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SCOTTISH TRANSPORT STATISTICS No 23: 2004 Edition

Chapter 8 RAIL SERVICES

1. Introduction

1.1 This chapter provides information on rail services, such as the numbers of passenger journeys of various types, passenger receipts, punctuality and passenger satisfaction, the amount of freight lifted by origin, destination and commodity, lines open for traffic, number of stations, railway accidents, and some statistics about the Glasgow Subway.

1.2 The main changes in this edition are the inclusion of the following new tables, which has resulted in the re-numbering of most of the other tables:

• passenger journeys to, from or within Scotland (Table 8.4);
• distances travelled by passengers to Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow (Table 8.5);
• the ten busiest stations in Scotland (Table 8.6);
• punctuality of the operators which serve Scotland, and all GB operators (Table 8.7);
• ScotRail services' arrival times at final destinations (Table 8.8);
• passengers in excess of capacity for Edinburgh commuter services across the Forth (Table 8.9); and
• rail passenger satisfaction ratings from the National Passenger Survey (Table 8.10).

1.3 Unfortunately, it has not been possible to update Tables 8.1 and 8.2: the relevant figures for the 2003-04 financial year were not available at the time of going to press.

2. Main Points

2.1 The total number of rail passenger journeys originating in Scotland was 62.2 million in 2002-03. This was 3.1 million (5%) fewer than in the previous year, but 2.0 million (3%) more than 10 years earlier. Following a fall in the early 1990's, passenger numbers increased in every year after 1994-95, to 67.7 million in 2000-01 then fell over the next two years to 62.2 million. The increase of only 0.2 million in 2000-01 reflects the effects on rail services of the speed restrictions which were imposed following the accident at Hatfield in October 2000 - for example, some journey times took much longer, the Edinburgh/Glasgow daytime frequency was halved for about two months, and some sleeper services did not run for about five months, with consequent effects on patronage. The falls of 2.4 million in 2001-02 and 3.1 million in 2002-03 reflect the effects on services of the ScotRail drivers' pay dispute, including some one day strikes and a special timetable (involving a reduction of about a quarter in weekday services) from January to May 2002. Given the increase in ScotRail passenger numbers that occurred in 2003-04 (see paragraph 2.4), it is expected that the figure for the total number of passenger journeys originating in Scotland in 2003-04 (when it becomes available) will be at roughly the same level as the most recent peak (which was around 67-68 million in both 1999/00 and 2000/01). Once the figures for 2003-04 are available, an updated version of the table will be put on the Scottish Executive Transport Statistics Web site (please see the page on this, which is just before the end of the publication). (Table 8.1)

2.2 There were 59.9 million rail passenger journeys within Scotland during 2002-03, and 2.3 million cross-border journeys originating in Scotland. Total passenger revenue from journeys originating in Scotland was £194.1 million for 2002-03. (Table 8.1)

2.3 The number of cross-border passenger journeys originating outwith Scotland in 2002-03 was 2.6 million, 0.2 million fewer than in the previous year. Cross-border passenger journeys originating outwith Scotland had been increasing since 1994-95, when they were around 2.2 million, to 2.9 million in 1999-2000. However, they fell slightly in 2000-01 and 2002-03 due to the problems referred to above. Passenger revenue for cross-border passenger journeys originating outwith Scotland was £66.8 million in 2002-03. (Table 8.2)

2.4 In 2003-04, there were 62.3 million passenger journeys on ScotRail services, 4.9 million (9%) more than in the previous year (the figures for which, and for the year or two before it, were affected by the effects of the post-Hatfield speed restrictions and the ScotRail drivers' dispute - see paragraph 2.1). The total for 2003-04 of 62.3 million was slightly lower than the largest number recorded since records of ScotRail passenger numbers began in 1992-93 (which was 63.2 million in 2000-01), and represented an increase of about 20% over the figure for 1993-94. There were increases in most years since 1993-94 (the exceptions being 1994-95, 2001-02 and 2002-03), as ScotRail passenger numbers rose from 52 million in 1993-94 to 62.3 million in 2003-04. (Table 8.3)

2.5 The total number of rail passenger journeys on services which were supported by the Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive fell and rose between 1993-94 and 1996-97, remaining between roughly 36 and 39 million per year. However, they then increased to 43.1 million in both 1999-2000 and 2000-01, but subsequently fell in each of the following 2 years before increasing again to 41.1 million in 2003-04 (an increase of 9% over both 2002-03 and 1993-94). The number of passenger-miles travelled on such services rose by 9% to 444 million in 2003-04 compared with 2002-03. Passenger receipts rose from £48.6 million in 2002-03 to £53.13 million in 2003-04, an increase of 9% in cash terms and 6% in real terms. (Table 8.3)

