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| Sat, 1st May 2021 14:45:00 |
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Covid: 'Urgent change' needed to get people back on trains |
Urgent changes are needed to get people out of cars and back on trains after Covid travel restrictions are eased, campaigners have warned.
Passenger numbers plummeted by about 95% as "non-essential" travel was banned at the height of the pandemic.
Now there are fears people will switch back to cars unless action is taken to make rail more affordable, attractive and address safety fears.
Transport for Wales (TfW) said trains were safe and changes were being made.
Over the past 20 years, the number of people using trains to travel into, out of and across Wales increased by about 80%, with about 31.1 million journeys in 2019, compared to about 16.6 million in 1999-2020.
Commuters have complained of packed carriages, delays and cancellations, while queues were seen outside stations as thousands used trains to get into Cardiff on match and concert days.
In December, during the national "stay at home" lockdown, passenger numbers on services run by TfW dropped to 5-10% of pre-Covid levels and the hit to ticket income led to TfW being nationalised in February, in a bid to keep services running.
In April, after travel bans were lifted, allowing people to travel anywhere in England and Wales, TfW reported a rise in passengers to 20-30% of pre-pandemic levels, with footfall in stations up to 39% by 12 April.
It said had done all it could to keep services going during "challenging times", and the rail service was "adapting" to changes in demand and lifestyle due to Covid-19.
Alexia Course, director of rail operations, said as many moved away from office based 9-5 working, it aimed to make rail a "more attractive option" for day-trips and holidays, and working on new fares and ticketing options.
But transport experts and green campaigners have warned safety messaging about avoiding public transport could have a "lasting impact" and it could take years for passengers to get back on board.
With some of Wales major employers now considering allowing employees to work from home full-time, campaigners fear the rail network will be unsustainable, unless it adapts to people's lifestyle changes, with a knock-on effect for the environment if more of us choose cars over public transport as restrictions are eased.
Peter Kingsbury, of Rail Future Wales, warned getting people back on the trains and out of cars was essential for the "wider good of society".
"Future generations will potentially have a much lower quality of life if we are not able to change our habits over the next decade or two," he said.
The Welsh government wants 45% of journeys to be made by public transport, walking or cycling by 2040 and all political parties have made promises for more sustainable transport in the run-up to the election.
However, Christine Boston, director of sustainable travel charity Sustrans Cymru, said the rail service must adapt quickly or there was a "real danger" people who previously used trains could switch back to cars.
Figures obtained by BBC Wales show traffic on Welsh roads increased by 62% in the last stay-at-home lockdown, compared with the first lockdown in March 2020, while public transport levels remained comparably low.
With a surge in cycling in lockdown, the charity wants to see cycle routes and train stations joined up, with more space for bikes on trains, in a bid to help people "travel green".
"The fall in passenger numbers risks pushing the cost of travel far beyond the means of many," Ms Boston said.
"Car use has crept back up to pre-pandemic levels, with a real risk of a car-led recovery, which would be devastating for us all."
Norman Baker, of Campaign for Better Transport, said the rise in traffic showed there was an "urgent need" for incentives to get people out of their cars.
"If you don't get people back on trains and buses there will be gridlock on the roads," he warned.
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