While the UK has indeed stuck to almost exclusively using track circuits for a very long time [1], within the last two decades axle counters have become much more common.
[1] With some exceptions – the Severn Tunnel e.g. was switched to axle counters already in 1987 because track circuits proved too unreliable within the (wet) environment of the tunnel.
[1] With some exceptions – the Severn Tunnel e.g. was switched to axle counters already in 1987 because track circuits proved too unreliable within the (wet) environment of the tunnel.