Going for growth

摘要

Chaos is a word often used to describe Britain's railways. The public picture is one of constant turmoil, delays, industrial unrest, safety concerns and profiteering fat cats, unconcerned about the plight of the passenger. But the headlines mask a different and much more positive reality. Britain's railways are improving, after some difficult times. Passenger numbers are at their highest level since the post-war boom years - more than a billion people carried last year. Record investment is being spent to redress decades of under-investment, and punctuality is steadily improving. Last year's bicentenary of the railway reminded us of the pioneering role that the railways played, and their continuing importance, in increasing social mobility, bringing communities together and linking markets.