Tourism in Britain ‘could be at risk from escalating rail fares’, as research reveals that 78% of people think that UK rail fares for journeys of over 100 miles are too expensive, with 66% putting off going on short breaks in the UK because of this high cost.
The research, commissioned by BlablaCar, also found that 72% would go on more weekend breaks in the UK if the cost of rail travel was lower.
Nicolas Brusson, co-founder of BlablaCar, said:
“The high cost of rail travel means that people are thinking twice before taking short breaks in the UK.
“With fares set to rise significantly next year, this is predicted to have an even bigger effect on UK tourism in the next year.
“Reliability is another factor affecting people. As two thirds of train operators will be altering services this weekend, those planning to travel who have not yet booked their tickets would be wise to consider other means of transport.”
BlablaCar reviewed the cheapest train tickets on a number of intercity routes leaving on a Friday between 6pm and 9pm and compared this with the average price on its site.
The test was performed on the Tuesday afternoon prior to the Friday of travel to simulate the behaviour of someone looking for a ticket at the last minute.
Savings include:
- Travelling from London to Sheffield gives the greatest percentage saving, being 79% cheaper carpooling with BlablaCar (£15 compared with £71)
- Travellers heading from Birmingham to Edinburgh save 67% of the cost (£26 compared with £80) and are scheduled to arrive almost an hour ahead of the train
- Those in a hurry travelling from Glasgow to Leeds would be advised to consider long distance carpooling. Passengers save 44% of the cost (£19 compared to £35) and get there one hour 25 minutes ahead of those taking the train
- Taking a route from Birmingham to Southampton is 75% cheaper carpooling with BlablaCar and is no slower (£13 compared to £52).
Brusson also noted that; “Petrol prices are also having an impact on our purse strings. It is becoming more and more necessary for people to consider alternative, more cost efficient, ways of reducing their travel costs.”
But what would lower fares do….put more people on our already overcrowded network. we need to make sure more revenue from tickets goes into new coaches, reopening closed lines, doubling or 4 tracking existing bottlenecks and building new lines with speeds of at least 100mph and in the long run a network of high speed ACCROSS the country not jut north to south into london
Loth as I am to agree with an obvious advertising piece for a car hire company, they are spot-on. Rail travel is prohibitively expensive and puts people off. People don’t want to book months in advance or go on holiday in the middle of the week! What the article states is that it is a lot more relaxing sitting on a train on a Fri pm than battling through 30 mph queues on the M6. Also BHM EDB is four hours on a train. THey are suggesting you could do it in three in a car. This is physically impossible, especially on a Fri pm!
Sorry, for ‘states’ below read ‘fails to point out’