en-us Last articles. https://www.railfuture.org.uk/img/tiki/Tiki_WCG.png https://www.railfuture.org.uk/ Sat, 11 Apr 2026 01:25:14 +0000 Laminas_Feed_Writer 2 (https://getlaminas.org) https://www.railfuture.org.uk/ Interesting insight from the ORR passenger rail usage statistics for the period to end December 2025. Revenue up (+2%), revenue per pax km (-1%) and per passenger trip, down (-2%). Revenue numbers are CPI inflation adjusted. Average distance per journey, down. All signals that the traffic now coming back has a slightly bigger commuter component than 12 months ago.
]]> Sun, 22 Mar 2026 09:25:00 +0000 https://www.railfuture.org.uk/article1930-Passenger-usage-update https://www.railfuture.org.uk/article1930-Passenger-usage-update 0 You might think that with many people changing to working from home since the pandemic, overcrowding on rail services would be a thing of the past – but it is not. Following a review by our branches, we have found that there are still many examples of overcrowded services (many more than given below), for a number of reasons – so a variety of solutions is needed. Train from Manchester Airport crowded with heavy luggage. Image by Paul Quayle/Alamy.com.
]]> Sat, 21 Mar 2026 22:54:00 +0000 https://www.railfuture.org.uk/article1929-Overcrowding https://www.railfuture.org.uk/article1929-Overcrowding 0 Great British Railways needs growth in passenger numbers to reduce rail subsidy. Railfuture offers this idea for a new railcard to attract infrequent rail travellers out of their cars and build loyalty to rail. Image by ChatGPT.
]]> Thu, 08 Jan 2026 11:57:00 +0000 https://www.railfuture.org.uk/article1926-Loyalty-railcard-for-growth https://www.railfuture.org.uk/article1926-Loyalty-railcard-for-growth 0 The Railways Bill, which was introduced in the House of Commons on 5 November 2025, is intended to establish Great British Railways with the tools and authority it needs to make the railway deliver for passengers, freight and taxpayers – and to be held unambiguously accountable for doing so. Railfuture finds it worrying that so many politicians, and indeed the railway press, think that the job will be done when the legislation is in place. It will not, this is set up enabling legislation, an important first step, but then the real work starts. GBR must make changes to meet passenger expectations for a better journey experience. Passengers anxiously await trains at Paddington Station. Credit: Guy Bell/Alamy Live News.
]]> Wed, 12 Nov 2025 18:52:00 +0000 https://www.railfuture.org.uk/article1925-The-Railways-Bill https://www.railfuture.org.uk/article1925-The-Railways-Bill 0 House building must be sustainable, by being served by rail. The location of the first 12 ‘new towns’ was announced at the Labour party conference, all but one already rail-served or the subject of rail proposals. Strategic planning, integrating land use with transport planning, is necessary to identify more. Cowley branch. Image by Oxford City Council.
]]> Sun, 09 Nov 2025 18:46:00 +0000 https://www.railfuture.org.uk/article1924-Strategic-plan-for-homes https://www.railfuture.org.uk/article1924-Strategic-plan-for-homes 0 Gatwick Airport served 41m passengers in 2024 and proposes expansion to 75m by 2030. Permission for this expansion is linked to achieving 54% of air passengers using public transport to access the airport. However, usage of Gatwick Express services has now dropped to 25% of journeys to Victoria and only 12% of journeys to London Zone 1. Is the current format of Gatwick Express the right solution for an expanded Gatwick Airport? Lightly loaded Gatwick Express at Victoria August 2025 - photo by Charlie King for Railfuture.

Read this article as a PDF file - With A4 pages for larger screen or A5 pages for smaller screens.
]]> Thu, 21 Aug 2025 16:54:00 +0000 https://www.railfuture.org.uk/article1923-Is-GatEx-right-for-Gatwick https://www.railfuture.org.uk/article1923-Is-GatEx-right-for-Gatwick 0 ]]> Mon, 18 Aug 2025 10:42:00 +0000 https://www.railfuture.org.uk/article1922-Liverpool-to-Manchester https://www.railfuture.org.uk/article1922-Liverpool-to-Manchester 0
We started using this page from 1 July 2025 and will back fill it with text and/or links going back to the start of the current Government. It will often be written in a style that the media can use in their stories.
]]> Tue, 08 Jul 2025 15:57:00 +0000 https://www.railfuture.org.uk/article1921-Government-announcements https://www.railfuture.org.uk/article1921-Government-announcements 0 An open letter to MPs - we wrote to them to highlight the role that fuel duty could play as a revenue raising alternative to benefit austerity.

Removing the 'temporary' 5p fuel duty cut would raise approximately £ 2 billion per year, which would offset the proposed changes to benefit regime.
]]> Mon, 30 Jun 2025 19:46:00 +0000 https://www.railfuture.org.uk/article1920-Revenue-raising-alternatives-to-benefit-austerity https://www.railfuture.org.uk/article1920-Revenue-raising-alternatives-to-benefit-austerity 0 New Great British Railways livery unveiled by Transport Secretary on 22 May.
]]> Sun, 25 May 2025 17:28:00 +0000 https://www.railfuture.org.uk/article1919-SWR-same-or-better https://www.railfuture.org.uk/article1919-SWR-same-or-better 0