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3.2 Rail transport system impacts by region
3.2 RAIL TRANSPORT SYSTEM IMPACTS BY REGION
The impact of all UK railway-related activity by region was set out in Section 2.1.3, while impacts on an individual region-by-region basis are illustrated in Chapter 8. But the charts below show how the direct impact of the rail transport system is spread across the UK by region and country, in terms of the GVA generated (Fig. 32) and employment provided (Fig. 33).
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The main feature that stands out in this case is the high share of London-based activity in the total, reflecting the heavy reliance on commuter transport by mainline, underground, and light railway systems in that region, as well as the capital’s role as a major rail transport hub hosting several of the most important national rail terminals. However, as shown elsewhere in this report, the knockon benefits of expenditure associated these activities are spread much more evenly around the country.
Fig. 32. UK rail transport system GVA in 2019, by region
Fig. 33. UK rail transport system employment in 2019, by region
% of national total
Rail transport system GVA
2%7% 6%2%6% 5% 44% 12% 6%1%8%1%
UK GVA 3%10% 7% 6% 7% 9% 24% 14% 7% 3% 8% 2%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
NE NW Y&H EM WM EE LDN SE SW WAL SCO NI
Source: Oxford Economics
% of national total
Rail transport system jobs 3% 9% 8% 3% 7% 6% 33% 13% 8% 2% 8%1%
UK jobs 3% 11% 8% 7% 8% 9% 17% 14% 8% 4% 8% 3%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
NE NW Y&H EM WM EE LDN SE SW WAL SCO NI
Source: Oxford Economics
More precisely, some 33% of all UK railway system jobs are estimated to be based in London, compared with 17% of all UK jobs. The associated share of GVA accounted for by this work is higher still, for both the sector and UK economy, at 44% and 24% respectively. If London is excluded from the picture, the geographical distribution of jobs on the rail transport system is fairly similar to the distribution of jobs of all kinds, although the system is slightly ‘underrepresented’ on that score in the East Midlands, East of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and slightly ‘over-represented’ in Scotland, the South East, South West, and Yorkshire and The Humber.