2.6 In 2003-04, there was a total of 21.22 million passenger journeys on ScotRail services other than those supported by SPTE. (Table 8.3)

2.7 Tables 8.4 to 8.6 provide statistics based on data about passenger journeys which were made using national rail tickets, for which full information about the origin and destination stations is held in the central database. These figures exclude journeys for which full information is not held centrally, such as those made using Strathclyde Passenger Transport Zonecards. In 2002-03, of the 54.8 million passenger journeys to, from or within Scotland (counting outward and return journeys separately) for which full details are available from the central database, 91% were within Scotland. The main origins or destinations of cross-border passenger journeys were London (1.1 million), North West England (1.1 million) and North East England (1.0 million). (Table 8.4)

2.8 In 2002-03, 64% of passenger journeys using national rail tickets to Aberdeen involved travelling distances of 100+ kms. For such passenger journeys to Edinburgh, 43% were between 20 kms and 49.99 kms, and for passenger journeys using national rail tickets to Glasgow, the distance band with the highest percentage (28%) was 10 kms to 19.99 kms. (Table 8.5)

2.9 In 2002-03 Glasgow Central was the busiest national rail station in Scotland, with just under 23 million passenger journeys using national rail tickets to or from it. The figure for the usage of this station would have been higher, if full information about the numbers of journeys made using SPT Zonecards were recorded centrally. Edinburgh Waverley was used by over 12 million passengers. (Table 8.6)

2.10 For the purpose of compiling rail punctuality statistics, regional operators' services are counted as "on time" if they arrive at their final destination under five minutes late, and long-distance operators' services are "on time" if they arrive under ten minutes late. In 2003-04, the percentage of trains arriving on time was 85.5% for ScotRail, 74.8% for Virgin West Coast, 74.1% for GNER, and 72.2% for Virgin Cross Country. (NB: these figures relate to all trains run by these operators - not just to their Scottish services). For all GB long-distance operators it was 73.4% and for all GB regional operators it was 82.9%. Although the figures for 2003-04 were, in general, higher than the equivalent figures for the previous three years (which were affected by the factors described in paragraph 2.1), they are all below the levels achieved in 1997-98, 1998-99 and 1999-2000 (Table 8.7)

2.11 In 2003-04, 94.3% of ScotRail trains arrived on time or under ten minutes late, 1.7% arrived 20 or more minutes late, and 0.8% were cancelled. (Table 8.8)

2.12 The number of passengers "in excess of capacity" (see paragraphs 3.13 to 3.15) on Edinburgh commuter services across the Forth dropped from 2.6% in 2002 to 2.0% in 2003. (Table 8.9)

2.13 In 2003, 82% of ScotRail passengers were either "satisfied" or said "good" when asked their opinion of their overall journey. The equivalent figure was 87% for non-ScotRail passengers whose journeys started in Scotland, and 80% for both all GB regional operators and all GB long-distance operators. (Table 8.10)

2.14 In 2002-03 8.90 million tonnes of freight was lifted in Scotland by rail, 7% less than the previous year, but 28% more than the amount in 1992-93. Of all freight lifted in Scotland, nearly half (47%) was delivered elsewhere within the UK and about an eighteenth (6%) was delivered outwith the UK (because of the way that the statistics are compiled, this figure includes freight for export which was delivered to a port in Britain, as well as Channel Tunnel traffic). The amount of freight lifted in Scotland with a destination in Scotland had increased by 0.89 million tonnes (26%) over the period 1992-93 to 2002-03. In 2002-03, coal and other minerals accounted for 7.18 million tonnes (81%) of the freight lifted in Scotland. Dividing the number of tonne-kilometres by the number of tonnes gives an average length of haul of 148 kilometres for traffic remaining in Scotland, 423 kilometres for traffic to other parts of the UK, and 720 kilometres for traffic destined for outwith the UK. (Table 8.11)

2.15 A total of 1.08 million tonnes of freight lifted elsewhere in the UK was delivered in Scotland in 2002-03, along with 0.64 million tonnes of freight from outwith the UK (the latter figure includes imported freight which was lifted at ports in England or Wales). The total amount of freight with a destination in Scotland increased by 4%, from 5.77 million tonnes in 2001-02 to 5.99 million tonnes in 2002-03. (Table 8.12)

2.16 The total track length of the railway network in Scotland is about 5,500 kilometres. (Table 8.13)

2.17 The number of passenger stations has increased from 329 in 1993-94 to 339 in 2003-04. (Table 8.14)

2.18 The local authorities which had the largest numbers of stations located in their areas in 2003 were Glasgow (59) and Highland (58). Three mainland councils did not have any stations in their areas: Clackmannanshire, Midlothian and Scottish Borders. (Table 8.15)

