Recent Release | 02 Nov 2022
The Economic, Environmental, and Social Opportunities that Rail Brings to the UK
Economic Consulting Team
Oxford Economics
A review of the wider benefits that UK rail delivers for passengers, commuters, job-seekers, and the environment.
The Economic, Environmental, and Social Opportunities that Rail Brings to the UK report shows how UK rail has the potential to deliver a wide range of benefits to passengers, commuters, job-seekers, and the environment. This complements our 2021 report The Economic Contribution of UK Rail.
The report, commissioned by RIA, shows that increased use of rail generates benefits for the UK economy by improving productivity and labour market outcomes:
- Time savings – public transport generates around £1.4 billion in time saving benefits every year for commuters in six of the UK’s largest cities from reduced congestion
- Higher wages – reducing journey times between Manchester and Leeds by 20 minutes could increase wages by approximately £600 per worker per year.
- Job opportunities – a 10% reduction in regional journey times could support from 1,950- 12,600 jobs dependent on the area. 5,900 jobs could be supported in Scotland, for example.
Rail also has a lower environmental impact than other modes of transport, and new technology will only reduce this:
- Low-carbon travel – by 2050 electric trains will produce 14 times fewer emissions than conventionally fuelled trains.
Finally, access to the rail system supports social mobility and improves public health:
- Public health – £115 million per year in healthcare cost savings could be generated by improving public transport in six of the UK’s largest cities.
- Access to services – in addition to the economic benefits from accessibility, those with better public transport links are more likely to have access to services and participate socially.
About the team
Our Economic Consulting team are world leaders in quantitative economic analysis, working with clients around the globe and across sectors to build models, forecast markets and evaluate interventions using state-of-the art techniques. Lead consultants on this project were:
James Bedford
Senior Economist, Economic Impact
Stephen Foreman
Associate Director, Economic Impact
You might be interested in
Australia’s Infrastructure Outlook: Big Shifts, Bigger Challenges
Australia’s infrastructure landscape is shifting fast, driven by new investment trends, emerging asset classes and growing capacity constraints. This outlook explores the major changes ahead and what industry and government must do to navigate the decade effectively.
Find Out More
Powering the UK Data Boom: The Nuclear Solution to the UK’s Data Centre Energy Crunch
The UK’s data centre sector is expanding rapidly as digitalisation, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence (AI) drive surging demand for high-performance computing infrastructure.
Find Out More
Are humanoid robots creepy?
Some very smart people are betting that machines shaped like humans will do much of our household and factory work for us in the near-ish future. But hurdles remain.
Find Out More
Measuring the Value of Design in Singapore
This study explores how design delivers value to Singapore-based organisations, enhancing profitability, strengthening strategic performance, and supporting broad environmental and social benefits. It introduces a Theory of Change framework to help organisations more effectively communicate and measure the value of their design activities.
Find Out More
