With one of my other hats - Well House Manor - I've been looking at visitor statistics for the South West ...

Of visitors from WITHIN the British Isles, 82% who came to the South West came by car, 7% by train, 4% by bus or coach, 2% on a package holiday by coach, 2% by plane and 3% by other means.

Overall, visitors within the British Isles to ALL parts on England averaged 72% by car, and 14% by train - that's twice the number using trains to reach other areas than the South West.  Bearing in that the South West is the biggest tourist area by far, and our figures are inclued in the "All of England" statistic, it follows that  the 14% would be more like 16% or 17% with the SW removed.

What does this tell us?  That there are significant regional variations.   And that there's PLENTY of scope for First group to attract NUNO (Non User, Non Objectors) onto their services.  Why - there would be twice as many tourists on the trains if the managed to bring them up just to the national average;  might cause some overcrowding on some routes, but there's still a little capacity to be filled on most of the Swindon to Southampton trains.