Better Transport

Comprehensive research published today shows for the first time how dependent we are on our cars – and what can be done about it.
 
Campaign for Better Transport’s Car Dependency Scorecard [1] offers regional pictures of car dependency [2], revealing that people are facing different reasons for car dependency and showing what is needed in each region for people to begin to have real choice about how they travel.
 
Who has the best travel options?

1. North West: 68%. C+
   - Trams and trains are good options and traffic volumes encourage cycling
2. Yorkshire & the Humber: 57%. D+
   - City streets are good for walking along but public transport fares are too high
3. South East: 56%. D
   - Good train and bus options but cycling could be promoted better
4. East of England: 54%. D
   - No need for a car to reach the office but people don’t think bus services are great
5. North East: 54%. D
   - Rural people are close to services but roads are full of traffic
6. East Midlands: 53%. D-
   - People think the bus is a good option but more innovation is needed to get people out of their cars.
7. South West: 49%. E+
   - Public transport is expensive and it's hard to take a bus. But drivers are mindful of pedestrians
8. West Midlands: 43%. E-
   - Rural car dependency, low-density developments and heavy traffic volumes

Stephen Joseph, the group’s executive director, said:
 
“Car dependency is hurting people’s health, communities and the environment. Our new scorecard shows that while car dependency is a big problem it is not inevitable. In each region, there are initiatives helping to reduce car dependency. But more needs to be done. We want local councils to take action in their upcoming local transport plans and spend on projects that will make it easy for people to get out of their cars, and we want the Government to set policies and funding so that car dependency is reduced.”

Notes to editors
[1] The Car Dependency Scorecard was created in September 2009. Summary and full results are available.

 
The score is made up of 34 factors -- statistics which together reveal how difficult it is for people to leave their cars at home.
 
The factors can be grouped around the following themes:

• How quickly people can get to school, work, public services and amenities without driving, and whether planning policies are improving this
• Whether walking and cycling are good options
• How good the public transport provision is in terms of punctuality, reliability and the extent and accessibility of the service
• How affordable public transport is, how well it is funded, and how many people are satisfied with it

We hope to produce the scorecard every year in order to chart progress on this important issue.
 
[2] London is not part of this analysis because the situation in London is so different from the rest of England – in terms of powers, decision-making and funding – and so a comparison would have been meaningless.