| More than half of train travellers now use the railway for leisure Posted by grahame at 07:04, 14th April 2025 |     |
From the Swindon Advertiser
More than half of train travellers now use the railway for leisure - according to new research.
The research for the Department for Transport found that 54 per cent of respondents travelled for leisure, while 30 per cent commuted for work or education, and 15 per cent travelled for business.
The railway is described as "the backbone of our economy" by rail minister Lord Peter Hendy, who highlighted how the network connects people nationwide.
He said: "This research shows thousands of passengers choose the train for their leisure travel.
The railway is described as "the backbone of our economy" by rail minister Lord Peter Hendy, who highlighted how the network connects people nationwide.
He said: "This research shows thousands of passengers choose the train for their leisure travel.
I would hope that Peter Hendy already knew hw had a strong leisure customer base ... that the DfT's research told him and them a bit more than that.
| Re: More than half of train travellers now use the railway for leisure Posted by Mark A at 07:57, 14th April 2025 | |
I will never not find 'Leisure' a particularly irritating word to apply to travel for personal needs - the more so if travel is presented as a simple dichotomy between 'Business' and 'Leisure'. It feels symptomatic of an industry that's being shackled.
Mark
| Re: More than half of train travellers now use the railway for leisure Posted by ChrisB at 08:00, 14th April 2025 | |
Worse still - *all* of us being referred to as "commuters", whether business or leisure!
| Re: More than half of train travellers now use the railway for leisure Posted by eightonedee at 10:22, 14th April 2025 | |
I don't object to being called a commuter - rather proud of the fact that I used the train as my default means of getting to work for over half my working life.
I agree though that dividing into "business" & "leisure" is wrong. Where does that leave travelling to medical appointments, collecting the car from being serviced, travelling to pick up a new door lock (perhaps shopping generally for those of us for whom it's a necessary chore rather than a pleasure!)? Or does much of my train use now fill the missing one per cent in those figures?
I would suggest that these figures might suggest there's room to increase the business/travel to work volume, with pressure on some to return to the office....
| Re: More than half of train travellers now use the railway for leisure Posted by TaplowGreen at 21:12, 14th April 2025 | |
From the Swindon Advertiser
I would hope that Peter Hendy already knew hw had a strong leisure customer base ... that the DfT's research told him and them a bit more than that.
More than half of train travellers now use the railway for leisure - according to new research.
The research for the Department for Transport found that 54 per cent of respondents travelled for leisure, while 30 per cent commuted for work or education, and 15 per cent travelled for business.
The railway is described as "the backbone of our economy" by rail minister Lord Peter Hendy, who highlighted how the network connects people nationwide.
He said: "This research shows thousands of passengers choose the train for their leisure travel.
The railway is described as "the backbone of our economy" by rail minister Lord Peter Hendy, who highlighted how the network connects people nationwide.
He said: "This research shows thousands of passengers choose the train for their leisure travel.
I would hope that Peter Hendy already knew hw had a strong leisure customer base ... that the DfT's research told him and them a bit more than that.
I believe he's been somewhat distracted recently, although still in the driving seat.
