Factsheets - No.1: The Impact of Post Hatfield Rail Disruption
Railways
Up to 40% railway passenger loss on some franchises in the early days
Network loss of 20% of passengers in early days
Commuter and Scotland-London inter city TOCs worst hit
On a normal pre-Hatfield day on the railways there were 2.7 million
journeys. Since then the figures are estimated to have fallen to 2.3 million
- a drop of just over 14%.
Some TOCs running 92% of timetabled journeys
Roads
Motoring organisation reports of 10% and 25% increases in road traffic
a gross over exaggeration.
Even if the rail network had shut down completely and all travel transferred
to single occupancy car trips, growth would only have been 8%
If all the 20% of passengers actually lost to the rail network became
car drivers, car travel would have increased by about 1.4%
Across the country a network of automated traffic counters monitor
traffic levels throughout the year. The complete national count is downloaded
to the DETR every night and is not subject to statistical variation.
Results show no detectable increase in general traffic levels in London
or elsewhere post Hatfield. There have been a number of falls in traffic
reflecting flooding and bad weather.
Traffic on trunk roads has increased by 3.2% over the last year - not
out of line with average traffic growth and not indicative of high growth
as a consequence of Hatfield.
The M1 offers some evidence of traffic growth with a post-Hatfield
increase in traffic flows of 5.9% between junctions 10 and 11 - where
the road runs parallel to some of the most disrupted rail lines.
London Underground
In the four weeks before Hatfield it carried 77 million passengers.
In the first four weeks afterwards it carried 78 million - a lower increase
than seen for the same period in previous years.
Domestic flights
Disruption of rail services has led to 200 000 additional domestic
passengers-a 15% increase.
BA's domestic passenger levels reported to be rising by 30% - and up
to 40% between Newcastle and London.
British Midland are said to have seen up to 51% more passengers on
Heathrow - Manchester routes.
Coach travel
Unconfirmed reports of increase in coach passengers.
