The railway has been a vital part of day-to-day life in the UK for the best part of 200 years. You'd be hard pressed to find anyone who hasn't travelled on a train at least once and millions of us do it every single day.
We're all very familiar with the rail industry, but that doesn't mean there aren't some interesting facts you may not be aware of. With that in mind, here's a rundown of five things you might not know about rail.
Living history
Having first opened in 1825, the UK's rail network is the oldest in the world and has played an important role in the development of the nation. Indeed, much of the rail infrastructure that is still in use today can be traced back to Victorian times, showcasing just how durable and long-lasting the industry is. Of course, this reliance on historical infrastructure can have its drawbacks too and the government is investing billions into the rail network to ensure it is capable of meeting the needs of the 21st century.
Crowded capital
If you've ever wondered where the UK's busiest railway station is located, you need look no further than London. Of the ten most-used stations in the country, eight are based in the capital. According to figures from the Office of Rail Regulation, London Waterloo was the busiest station in the country in 2012/13, with close to 96 million journeys either starting or ending at the transport hub over the 12-month period.
The only non-London based stations to make the top ten were Birmingham New Street, which was involved in 32 million journeys, and Glasgow Central, which had just over 27 million.
Climbing costs
Statistics from the Department for Transport (DfT) show national rail fares have increased by 89 per cent between 1997 and 2012, which equates to growth of 22 per cent in real terms. In the same period, motoring costs have dropped by six per cent, while bus and tram fares have increased 28 per cent.
Despite this, more than eight in ten (82 per cent) of passengers said they were satisfied with their journey in spring 2013. Overall, some 1.5 billion trips were made on the UK's trains in 2012/13. This is double the figure recorded in 1994/95 and has increased by 25 per cent in the past five years, demonstrating the growing popularity of rail.
Safe travel
Rail represents a very safe form of travel. According to figures from the DfT, only six people died on-board trains in 2012/13 and none of these deaths were caused by rail accidents. By comparison, the government's Annual Road Casualty report shows 1,713 people have already been killed in car accidents this year.
Jobs
As such an important part of the UK's day-to-day life, the rail industry offers a wide range of employment opportunities. According to the StageCoach Group, some 190,000 people work in the sector and they fill a wide variety of roles, ranging from customer service-based jobs to complex engineering positions.
For anyone looking to work in rail, these are exciting times as ongoing projects such as High Speed Rail 2 (HS2) and CrossRail are set to create a host of new employment opportunities. Indeed, the first stage of HS2, which will connect London and Birmingham, is expected to create 40,000 jobs alone.
Looking to get started in a rail career? Or are you after your next role in the industry? Whatever your position, take a look at our vacancies and see if we have a rail job for you.
