Getting around in North Yorkshire
The survey responses showed the most common ways of getting around were:
- walking - 80% say they walked daily or several times a week
- diesel or petrol car - 68% used this daily or several times a week
- bus, including park and ride - 18% daily or several times a week
- electric or hybrid car or van - 15% daily or several times a week
- cycling - 13% daily or several times a week
| How often do you use the following ways of getting around in North Yorkshire? | Daily | Several times a week | Weekly | Several times a month | Several times a year or less | Never used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walking (4,018 responses) | 53% | 27% | 7% | 5% | 5% | 3% |
| Diesel or petrol car (3,886 responses) | 32% | 36% | 11% | 5% | 4% | 13% |
| Electric or hybrid car or van (3,145 responses) | 6% | 9% | 2% | 1% | 2% | 81% |
| Bus, including park and ride (3,759 responses) | 4% | 14% | 10% | 15% | 39% | 19% |
| Cycling (3,368 responses) | 4% | 9% | 6% | 5% | 17% | 58% |
| Diesel, petrol heavy goods vehicle of van (3,038 responses) | 3% | 3% | 1% | 2% | 4% | 87% |
| Mobility scooter or wheelchair (3,134 responses) | 1% | 1% | 0.4% | 1% | 1% | 95% |
| Train (3,572 responses) | 1% | 3% | 5% | 13% | 59% | 18% |
| Taxi or other cab (3,303 responses) | 1% | 2% | 2% | 5% | 45% | 45% |
| Motorcycle or moped (3,141 responses) | 0.2% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 2% | 94% |
Changes to travel habits
Many people reported no change in their current travel habits compared to three years ago. However, the survey suggested one of the biggest changes had been a shift to home-based activities. Nearly half the responses were from people saying they now worked from home (49%) and now used home delivery rather than travelling to the shops (48%).
Many people did not expect their travel habits to change much over the next three years, although use of public transport (34%) and cycling (32%) were the two travel habits most expected to increase. Use of the car was the habit most expected to decrease (22%).
| How do your current travel habits compare to three years ago? | Doing more | Doing the same | Doing less |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work of study from home (2,194 responses) | 49% | 39% | 12% |
| Walking to school or college myself or with young people (644 responses) | 21% | 59% | 20% |
| Walking (4,265 responses) | 33% | 57% | 10% |
| Using public transport (3,878 responses) | 24% | 48% | 29% |
| Using my car (3,847 responses) | 19% | 52% | 29% |
| Using home delivery rather than travelling to the shops (3,348 responses) | 48% | 41% | 12% |
| Travelling generally (4,175 responses) | 16% | 54% | 31% |
| Cycling (1,909 responses) | 21% | 56% | 23% |
Satisfaction with the transport system in North Yorkshire
The responses showed low levels of satisfaction with the transport system, with 59% feeling that the system did not meet their needs very well or at all well. Some 16% of responses said the system meets their needs very or quite well.
People from the more urban areas (large town or city) were more likely to rate the transport system as meeting their needs very or quite well (20%), while those from the most rural areas (isolated house or small group of houses) were less likely to rate the system as meeting their needs very or quite well (12%).
| How well do you feel the transport system in North Yorkshire meets your needs? | Very well | Quite well | Neutral | Not very well | Not at all well |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of responses | 3% | 13% | 25% | 34% | 25% |
Transport concerns
More than half the responses received identified the following as being always or often a concern:
- availability and reliability of travel - 77% of responses
- affordability of travel - 62%
- road safety - 60%
- impact of transport on climate change - 56%
| How many of the following are a concern to you in North Yorkshire? | Never a concern | Rarely a concern | Sometimes a concern | Often a concern | Always a concern |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic congestion (2,779 responses) | 5% | 16% | 30% | 23% | 24% |
| Road safety (2,761 responses) | 4% | 9% | 26% | 27% | 33% |
| Poor digital connectivity (2,737 responses) | 11% | 24% | 29% | 19% | 17% |
| Isolation from family and friends (2,751 responses) | 22% | 25% | 25% | 12% | 15% |
| Impact on transport of climate change (2,759 responses) | 9% | 12% | 23% | 23% | 33% |
| Difficulty reaching services such as shops and health facilities (2,802 responses) | 14% | 22% | 22% | 17% | 26% |
| Availability and reliability of travel (2,810 responses) | 3% | 6% | 14% | 24% | 53% |
| Air and noise pollution arising from traffic (2,770 responses) | 9% | 19% | 27% | 20% | 25% |
| Affordability of travel (2,762 responses) | 5% | 10% | 23% | 25% | 37% |
Effectiveness of measures to tackle transport issues
When asked how effective potential measures aimed at addressing transport challenges in North Yorkshire would be, more than half of the responses rated the following measures as very effective or somewhat effective:
- measures to increase more use of public transport - 62%
- traffic and highway infrastructure improvements - 60%
- measures to encourage more walking and cycling - 57%
Discouraging car use was the measure considered least likely to be effective - 30%.
| How effective do you think the following will be in tackling transport issues in North Yorkshire? | Very effective | Somewhat effective | Somewhat ineffective | Very effective |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic and highway infrastructure improvements (4,449 responses) | 22% | 38% | 25% | 14% |
| Measures to promote electric vehicles (4,428 responses) | 10% | 31% | 34% | 26% |
| Measures to encourage more walking and cycling (4,486 responses) | 15% | 42% | 27% | 17% |
| Measures to encourage more use of public transport (4,564 responses) | 27% | 35% | 22% | 16% |
| Measures to discourage car use (4,450 responses) | 10% | 20% | 34% | 36% |
| Measures that cut travel altogether and offer alternatives (4,430 responses) | 11% | 27% | 32% | 31% |