On this page:

Headline Results from the 2007 Scottish Household Survey

« Previous | Contents | Next »

Listen

7. Transport and travel

The proportion of journeys to work made by public or active transport is a national indicator within the Government's performance framework. Table 7.1 shows that almost 7 in 10 (69%) of adults' journeys to work are usually made by car 7. It is not possible at this stage to say whether the 1.9 percentage points increase in the measurement of the indicator between 2006 and 2007 represents a statistically significant change or has occurred as a result of sampling variation 8.

Figure 7.1: Percentage of adults usually travelling to work by car*

1999 - 2007 data

Adults in work only, excluding those who work from home (2007 base: 5175)

Figure 7.1: Percentage of adults usually travelling to work by car

*Question text includes car or van

Over time it can also be seen that the percentage of adults travelling to work by car as drivers has increased (54.7% in 1999 to 62.8% in 2007) and as a passenger has decreased (11.8% in 1999 to 6.2% in 2007). Bus use in 2007 (12%) is similar to that seen in 1999 (12.2%). (Table 7.1)

Table 7.1: How adults usually travel to work only, by year

Column percentages, Adults in work only, excluding those who work from home

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007 (prov)

Walking

13.8

13.7

13.1

13.4

12.9

12.7

12.8

13.9

11.8

Car/Van

66.5

67.1

68.4

67.8

68.6

67.4

67.8

67.1

69.0

Driver

54.7

56.8

58.0

56.7

60.0

59.5

60.2

60.2

62.8

Passenger

11.8

10.3

10.4

11.1

8.6

7.9

7.5

7.0

6.2

Bicycle

1.7

1.7

1.6

1.4

1.7

1.8

1.6

1.9

1.6

Bus (ordinary or works)

12.2

12.5

12.3

12.2

11.5

12.5

11.9

11.6

12.0

Rail

3.0

2.2

2.3

3.0

2.8

3.4

3.7

3.5

3.5

Other

2.9

2.7

2.3

2.2

2.5

2.2

2.2

2.0

2.2

All

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

Base

6,020

6,253

6,276

5,973

6,033

6,359

6,044

6,068

5,175

As illustrated in Table 7.2, car use is highest in accessible rural areas (74% compared with 49% in large urban areas). Over a quarter of adults in remote small towns (26%) walk to work compared with only 4% of those in accessible rural areas.

Table 7.2: How adults usually travel to work or education by urban/rural classification

Column percentages, 2007 data, Adults in work or education, excluding those who work from home

Large urban areas

Other urban areas

Accessible small towns

Remote small towns

Accessible rural

Remote rural

Scotland

Walking

17

12

11

26

4

13

14

Driver car/van

49

62

65

57

74

66

59

Passenger car/van

6

7

7

5

6

5

6

Bicycle

2

1

1

1

2

2

1

Bus (ordinary, school or works)

20

12

10

7

8

8

14

Rail

5

4

3

2

3

3

4

Other

2

2

2

1

3

3

2

All

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

Base

1,903

1,678

472

310

731

495

5,589

There are differences in modes of transport used by income. Among those adults in households with an income of over £40,000 per year, three quarters travel by car compared with one quarter of those in the lowest income group. Whereas a higher percentage of adults in the lowest income group walk to work or education (45% compared with 8% of the highest income band) or travel by bus (27% compared with 8% of the highest income band) (Table 7.3).

Table 7.3: How adults usually travel to work or education by net annual household income

Column percentages, 2007 data, Adults in work or education, excluding those who work from home

£0 -£6,000

£6,001 - £10,000

£10,001 - £15,000

£15,001 -£20,000

£20,001 - £25,000

£25,001 - £30,000

£30,001 - £40,000

Over £40,000

All

Walking

45

28

22

17

15

9

9

8

13

Driver car/van

23

30

42

51

57

63

66

72

59

Passenger car/van

2

10

6

8

6

8

7

3

6

Bicycle

0

1

1

2

1

2

1

2

1

Bus (ordinary, school or works)

27

27

24

17

17

12

9

8

14

Rail

2

3

4

3

3

4

5

5

4

Other

1

2

2

2

2

2

2

3

2

All

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

Base

103

272

707

842

819

733

1,132

931

5,539

Household income in the SHS is that of the highest income householder and their partner only

Over half of all school pupils (54%) walk to school. Twenty-two percent travel to school in a car or van, while 21% travel by bus. Children in rural areas were more likely to travel to school by bus, and less likely to walk to school than children in urban areas (Table 7.4).

Table 7.4: How school children normally travel to school by urban/rural classification

Column percentages, 2007 data, Pupils in full-time education at school

Large urban areas

Other urban areas

Accessible small towns

Remote small towns

Accessible rural

Remote rural

Scotland

Walking

57

63

57

68

34

33

54

Driver/passenger car/van

22

19

19

22

30

18

22

Bicycle

1

2

0

-

-

1

1

Bus (ordinary, school, or private)

17

15

22

9

33

47

21

Rail

3

0

0

-

0

-

1

Other

1

2

1

2

4

1

2

All

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

Base

775

762

233

150

358

235

2,513

More than two-thirds of households (70%) have access to at least one car for private use. Almost all households in the highest income group have access to a car for private use (98%) compared with less than half (42%) of households in the lowest income group (Table 7.5).

Table 7.5: Whether any cars normally available to the household for private use by net annual household income

Column percentages, 2007 data, Households

£0 - £6,000

£6,001 - £10,000

£10,001 - £15,000

£15,001 -£20,000

£20,001 - £25,000

£25,001 - £30,000

£30,001 - £40,000

Over £40,000

All

Yes

42

39

52

71

86

90

96

98

70

No

58

61

48

29

14

10

4

2

30

Total

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

Base

766

1,965

2,558

1,900

1,508

1,192

1,720

1,342

12,951

Household income in the SHS is that of the highest income householder and their partner only

« Previous | Contents | Next »

Page updated: Monday, June 9, 2008