Williams Rail Review – Barriers to travel: How to make rail more attractive to infrequent and non-users

29 April 2019

Much of the focus of the Rail Review so far has rightly been on existing passengers. Meeting their needs and ensuring they are at the heart of the railway is a key requirement.

Over the past 20 years rail passenger journeys in Great Britain have more than doubled. Despite this, and as stated by the Rail Review team, rail still accounts for only 2 per cent of all trips made and 8 per cent of distance travelled in England. So there is still a considerable potential market that remains untapped.

All of this gives new impetus to understanding the barriers to using rail. This submission from Transport Focus to the Williams Rail Review looks at why people do not use rail – or only do so infrequently, and perhaps more importantly, what might persuade them to give it a go.