Statistical Bulletin Transport Series Scottish Household Survey: Travel Diary 2009/2010

8. Congestion and parking

Congestion

• Around 10 per cent of drivers felt they had experienced delays to their journeys in 2010 due to congestion - in line with 2009 levels but a 4 percentage point decrease since 2007 (similar to 2003 levels).

8.1 Over the combined 2009/2010 period, about 11 per cent of respondents felt that they had experienced some level of congestion when travelling by car, the majority experiencing delays around 5 to 10 minutes. [Table 21]

8.2 Respondents commuting by car or travelling in the course of business felt they experienced congestion more frequently (18% and 22% respectively) than those travelling for other purposes. This is unsurprising given these journeys are most likely to be undertaken at peak travel times. [Table 21]

8.3 Drivers felt that journeys were more delayed during the week than at the weekend and that the worst times for congestion were during the weekday morning and evening rush hour periods. [Table 21], [Figure 18]

Figure 18: Driver stages delayed by traffic congestion Monday to Friday, 2009/2010

8.4 Twelve per cent of service bus users suffered delays in 2010. Bus and rail delays were again, most likely to be around 5 to 10 minutes. [Tables 10, 24]

8.5 Congestion was given as the most common reason for delays to bus journeys, with 59 per cent stating this reason for their delay. Road works and bus punctuality were also highly cited as reasons for delays to bus journeys. [Table 25]

Parking

8.6 Three per cent of all car or van journeys paid for parking at the end of their journey, of which 65 per cent were in commercial car parks. Around half or respondents paid between 50p and £2. Thirty-seven per cent of parking was for up to 2 hours and a quarter was for over 5 hours. [Table 26]