Statistical Bulletin Transport Series - Transport and Travel in Scotland 2011

1 Main Points

Motor vehicles, traffic and driving

1.1 The estimated total volume of traffic on Scotland's roads in 2011 was over 43 billion vehicle kilometres - 0.2 per cent less than 2010 and continuing the downward trend since a peak of 44.7 billion vehicle kilometres in 2007. [Table S1]

1.2 In 2011 there were around 202,000 new vehicle registrations in Scotland, a decrease of 3.1 per cent on 2010, continuing the downward trend since a peak of 263,000 in 2004. [Table S1]

1.3 There were 2.7 million motor vehicles licensed in Scotland in 2011, a similar level to the previous year and 19 per cent higher than in 2001. [Table S1]

1.4 Over two-thirds of people aged 17 or over had a full driving licence in 2011, an increase of 3 percentage points since 2001. [Table S3]

1.5 Males were more likely to hold a full driving license than females (76% vs. 60%); male licence possession has been fairly stable whilst female possession has increased since 2001. [Table S3]

1.6 Twenty-five per cent of households had access to two or more cars in 2011, whilst 30 per cent had no access to a car. The proportions have remained similar over the last five years. [Table S3]

1.7 Households reported an average spend of £131 on fuel for their cars in the past month - up from £112 in 2010 and £78 in 2003. The median spend reported in 2011 was £100 - up from £80 in 2010. [Table 2]

Public transport, ferries and aviation

1.8 More people are using trains. ScotRail patronage increased by 3.6 per cent (to 81.1 million) in 2011/12 - the highest level in the series and an increase of 22 per cent since 2004/05. [Table S1]

1.9 Twenty-six per cent of respondents to the SHS used the train in the last month, up from 15 per cent in 2002. Forty six per cent used a local bus in the last month. [Table S3]

1.10 Three quarters of people are satisfied with public transport. (Twenty-six per cent of people are very satisfied, up from 19 per cent in 2007). [Table 4]

1.11 Fifty-five per cent of those aged 60 or over used their concessionary pass at least once a month. Thirty-one per cent have a pass but haven't used it. Thirteen per cent have no pass. [Table 32]

1.12 There were around 22.1 million air terminal passengers at airports in Scotland in 2011. Six per cent more than in the previous year.

1.13 Forty-three per cent of SHS respondents took a flight for leisure purposes in 2011 and 8 per cent for business.

1.14 Ferry patronage fell by 4 per cent in 2011 to 5.6 million.

Walking and cycling

1.15 More people are walking. Sixty-three per cent of respondents had walked at least a quarter of a mile as a means of transport in the past seven days, an increase from 55 per cent in 2001. Fifty-four per cent of respondents had walked at least a quarter of a mile for pleasure in the past seven days in 2011. This is an increase from 43 per cent in 2001. [Table 3]

1.16 Thirty-five per cent of households had access to at least one bicycle for adult use in 2011 (a similar figure to 2002). [Table 18]

Travel to work and school

1.17 Thirty-one per cent of respondents travelled to work by public or active transport, continuing the trend of little change in recent years. This figure provides an update to the indicator used in the Scottish Government's National Performance Framework. [Table S3]

1.18 Active travel accounted for 15 per cent (walking: 12.9%, cycling: 2.0%) and public transport 16 per cent (bus: 12.0%, rail: 3.9%) of all journeys to work in 2011. [Table S3]

1.19 Forty-three per cent of car drivers experienced delays travelling to work at least once a week due to traffic congestion. [Table 8]

1.20 Around a quarter of respondents regularly travelled to work using different modes on different days in 2009-11.

1.21 Fifty-two per cent of all journeys to school were made by walking or cycling in 2011. The levels have remained relatively stable over the last ten years. [Table S3]

Access to services

1.22 Eighty-five per cent of respondents felt that public transport was very or fairly convenient to access in 2011. [Table 33]

Freight

1.23 Two thirds of freight lifted in Scotland is transported by road (a slight fall from a peak of 71% in 2007). Four per cent is carried by rail, 14 per cent by pipeline and the rest by water. These proportions have changed little over the last ten years.