UK businesses gearing up their rail use in projected bumper year for business travel

UK SMBs are increasing their support for lower carbon business travel through corporate travel policies and budgets for 2024, according to new research from Trainline Partner Solutions, the B2B arm of Trainline.

The survey of business travel decision-makers reveals 9 in 10 UK SMBS expect to boost travel expenditure (90 per cent) and anticipate a growth in travel for business among their employees (92 per cent). To balance this with increasing sustainability considerations, over 4 in 5 (83 per cent) intend to bolster their travel policy and/or financial support for employees to opt for lower carbon travel modes in 2024. To this end, almost half (48 per cent) are planning to use rail more to help reduce their emissions from business travel.

Recent research from Trainline indicates medium sized companies represent many of the high frequency industries for business travel. Over half of businesses surveyed (52 per cent) have already set targets for reducing their emissions from business travel – of those SMBs that haven’t, two-thirds (66 per cent) think it likely their company will set a target this year.

More SMBs surveyed are considering working with a travel management company (TMC) in 2024 to help them track and reduce their business travel emissions, with 42 per cent already doing so and a further 39 per cent looking to partner with a TMC this year.

Andrew Cruttenden, General Manager at Trainline Partner Solutions, said: “Businesses are telling us they expect to both travel and spend more this year as business travel continues to rebound post-Covid. We’re seeing a clear signal that sustainability considerations are a growing factor in setting travel policies and budgets, and rail is a great way to reduce the carbon emissions for travel versus flying and driving.  Carriers and travel partners must ensure they can meet this growing demand by innovating and investing in the right tech that helps make rail a simple and seamless option for business travellers.”

Download article