATOC said its latest figures indicate that, compared with 2004, “significant” increases in passenger journeys have been recorded in the three categories of rail travel during 2005:
    - 5% on long distance services
    - 5% on regional services
    - 1% on London and South East services

    Long distance services saw particular growth following the first stage of the West Coast Main Line upgrade, with – passenger numbers between London and Manchester up by 19%, according to ATOC.


    INVESTMENT NEEDED

    The increase in travel during 2005, and a forecast 28% increase in the next 10 years, underscores the need for investment to grow the capacity of the railway, says ATOC.

    In its press release, ATOC said that the rail industry, led by Network Rail, is carrying out studies on all major routes to identify where investment should be targeted in the most “low cost effective way.”

    George Muir, ATOC’s Director General, commented: “The strong rise in passenger numbers underscores the urgent need for incremental investment – in rolling stock and to relieve pinch points — to grow railway capacity.

    “Lead times in new rail projects are long and the planning for this needs to begin now,” he added.

    ATOC said that in the latest rail timetables, which started on 11 December, there are an additional 286 services operating each weekday, bringing the daily total of passenger trains to 19,643.

    SOURCE RAILNEWS
     

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