2.19 On the Glasgow Subway, over the past ten years, the number of passenger journeys has remained between about 13.3 million and 14.7 million. In 2003-04, it fell slightly to 13.3 million from 13.4 million in the previous year. Passenger receipts (excluding other revenue) were over £10.3 million in 2003-04, 2% more in cash terms, but 1% less in real terms, than in the previous year. (Table 8.16)

2.20 In 2003-04 there were 53 train accidents, a decrease of 30 (36%) on the previous year's total of 83. The number of deaths as a result of railway accidents increased from 17 in 2002-03 to 32 in 2003-04. (Table 8.17)

2.21 Of the 32 fatalities on the railways in Scotland in 2003-04, 20 were suicides, 10 were trespassers and 2 were level crossing users. (Table 8.18)

3. Notes and Definitions

Passenger journeys and associated receipts

3.1 The statistics are based on the sales of tickets. Therefore, a passenger who buys more than one ticket in the course of a journey will be counted more than once. For example, consider someone who travels from A to B, and then on to C. Suppose that he/she buys a single ticket for the journey from A to B, and a separate ticket to go from B to C. Such a person's trip would be counted as two separate passenger journeys, because two tickets were purchased. Similarly, if someone used a Zonecard to travel from a suburban station to a Glasgow terminus and then bought a single to (say) Aberdeen, it would be counted as two passenger journeys.

3.2 The passenger journey figures for post-British Rail years include a further element of double-counting, as a journey involving trains run by more than one operator is counted once for each operator. This contrasts with the results for earlier years, for which most through-ticketed journeys were counted only once, irrespective of any changes made.

3.3 Because the statistics are based on ticket sales, they do not include journeys made by people without tickets, journeys made by railway staff using special passes, and journeys made by blind people under a free concessionary travel scheme.

3.4 Journeys originating in Scotland, and cross-border journeys: the statistics are compiled on the basis of where each journey starts. For example, a return ticket between (say) Edinburgh and London is counted as two cross-border journeys: one originating in Scotland, and one originating elsewhere. Someone who used a Zonecard to travel from a suburban station to, say, Glasgow Central, and then bought a single to (say) Manchester, would be counted as making one "internal (within Scotland)" passenger journey and one "cross-border originating in Scotland" passenger journey.

3.5 Journeys made using season tickets, Zonecards, etc: the numbers of journeys made by holders of season tickets are estimated using the standard factors adopted for the production of National Rail passenger statistics. The number of rail journeys that are made using Zonecards is estimated using information from Strathclyde Passenger Transport's surveys of the journeys made by a sample of holders of different types of Zonecards.

3.6 Ticket types: the following are identified:

• Full fare - e.g. first class, standard single and standard open return;
• Reduced fare - e.g. saver, supersaver, cheap day return;
• Other non-season - e.g. special "promotional" fares, such as "two for the price of one" and combined rail plus "add-on" tickets (see below);
• Season tickets - includes Zonecards.

3.7 Revenue: this includes all ticket revenue and miscellaneous charges associated with passenger travel, such as car park charges. In the case of combined rail plus "add-on" tickets (e.g. for example, a ticket which covers both a journey by rail and admission to an attraction, or a ticket which covers both a journey by rail and a bus, taxi or ferry journey from the destination station), the figures held in the database for revenue from the sales of such tickets do not indicate how much relates to the rail travel. Therefore, all the revenue from the sales of such tickets are counted in these statistics.

3.8 Concessionary fares: the figures for revenue include payments made by passengers for concessionary fares, but not the additional payments made by local authorities and Strathclyde Passenger Transport to reimburse the train operator for the difference between the concessionary fare and the normal fare for the journey (because these are not recorded in the database).

3.9 Passenger journeys made using national rail tickets: the figures in Tables 8.4 to 8.6 are the numbers of passenger journeys made using national rail tickets, which are noticeably smaller than the numbers in the earlier tables. This is because the figures in Tables 8.4 to 8.6 were produced from information about the numbers of through tickets sold for journeys between particular destinations. In this case, a journey from (say) North Berwick to Carlisle made using a through ticket would be counted only once, even though it involves a change of operator. In addition, full information about origin and destination stations is not recorded centrally for certain types of rail journey (such as those which are made using some types of promotional fares, combined rail plus "add-on" tickets, and multi-modal "travelcard"-type tickets, such as the Strathclyde Passenger Transport "Zonecard"), so their numbers are not included in these statistics. The figures in Tables 8.4 to 8.6 are on the same basis as the "Regional usage profiles" figures in the Strategic Rail Authority's "National Rail Trends" yearbook. When the SRA produces statistics of the numbers of passengers using each station (like those in Table 8.6), it splits the numbers of journeys made using tickets which specified origins/destinations as places (e.g. Glasgow) rather than particular stations (such as Central or Queen Street) between the relevant stations. The SRA does this in whatever way appears most appropriate in each case, based on information about services and passenger numbers for the places concerned.

