The use of rail season tickets in Great Britain has fallen to an all-time low, driven by a significant increase in working from home since the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to figures from the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), the industry regulator, the number of rail journeys taken by people using season tickets fell to 13% in the year to March 31, down from 15% the previous year. This represents the lowest number since records began in 1986-1987. Before the pandemic, in the year to March 2020, more than a third (34%) of trips were made on season tickets.
Season ticket income is a crucial component of railway revenue. During the pandemic, lockdowns forced office workers to adopt remote work, leaving city centers deserted. Since then, many employers have adopted hybrid work models, allowing employees to split their time between home and the office.
While some companies, especially in the banking sector, are now asking their employees to spend most of their time in the office, a recent study has highlighted that hybrid working enhances employee well-being and productivity. Three quarters of those who work flexibly report feeling less tired compared to when they were in the office full-time.
ORR reported that 1.6 billion rail journeys were made in Britain last year, representing a 16% increase on the 1.4 billion journeys made the previous year. Passengers traveled a total of 60 billion kilometers, an increase of 13% year-on-year. In the three months to March, passengers made 405 million trips, an increase of 13% compared to the same quarter last year.
Total passenger revenues rose to £10.3 billion, an increase of 13% from £9.1 billion the previous year, when adjusted for inflation.
In response to the rise in hybrid working, the railway industry has introduced flexible season tickets, allowing travel on any eight days within a 28-day period. However, analysis by MoneySavingExpert found that part-time season tickets only offer savings for those traveling two days a week, with cheaper options often available.
Govia Thameslink Railway was the largest operator of passenger journeys in the year to March. The Elizabeth Line recorded the second highest number of trips and the largest year-on-year increase, with an increase of 54%. This increase is due to the increase in services after the opening of the central section of the line in May 2022, with full service starting in May 2023.
The significant year-on-year increase in the number of flights for many operators was also affected by reduced schedules in the previous year. This includes ScotRail, Avanti West Coast and TransPennine Express, all of which will operate on reduced timetables sometime between April 2022 and March 2023.