Safe Speed Forums

The Department for Transport has published National Statistics on the travel habits of residents in Great Britain. Changes between 1992/94 and 2004 include increases in travel overall and in car travel distances, and increases in the number of women car drivers and in the proportion of households with access to a car.

- The average annual distance travelled by residents in Great Britain rose by 5 per cent to 6,800 miles in 2004, reflecting a 12 per cent increase in the average length of trip from 6.1 miles to 6.8 miles.

- The average number of trips per person per year fell by 6 per cent to about 990.

- The average time spent travelling around Great Britain has remained at about 360 hours per person per year, or about an hour a day.

- The proportion of households in Great Britain without access to a car fell from 33 per cent to 26 per cent in 2004.

- The proportion of women holding full car driving licences increased from 54 to 61 per cent, while the proportion of men holding licences remained at 81 per cent. Licence holding among all those aged 60-69 rose from 57 to 72 per cent.

- Car travel accounts for four fifths of the total distance travelled. Overall, the distance travelled by car drivers per person per year increased by 8 per cent.

- The number of walking trips per person per year fell by a fifth.

- The number of commuting trips per person per year fell by 7 per cent, but the average trip length rose by 13 per cent.

- The proportion of primary-aged children walking to school declined from 61 to 50 per cent, with an increase from 30 to 41 per cent in the numbers being driven to school. For secondary school pupils, the proportion walking to school stayed about the same at 44 per cent, whilst those going by car rose from 16 to 22 per cent.