Press releases
Car becoming less popular for the daily commute
Commuting by train more popular
The number of British commuters travelling to work by car has decreased by nearly a fifth (17%) over the last two years according to research out today from Barclaycard Business. Three quarters (75%) of UK workers currently drive to work compared to 86% in 2004/5 and 92% in 2003/4. Meanwhile, the number of UK professionals travelling to work by train has doubled to 10% over the last twelve months alone.
Findings from the 10th annual Barclaycard Business Travel Survey show that, whilst the number of car commuters has fallen, public transport usage has increased five-fold over the last two years. When commuters were asked what their main mode of transport to work was, the responses were as follows:
| Main Mode of Transport | 2003/4 | 2004/5 | 2005/6 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Car | 92% | 86% | 75% |
| Train | 2% | 5% | 10% |
| Underground | 0.1% | 1% | 3% |
| Walking | 1% | 3% | 3% |
| Bicycle | 0% | 1% | 2% |
| Aeroplane | 1% | 1% | 2% |
| Bus/coach | 0.2% | 1% | 1% |
Respondents were also asked which method of transport they would use to travel to work if there were no obstacles, such as cost or feasibility:
| Car | 34% |
| (Private) Train | 18% |
| Bicycle | 8% |
| Walking | 8% |
| Helicopter | 6% |
| (Private) Aeroplane | 2% |
| Bus/coach | 2% |
| Motorbike | 2% |
Tim Carlier at Barclaycard Business comments: "Whether the reduction in car travel is a conscious response from workers to the current concerns over the environment, or a reaction to increased fuel prices and congestion charging, it is nonetheless encouraging. Companies can help reduce the number of cars on the road further by introducing car sharing initiatives such as the ones we have at Barclaycard. The fact that 16% of commuters would prefer to travel to work on foot or bike if it were possible, suggests that workers really are becoming more eco-friendly and possibly even health conscious!"
Further Findings:
- The average British commuter spends an hour and a half (92 minutes) commuting to work per day
- Commuters spend an average of £26.30 a week on entertainment for the journey (e.g. newspapers, books, food and drink etc)
