A BOOM in train travel across Britain shows no signs of slowing down as more passengers snap up cut-price tickets.
Rail journeys have risen by 4.5 per cent in the first six months of 2015 compared to the same period last year, with more than 731 million train trips in total.
ScotRail recorded the highest number of "timetabled train kilometres" (TTKM) of any operator, at 11.51 million between January and the end of March this year. This was an increase of 2.8 per cent compared to the same period last year.
The statistic refers to the number of train kilometres each train operator would achieve if it fulfilled 100 per cent of its timetable.
Meanwhile, passenger revenue was up by more than seven per cent to £4.1billion in the first six months on 2015 thanks to the growth in journeys.
Rail industry figures for January to June this year show a five per cent rise in the number of journeys made on discounted fares, including a four per cent increase in the number of Off-Peak tickets purchased. Advance ticket sales were up almost six per cent as passengers continue to take advantage of cheaper tickets.
Journey growth in the last six months was greatest in London and the South East, up 4.9 per cent, while long-distance routes saw a 4.7 per cent increase and regional routes, including Scotland, recorded 3.1 per cent more passenger journeys.
Total rail passenger journeys reached a record high of 1.65 billion in 2014/2015 according to the independent rail regulator, the Office of Rail and Road (ORR). Only Germany recorded more passenger journeys last year.
Since 2008 the number of passenger journeys on the UK rail network has increased by 23 per cent - the biggest increase in journeys of any EU country that reports to Eurostat, the Luxembourg-based statistics body.
In 2014/15 £8.9billion was raised from passenger journeys made in Great Britain on passenger operators, the highest recorded figure since the series began in 2002-03
David Mapp, Commercial Director at the Association of Train Operating Companies, said: “Train travel is more popular than it has been for decades as better services, supported by major government investment through Network Rail, and good value fares continue to attract more passengers. People are snapping up cheaper tickets outside peak times.
“This remarkable growth brings challenges but the industry is working hard to improve Britain’s railway to meet the increasing demand and to give passengers better and faster journeys.”
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