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UK rail industry urges workers to start taking the train again

The BBC reported, the rail industry has warned that unless workers start taking the train again, there could be long-term adverse effects on city centres and High Streets.
According to the BBC, the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) said that train commuting is still just 33% of its pre-Covid rate, while car journeys have reached pre-pandemic levels.
The Rail Delivery Group (RDG) added, if workers continued to go by road rather than rail, there would be more pollution.
Cities could be hit by a double whammy of traffic jams and business closures.
A 20% shift from rail to road would lead to 300 million extra hours of traffic congestion, the RDG said.
It added: "With more workers set to return to offices this month, encouraging people to take the train for their commute will be vital to avoid empty shop fronts and polluting traffic jams in cities across the country."

The RDG said rail journeys to and from work were expected to increase during September, but could take years to return to numbers seen in 2019.
It added that train commuters were vital to city centres and High Streets. Research carried out by WPI Economics for the RDG indicated that these commuters spent a total of £30bn a year on food and drink, shopping, entertainment and culture, boosting local businesses.
Andy Bagnall, director general of the Rail Delivery Group, said that for many commuters, the future would undoubtedly involve a mix of home and office working.
Read more: NHS England figures show patients waiting long time for ambulances
However, he added the extent to which people returned to the workplace, and whether or not they took the train to get there, would be crucial.
"When people take the train, it's more than a journey - it will impact the future of thousands of small businesses, local air quality and the government's net zero ambitions," he said.
The RDG said that although commuting and business journeys by rail were still well below pre-pandemic levels, leisure journeys were recovering more quickly, suggesting that many people felt confident travelling by train.
To encourage more people to take the train, the rail industry is running a national marketing campaign with the slogan, "Let's get back on track".
Rail companies have also introduced new Flexi Season tickets that provide a discount for commuters travelling into the office two or three days a week.
Source: BBC
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BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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