Rail punctuality - Public Performance Measure

3.10 The Public Performance Measure (PPM) combines punctuality and reliability into a single measure of the performance of individual trains against the planned timetable for the day, which may differ from the published timetable (e.g. due to engineering works, speed restrictions, flooding, etc).

3.11 For "long-distance" operators (such as GNER, Virgin CrossCountry and Virgin West Coast) the PPM is the percentage of trains arriving within ten minutes of timetable at the final destination; for "regional" operators (such as ScotRail) the PPM is the percentage arriving within five minutes of timetable. (The definitions differ because, in general, "long-distance" operators' train run further than "regional" operators' trains.) The figures relate to all the services which provided by the operator, so (for example) the PPM for GNER is an overall measure for all its trains, not just for those which run to, from or within Scotland.

3.12 Trains which complete their journey are measured for punctuality at the final destination. When a train fails to run its entire planned route, calling at all timetabled stations, it is either shown as "cancelled" (if it runs less than half of its planned mileage) or counted in the "20 or more minutes late" band. Therefore, such a train would not be counted as arriving at the final destination within the number of minutes specified in the PPM.

Passengers in excess of capacity

3.13 The Strategic Rail Authority monitors overcrowding on Edinburgh commuter services across the Forth Bridge (and on London commuter services). Passengers in excess of capacity (PIXC) is calculated for weekday commuter trains which arrive in Edinburgh (or London) between 07:00 and 09:59, or which depart between 16:00 and 18:59.

3.14 PIXC is calculated as the number of passengers travelling in excess of capacity on all of the specified services divided by the total number of passengers travelling on those services, and expressed as a percentage. For journeys of more than 20 minutes, capacity is deemed to be the number of standard class seats on the train; for journeys of 20 minutes or less, there is also an allowance for standing room (which varies with the type of rolling stock - e.g. for modern sliding door stock, it is typically of the order of 35% of the number of seats).

3.15 The SRA has set limits on the level of PIXC at 4.5% on one peak, and 3.0% across both peaks.

Rail passenger satisfaction: National Passenger Survey

3.16 Passengers' ratings of their train journeys are shown in three groups: those which are regarded as "generic"; those which relate to the station; and those which relate to the journey.

3.17 The table shows the percentages who said that they were satisfied / very satisfied with each factor, or who rated it as "good / very good". The difference between the percentage shown for a factor and 100% is made up of both

(a) those who said that they were dissatisfied / very dissatisfied, or who rated it "poor / very poor"; and

(b) those who said that they were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied, or who rated it neither "good / very good" nor "poor / very poor".

3.18 A passenger who changes trains in the course of a journey is asked for his/her views of the first station and the first train that was used in the journey. In all analyses, such a person's answers are counted against the operator of the first train.

3.19 ScotRail is classified as a regional operator by the Strategic Rail Authority, therefore results for ScotRail should be compared with those for all GB regional operators that appear in the table. ‘Others whose journey started in Scotland’ is made up of long distance routes and these results should be compared with all GB long distance operators.

Freight traffic

3.20 Freight traffic: the figures for 1996-97 onwards were prepared from information supplied by the rail freight companies. The numbers of tonne-kilometres in those years relate to the whole distance that the freight is carried on the companies' trains, not just to that part of the journey which is within Scotland. The numbers in this edition from 1998-99 onwards have changed substantially from those previously published, as an operator has revised its figures. However, the changes relate mostly to allocation within categories (e.g. "lifted within Scotland with a destination in Scotland" and "lifted outwith the UK with a destination in Scotland"), so the overall totals are not greatly affected.

3.21 Origins and destinations of freight traffic: three points should be noted about the figures which have been provided by the rail companies for 1996-97 onwards:

(i) "lifted within Scotland" includes freight from abroad which arrives at a Scottish port (eg Hunterston) and is lifted from there by rail;

(ii) "lifted outwith UK" includes freight from abroad which was imported via ports in England and Wales (eg Teesside) and was then brought from there into Scotland by rail;

(iii) "lifted within Scotland, delivered outwith UK" includes freight which is delivered to a Scottish port (eg Leith) or to an English port (eg Southampton) for export.

