Organisation: Department for Infrastructure
Date of Publication: March 2023
Uploaded to Knowledge Centre: 3 April 2023
This report shows that the percentage of pupils walking to school in Northern Ireland has fallen in recent years, while the number of those driven to school is on the rise. This trend is occurring among both primary school and older children.
When it comes to primary school children, 26% described walking as their main mode of travel; compared to 31% in 2013/14. Conversely, 65% were driven to school – a rise from 59% back in 2013/14.
It is a similar picture among post-primary pupils, with fewer than one in five (16%) walking to/from school – compared to 22% in 2013/14.
Again, the percentage of post-primary pupils travelling by car is on the rise – from 30% in 2013/14 to 35% in 2021/22.
Bus remains the most popular method of transport in this age category, at 45%.
The data also shows half (50%) of primary school pupils live a mile or less from school and of these, almost half were driven to school by car (48% walked).
Click the following link to view the report:
https://www.infrastructure-ni.gov.uk/publications/travel-tofrom-school-by-pupils-ni-202122