This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Main transport trends
15/08/2006
The main trends shown by statistics on transport in Scotland over the past 10 years and, in some cases, over the longer term are published today.
They also provide some comparisons with figures for Great Britain (or, in a few cases, the UK as a whole) for the past 10 years.
In Scotland in 2005:
- The total volume of traffic at 43 billion (thousand million) vehicle kilometres, was more or less the same as in 2004 (there was an increase of only 0.03 per cent), the highest level ever recorded and 16 per cent more than in 1995
- The total number of vehicles licensed grew by three per cent to 2.53 million, 33 per cent more than in 1995 and the highest number ever. Although the number of new vehicles registered fell by five per cent to 251,000, it was still the fourth highest figure recorded, 45 per cent more than in 1995
- There were 75.1 million passenger journeys on ScotRail services (in the 2005-06 financial year), nine per cent more than the previous year and 48 per cent more than 10 years earlier. Rail passenger numbers are at the highest level since (at least) 1960
- There were 23.8 million air terminal passengers, five per cent more than in the previous year, 93 per cent more than in 1995, and the highest level ever recorded
- 286 people were killed on the roads, seven per cent fewer than in 2004, 30 per cent fewer than in 1995 and the lowest number for more than 50 years. The number of people recorded as seriously injured in road accidents was 2,605, down by five per cent, and the lowest figure since records of serious injuries began in 1950. Road casualties totalled 17,798, four per cent fewer than in 2004, 20 per cent fewer than in 1995, and the lowest figure since 1952
- There were 465 million passenger journeys (boardings) on local bus services in Scotland in the 2004-05 financial year (the latest date that figures are available at present). This was two per cent more than in the previous year, and the sixth consecutive annual increase. However, there have been large falls over the longer-term. The 2004-05 figure was nine per cent below that for 1994-95, and considerably less than the totals of almost 900 million for 1975 and almost 1,700 million for 1960
Main Transport Trends also reports that, in Scotland in 2005:
- Over two-thirds of commuters travelled to work by car or van (60 per cent as a driver and 8 per cent as a passenger), 13 per cent walked, 12 per cent went by bus, four per cent took a train, two per cent cycled and two per cent used other modes of transport. In recent years, it appears that the percentage driving to work has risen, and the percentages getting a lift or walking have fallen
- 53 per cent of pupils walked to school, 24 per cent went by bus, 21 per cent by car, one per cent cycled, one per cent went by rail and two per cent used other means of transport. In recent years, the percentage walking to school has fallen and the percentage going by car has risen
- 68 per cent of households had at least one car available for private use - up from 63 per cent in 1999. 24 per cent of households had two or more cars, compared with 18 per cent in 1999
- 65 per cent of people aged 17 or over had a full driving licence: 77 per cent of men compared to 56 per cent of women. In recent years, the percentage for men has been fairly constant, whereas the percentage of women has increased
Comparisons with figures for Great Britain (or the UK) as a whole include:
- While the number of vehicles per head of population has been rising steadily, it has been consistently lower in Scotland: in 2005, there were 50 vehicles per 100 population in Scotland compared with 57 in GB
- Usage of local bus services is higher in Scotland: in 2004-05, 92 journeys were made per head of population in Scotland compared with 79 in GB
- Per head of population, there are fewer rail passenger journeys originating in Scotland: 14.4 per head in Scotland in 2004-05, compared with 18.8 per head in GB
- The number of air passengers per head of population has been higher for Scotland. Between 1995 and 2005, air terminal passengers increased by 93 per cent for Scotland and 77 per cent for the UK as a whole
- Over the past 10 years, the number of people who were killed or seriously injured in road accidents fell more rapidly in Scotland: compared with 1995, the number in 2005 was 46 per cent lower in Scotland and 35 per cent lower in GB. However, the numbers killed or seriously injured per head of population in 2005 were almost the same (about 0.6 per thousand), because the more rapid fall in Scotland was from a higher starting level
Main Transport Trends also includes statistics on some other aspects of transport in Scotland, such as road lengths, toll bridges, ferry passengers, the frequency of walking and cycling, and freight transport.
Scottish Transport Statistics will now appear in December. When it was published in August, it could not include various statistics which become available in the Autumn. Following discussion with the Transport and Travel Statistics Advisory Committee, it was decided that the statistics should be published in December.