Organisation: Department for Transport
Date uploaded: 17th December 2010
Date published/launched: December 2010
This interim report provides useful pointers as to the key barriers that deter people from cycling and walking more frequently.
The findings will be a useful evidence source for local authorities and the voluntary, communities and social enterprises sector seeking to develop sustainable transport initiatives. The academic community will also find the report and dataset useful evidence sources for further research and analysis.
The key finding of the report are:
• People tend to travel by car out of habit, particularly if aged 40-69 or living in rural areas. Those living in rural areas tended to show particularly high levels of car travel, more positive attitudes about cars and less positive attitudes about alternative modes.
• Frequent (at least every 15 minutes) bus services were associated with regular bus travel. A lack of suitable routes and slow, infrequent services were the key barriers to travelling by bus.
• Lack of suitable routes and a lack of infrastructure emerged as the key barriers to travelling by train for regular journeys such as travelling to work.
• Safety concerns/‘too much traffic’ were a key barrier to cycling. For many regular cyclists, three miles tended to be the maximum distance cycled. Only 14% of those who could cycle did so regularly. Older age groups and women cycled less and tended to hold greater concerns about cycling.
• Lack of time, inconvenience, the weather and having to carry things emerged as key barriers to walking journeys of less than two miles.
For more information contact:
Department of Transport Research Team
T: 0300 330 3000