Mode of Travel (Transport, State of the South West 2011)

5.3.8 Just over two-thirds of journeys made by South West residents during the period 2008/09 were made by car, as shown in Table 5.3.2 below (DfT Regional Transport Statistics, Table NTS9903). South West residents are more likely to make their journeys by car, and less likely to travel by public transport than the average for England.

Table 5.3.2 Trips per person per year by main mode of travel 2008/09 (South West and England)

	Walk	Car driver	Car passenger	Local bus	Other
South West	24.0%	43.4%	23.9%	3.4%	5.2%
England	22.3%	41.7%	22.6%	6.5%	6.9%
Source: DfT Regional Transport Statistics, Table 1.12

5.3.9 The way people travel to work reflects this same high dependence on the car. The Labour Force Survey for 2009 estimated that 77% of the South West's employed residents travelled to their place of work by car, 12% walked, 7% travelled by public transport and 4% cycled. Most of these patterns are similar to other
regions with the exception of London. However, the South West had higher proportions of both those walking and cycling to work.

5.3.10 As Figure 5.3.3 indicates, airports in the region have seen an overall 175% increase in passenger numbers between 1999 and 2009.Although the South West airports service the fourth lowest number of passengers of all of the nine English regions (in 2009), it has experienced the highest growth rate in the past 10 years of all the English regions (DfT, Regional Transport Statistics, Aviation Dataset). Figure 5.3.3 shows a drop in air travel growth between 2008 and 2009. This pattern is shown in all of the English regions, and may be owing to economic conditions and changing holiday patterns (see also, Culture).

Figure 5.3.3 Air Travel Growth in the South West

[ Zoom ]

Air Travel Growth in the South West (Fig 5.3.3). Source: DfT Regional Transport Statistics.

5.3.11 Figure 5.3.4 shows that bus usage in the South West has generally been declining through most of the past decade (bus passenger journeys fell by almost 10% between 1998 and 2003, DfT Regional Transport Statistics, Table BUS0108). Significant variation can be found in bus usage across the region. As the region differs widely between urban areas and remote rural locations, it is more likely to experience improvements in bus usage in urban areas and decreasing patronage in rural areas.

5.3.12 Caution should be exercised with regard to the data for 2004/05 onwards, as the data methodology was revised causing considerably increased numbers. It is therefore difficult to assess whether the positive changes experienced between 2003 and 2005 constitute a trend or just an anomaly in the data. Data for 2005/06 onwards appears to show significant increases in usage; however again this may be owing to the methodology change.

5.3.13 According to 2008/09 results from the National Travel Survey, the South West is the region with, on average, the furthest walk to a bus stop. Six percent of households in the region have to walk 14 minutes or more to walk to their nearest bus stop, compared with 4% in England (Department for Transport, National Travel Survey).

5.3.14 Efficient bus and light rail services play a significant role in achieving a shift away from car usage on to more sustainable means of travel. It is not evident that the up-take of these services have been very good in the past, and it is therefore vital that more well developed schemes come forward in an integrated manner with planned growth areas so that they will provide a real and immediate alternative to car travel.

Figure 5.3.4 Bus Passenger Journeys (millions)

[ Zoom ]

Bus Passenger Journeys (millions) (Fig 5.3.4). Source: DfT Regional Transport Statistics.

5.3.15 As Figure 5.3.5 shows, regional rail patronage has been growing over the last decade. Although the new data methodology employed in 2006/07 is likely to have had the effect of increasing the numbers over and above the trend for the previous years, a significant increase can be identified in the 10-year period up to 2005/06. The regional rail patronage index was below the England value between 2006 and 2008, but both are now at a similar level (both indices were 183 in 2008/09). Whilst the latest data represents a slight fall for England, it represents continued growth for the South West (DfT, Regional Transport Statistics, Rail Dataset).

5.3.16 Rail patronage is expected to continue to grow and the challenge for the rail industry and local authorities is to grow the network to provide the necessary capacity and quality of service to accommodate and encourage future
growth.

Figure 5.3.5 Rail Patronage Index

[ Zoom ]

Rail Patronage Index (Fig 5.3.5). Source: DfT Regional Transport Statistics.