1. Introduction

1.1 This is a new chapter, included in "Scottish Transport Statistics" for the first time this year. It provides information about travel (within GB) by Scottish residents, which was collected by surveys such as the National Travel Survey (NTS). The statistics in this chapter come from analysis of the travel information reported by individual people in such surveys, and therefore can provide "person-based" "cross-modal" information, in contrast to most of the earlier chapters, each of which is based on a particular mode of transport.

2. Main Points

2.1 Cars, vans and lorries accounted for over three-quarters (77%) of the average of nearly 6,400 miles which was travelled per year per person over the period 1993 to 1996. Almost half the distance (47%: nearly 3,000 miles) was covered as the driver, and a further 30% (about 1,900 miles) as a passenger. No other mode of transport accounted for more than 10%: "local bus" had the next highest share, with 7% of the total distance travelled (roughly 450 miles). Surface rail accounted for just 3% (about 220 miles), walking for only 3% (around 200 miles) and cycling for only 0.3% (about 20 miles). (Table 12.1)

2.2 The average distance travelled per person per year has increased by more than a third (37%) between 1985/86 (under 4,700 miles) and 1993/96 (approaching 6,400 miles). Almost all the increase was accounted for by travel in a car as a driver (up from around 1,900 miles to almost 3,000 miles) or as a passenger (up from about 1,300 miles to over 1,900 miles). As a result, these modes' shares increased from 41% to 47% (driver) and from 28% to 30% (passenger). The average number of journeys per person per year increased slightly over the period. The number of journeys by car has risen, but there have been falls in the numbers of journeys for which "walking" or "local bus" is the main mode. Over the ten years, the average length of a car journey has remained around 8-9 miles, compared around 4-5 miles for local bus journeys and over 30 miles for train journeys. (Table 12.1)

2.3 Of the journey purposes, "commuting" had the largest share of the total distance travelled (18%: nearly 1,200 miles), followed by "visiting friends at home" (17%: approaching 1,100 miles). "Shopping", "holiday/day trip" and "other personal business" each accounted for around 13-14% of the distance travelled (in each case, between 800 and 900 miles), and "business" travel accounted for 11% (700 miles). (Table 12.2)

2.4 On average, over 1,000 journeys were made per person per year. Cars were the main mode of travel for over half of them (55%: 35% as a driver and 20% as a passenger), and walking was the next most frequent mode of travel, accounting for about a third of all journeys (32%). Shopping (22%) was the most frequent purpose of a journey, and three other purposes had large shares of the total: "commuting", "visiting friends at home" and "other personal business" each accounted for 14-18% of journeys. (Table 12.2)

2.5 "Leisure" is the main reason reported for using a bicycle, being given for over half (55%) of cyclists aged 19 or over, and for almost three-quarters (72%) of cyclists of all ages. Almost a quarter (23%) of cyclists aged 19 or over used a bicycle "for exercise" or "to keep fit/healthy". Only 8% of cyclists aged 19 or over used a bicycle every day, and only a further 8% did so 4-6 days per week - whereas almost three fifths did so less than once a week (22% 1-3 times per month, and 37% less often than once a month). Cyclists aged up to 18 used their bicycles more often, with 30% doing so every day. (Table 12.4)

2.6 Walking was the main means of travel to school for almost two-thirds (64%) of school children. About a fifth (21%) travelled by bus, and one in seven (14%) went by car. Only 1% cycled to school. (Table 12.5)

3. Notes and Definitions

3.1 The statistics obtained from the National Travel Survey are averages per head of population, and they will vary greatly from person to person: for example, there will be many people who do not travel on business at all, and others who travel thousands of miles on business.

3.2 A journey is defined as a one-way course of travel having a single main purpose. Outward and return halves of a return journey are treated as two separate journeys. If a single course of travel involves a mid-way change of purpose then it is split into two journeys (but trivial subsidiary purposes, such as a stop en route to buy a newspaper, are disregarded).

