More than half of train travellers now use the railway for leisure

[whole diary]

[grahame]

From the Swindon Advertiser

More than half of train travellers now use the railway for leisure - according to new research.

The research for the Department for Transport found that 54 per cent of respondents travelled for leisure, while 30 per cent commuted for work or education, and 15 per cent travelled for business.

The railway is described as "the backbone of our economy" by rail minister Lord Peter Hendy, who highlighted how the network connects people nationwide.

He said: "This research shows thousands of passengers choose the train for their leisure travel.

I would hope that Peter Hendy already knew hw had a strong leisure customer base ... that the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about)'s research told him and them a bit more than that. 

[Mark A]

I will never not find 'Leisure' a particularly irritating word to apply to travel for personal needs - the more so if travel is presented as a simple dichotomy between 'Business' and 'Leisure'. It feels symptomatic of an industry that's being shackled.

Mark

[ChrisB]

Worse still - *all* of us being referred to as "commuters", whether business or leisure!

[eightonedee]

I don't object to being called a commuter - rather proud of the fact that I used the train as my default means of getting to work for over half my working life.

I agree though that dividing into "business" & "leisure" is wrong. Where does that leave travelling to medical appointments, collecting the car from being serviced, travelling to pick up a new door lock (perhaps shopping generally for those of us for whom it's a necessary chore rather than a pleasure!)? Or does much of my train use now fill the missing one per cent in those figures?

I would suggest that these figures might suggest there's room to increase the business/travel to work volume, with pressure on some to return to the office....

[TaplowGreen]

From the Swindon Advertiser

More than half of train travellers now use the railway for leisure - according to new research.

The research for the Department for Transport found that 54 per cent of respondents travelled for leisure, while 30 per cent commuted for work or education, and 15 per cent travelled for business.

The railway is described as "the backbone of our economy" by rail minister Lord Peter Hendy, who highlighted how the network connects people nationwide.

He said: "This research shows thousands of passengers choose the train for their leisure travel.

I would hope that Peter Hendy already knew hw had a strong leisure customer base ... that the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about)'s research told him and them a bit more than that. 

I believe he's been somewhat distracted recently, although still in the driving seat.