It follows that the figures in the tables for freight lifted or delivered "outwith the UK" cover much more than just rail traffic which goes through the Channel Tunnel.

There are no statistics available for freight lifted or delivered "outwith UK" in the years prior to 1996-97. In the figures that were produced for those years, traffic delivered by rail to ports for export was counted on the basis of the location of the port, and so was counted under either "Scotland" or "elsewhere in the UK". Similarly, freight which was imported, and picked up by rail at a port, was counted on the basis of the location of the port. However, the figures that were produced for those years excluded any international freight traffic through the Channel Tunnel (for which freight services commenced in June 1994).

Other statistics

3.22 Railway Accidents: the statistics are of railway incidents statutorily reported under "The Reporting of Incidents, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR)". These regulations came into force on the 1 April 1996 and brought railway accident reporting in line with other industry accident reporting. The fatalities are classified by the former Region because those are the areas which are shown in the Rail Atlas which HM Railway Inspectorate uses to identify the locations of the fatalities

4. Sources

4.1 Tables 8.1 and 8.2: the statistics were supplied by the Association of Train Operating Companies. ATOC produced the numbers of passenger journeys, and the associated revenue, from information held in its CAPRI database, which records the number of tickets, and the associated revenue, for journeys between every pair of railway stations in Great Britain. ATOC also used estimates, which are sent to it by ScotRail, of the numbers of rail journeys made by holders of Strathclyde Passenger Transport's multi-modal Zonecard.

4.2 The figures for ScotRail passenger services in Table 8.3, and all the passenger numbers in Tables 8.4, 8.5 and 8.6, were provided by the Strategic Rail Authority.

4.3 The SPT figures in Table 8.3, and the figures in Table 8.16, were compiled from information provided by Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive.

4.4 The rail punctuality (Public Performance Measure) figures in Table 8.7 and 8.8 were provided by the Strategic Rail Authority. The punctuality of trains is generally recorded using automated monitoring systems, which log performance using the signalling equipment.

4.5 The Passengers in Excess of Capacity figures in Table 8.9 were provided by the Strategic Rail Authority. Train operating companies must conduct an annual Autumn count of passengers in excess of capacity. The Strategic Rail Authority can order recounts if necessary.

4.6 The rail passenger satisfaction survey figures in Table 8.10 were provided by the Strategic Rail Authority. The survey is conducted by distributing self-completion questionnaires, with reply-paid envelopes, at about 620 stations across GB, which are selected to be representative of the entire network, including about 46 stations in Scotland. The questionnaires are distributed at different times of the day and across different days of the week. There are two survey periods per year: Spring and Autumn. The overall response rate is about 40%. The data are weighted to represent the passengers using each operator's services, in terms of the proportions of sales of tickets of different types, with the aim of reflecting the balance between journeys for different purposes, such as commuting, business travel and leisure. The Strategic Rail Authority publishes the results of the Spring and Autumn surveys separately, but has combined them for publication here, in order to provide annual figures.

4.7 Tables 8.11 and 8.12: the figures for 1996-97 and later years were prepared from information supplied by the rail freight companies.

4.8 Tables 8.13, 8.14 and 8.15 were compiled from information supplied by Network Rail.

4.9 Table 8.17 and 8.18 were compiled by HM Railway Inspectorate of the Health and Safety Executive.

5. Further Information

5.1 For further information about the statistics provided by the Association of Train Operating Companies, contact Matthew Chivers, ATOC (tel: 0207 904 3168).

5.2 Rail statistics for Great Britain as a whole are available from the annual DfT publication "Transport Statistics Great Britain" and in the Strategic Rail Authority's quarterly "National Rail Trends" bulletin. The "fourth quarter" edition of "National Rail Trends" is a "yearbook" which also includes some figures for individual Train Operating Companies and for Scotland, Wales and the regions of England. Information about these, and about the statistics for Scotland which were provided by the Strategic Rail Authority, is available from:

• Rail passenger satisfaction - National Passenger Survey: Peter Thompson of the SRA (tel: 020 7654 6418)
• other Strategic Rail Authority statistics: Malcolm Knight of the SRA (tel: 020 7654 6110).

5.3 For further information about services supported and/or operated by Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive, contact Ron Hunter, SPTE (tel: 0141 333 3297).

5.4 For further information on railway accidents, contact Mr Paul Wilkinson, HM Railway Inspectorate (tel: 0207 717 6521) or e-mail paul.wilkinson@hse.gsi.gov.uk.

5.5 For further information on the statistics supplied by Network Rail, contact Mr David Boyce (tel: 0141 335 3350).

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