3.3 Main mode of transport: the mode that was used for the longest stage of the journey, where a journey involves more than one mode of transport (eg a bus and then a train). In the text car journies include a small number by van and lorry.

3.4 Length of a journey: the distance actually covered by the traveller, and not the distance "as the crow flies".

3.5 Other personal business: includes - eg - journeys to the bank, doctor, hairdresser, library and church.

3.6 Sampling variability: some of the apparent changes in some modes' figures in Table 12.1 may be due to sampling variability: for example, the apparent fluctuations in the "surface rail" figures (266 miles in 1985/86, 367 miles in 1989/92 and 221 miles in 1993/96) are inconsistent with the changes in the overall figures for rail passenger numbers for the same period. It is likely that the fluctuations in the NTS results reflect the inclusion (by random chance) in the sample of more rail users, or greater rail users, in some years than in other years.

3.7 Journeys of under one mile: these are excluded from the lower half of table 12.1 for the convenience of users who may prefer this presentation.

4. Sources

4.1 Travel (within GB) by Scottish residents (Tables 12.1 and 12.2)

4.1.1 Information about travel (within Great Britain) by Scottish residents is obtained from the National Travel Survey (NTS). This collects "travel diary" details from a sample of households across Great Britain. Travel for all private purposes included. Journeys in the course of work are included if they fulfil the requirement that the main reason for the journey is for the traveller to reach the destination. However, travel in the course of work to convey passengers or to deliver goods is excluded, such as travel in the course of their work by bus drivers, lorry drivers and postmen. Journeys off the public highway, such as country walks are excluded.

4.1.2 The NTS is not designed to provide reliable estimates for Scotland for single years: the sample includes only a few hundred Scottish households each year. Therefore, the samples for a number of years must be combined in order to produce Scottish results, and even they will be subject to sampling variability.

4.2 Percentages of adults who walk for various purposes (Table 12.3)

4.2.1 The information is taken from the results of research to investigate both current patterns of walking and also attitudes to walking among the population of Scotland. As part of System Three's "omnibus" Scottish Opinion Survey, a sample of 1,063 adults was interviewed in homes throughout Scotland in February 1998 (39 "sampling points" were used). The sample was then weighted to match population estimates (by age, sex and Socio-Economic Group) from the National Readership Survey of July 1995 to June 1996.

4.3 Cyclists: reasons for using a bicycle, and frequency of cycling (Table 12.4)

4.3.1 The information is taken from the results of research to investigate the levels of participation in, and demand for, cycling in Scotland, the characteristic and behaviour of cyclists and the perceptions and attitudes of people towards cycling. The information was collected by including questions in three "waves" of System Three's "omnibus" Scottish Opinion Survey: February, April and August 1997. Interviews were conducted in homes throughout Scotland (40 "sampling points" were used), in a total of 3,219 households. The questionnaire was designed to collect information about all members of the household who cycled, including children. Information was obtained about a total of 3,373 cyclists, with the respondent answering on behalf of the members of the household who were cyclists.

4.4 Travelling to school (Table 12.4)

4.4.1 This information was collected in February 1998 using System Three's "omnibus" Scottish Opinion Survey (see above). The adults who were interviewed in the survey were asked whether there were any children in their household currently attending day school, and if there were, about matters such as each child's age, the distance to his/her school, and how he/she normally travelled to school (for the main part of the journey). Responses were provided in respect of 523 children.

5. Further Information

5.1 Further information on the National Travel Survey is available in the annual publication by DETR "National Travel Survey", which is published by The Stationery Office.

5.1.1 Enquiries regarding National Travel Survey statistics should be directed to Spencer Broadley of the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions (tel: 0171 890 3097)

5.2 Enquiries regarding the `Walking' research report/findings, and the `Cycling' research report/findings should be directed to Janet Ruiz of the Scottish Office Central Research Unit (tel: 0131 244 0377).

List of Tables