New research shows economic benefit of rail links for Southend tourism

British seaside towns like Southend receive an annual economic boost worth £2bn nationally thanks to easy access for tourists and day trippers provided by the UK’s railway network, according to new research.

The new figures from the Rail Delivery Group also show that 100,000 jobs across the country are dependent on tourists who travel by rail. Southend in particular is benefitting from this trend, as earlier this summer a record 20,000 schoolchildren visited the town by c2c trains on school trips, while recent research showed “staycation” numbers in Southend are up an estimated 200% in the past year according to the Trainline app.

To continue this support for the seaside economy, this Bank Holiday weekend local train operator c2c is running a full service and has a range of special offers for tourists who travel by rail. These include discounts on Southend institutions like visits to Adventure Island, drinks at the Roslin Beach hotel or a cream tea at Gleneagles.

c2c Commercial Director Clare McCaffrey said: “We’ve always known how attractive a great day out in Southend is, and this research shows that thousands of people think the same. Throughout the summer families are leaving the car at home and using c2c to enjoy their free time and spend their hard-earned cash in Southend, which gives them a great day out and helps to support the local economy.”

Full details of the special offers in Southend for rail passengers are available online at: www.c2c-online.co.uk/days-out-and-offers/southend-days-out-deals/.