26 September 2017 - Transport and Travel in Scotland 2016

This bulletin provides the results of the Transport and Travel related questions asked in the Scottish Household Survey (including the travel diary) and uses data from a range of sources to provide context. The survey and travel diary had around 9,600 respondents in 2016.

This publication is split into 4 broad themes:

Personal travel
Motor vehicles, traffic and driving
Public transport and aviation
Walking and cycling

This bulletin provides updates to two National Indicators, which form part of the Scotland Performs national framework – congestion, which shows performance maintaining, and public and active travel to work, which shows performance maintaining.

Overview of travel trends in Scotland

Ferry, rail and air passenger numbers and distance cycled are estimated to have increased between 2012 and 2016, as has car traffic. Bus passenger numbers were lower in 2016 than five years ago. Compared to 2015, the biggest changes are an increase in the number of air passengers and a decrease in bus passenger numbers.

Table 1: Traffic and passenger numbers in Scotland, 2012 to 2016

**Table 1: Traffic and passenger numbers in Scotland, 2012 to 2016**
	2012	2015	2016	% change over 1 year	% change over 5 years
Car traffic (m/veh km) on all roads ^&	33,777	34,669	35,362	2.0%	4.7%
Pedal cycles (m/veh km) on all roads ^&	310	343	352	2.6%	13.5%
ScotRail passengers (millions)^$	83	93	94	1.1%	13.3%
Bus passengers (millions)^$	421	409	393	-3.8%	-6.7%
Air passengers (millions)	22	26	27	3.8%	22.7%
Ferry passengers in Scotland (millions^)#	8	8	8	0.0%	0.0%

Sources: DfT, ORR, CAA, ferry operators (Not all National Statistics)
Notes: ^$ Based on financial year, *provisional figures, ^# Does not include figures for passenger numbers on the Corran ferry service, ^&traffic estimates indicate the broad level of traffic, so year-on-year comparisons should be made with caution as they are estimated based on a small cross-section of Scottish roads, particularly for cycle traffic.