State of the Region

IRS Framework Objective 17 - Accessibility and Traffic

To improve accessibility to jobs and services by increasing the use of public transport, cycling and walking, and reducing traffic growth and congestion.

Key messages

• Traffic levels in the East Midlands have increased - 34.1 billion vehicle km in 1995 rose to 41.2 billion vehicle km in 2006.
• The East Midlands has had a 63% increase in growth rate for rail passengers between 1995/6 and 2005/6 and remains above the national figure by 23%.
• The number of bus and light rail journeys (Nottingham Tram System) increased in recent years in the East Midlands to 220 million journeys in 2006/07 compared to 211 in 2005/06.
• The number of schools with travel plans has increased nine-fold from 133 in 2002/03 to 1,229 in 2006/07. The number of businesses with travel plans also increased but more steadily in 2006/07 and is now four times the figure for 2002/03.
• The percentage of the workforce that travelled to work by public transport in 2006 was 22%, below the national figure of 29%.
• The distance travelled per person per year for all purposes and the trips per person per year in the East Midlands are both greater than that for Great Britain.
• In 2005/06 40% of households in the East Midlands found it very or fairly difficult to get to a doctor or local hospital which is above the national figure of 37%.
• In 2005/06, most school trips in the region (49%) are made by walking, which is above the national figure of 46%.

Commentary

The East Midlands along with the South West had the highest growth in traffic with an increase of 21% on major roads between 1995 and 2006. The number of vehicle kilometres travelled in the East Midlands has been increasing and in 2006 was 41.2 billion compared to 34.1 billion in 1995. Figure 17.2 shows that across the region traffic growth is highest in Northamptonshire and lowest in the more rural areas.

Figure 17.1 - Level of traffic growth (Motor vehicle traffic- Billion vehicle miles): 1995 - 2006

Figure 17.2 - Level of traffic growth (Motor vehicle traffic- Billion vehicle miles) for counties and unitary authorities: 2006

Congestion remains a difficult issue to measure particularly at the regional level.  The local authorities in and around the Three Cities sub-area (Nottingham, Leicester and Derby) have been allocated £1.8 million for an in depth investigation of all the possible options for tackling traffic problems and improving roads and public transport in the sub region. The investigation will be completed by April 2008. The funds will be used to consider the potential for possible road pricing schemes and other transport options to reduce congestion.  Developments over the last decade have tended to be reliant on the private car and have generated many additional car journeys.  New development proposals will have to adopt a significantly different approach if the goal of a reduction in traffic growth is to be achieved.

The East Midlands has had a 63% increase in rail passengers between 1995/6 and 2005/6 whilst there has been a substantial increase it has slowed down since 2003/04, as can be seen in figure 17.3, but remains above the national figure by 23%. Figure 17.4 shows that the number of bus and light rail journeys (Nottingham Tram System) increased in the East Midlands in 2006/07 to 220 million journeys compared to 211 in 2005/06 although this is still below the figure for ten years ago.

The introduction of free bus travel for the elderly and disabled in April 2006 may account of the majority of growth in public transport patronage between 2005/06 and 2006/07. It is envisaged that the introduction of the national free travel scheme for the elderly and disabled in April 2008 will further increase bus patronage.

Figure 17.3 - Regional rail patronage growth index (1995/96 = 100): 1995/96 - 2005/06

Figure 17.4 - Bus and Light Rail Patronage (Million journeys): 1993/94 - 2006/07

Good progress is being made in terms of increasing the number of schools with travel plans although their effect on mode share and travel continues to be inconclusive. Figure 17.5 shows that there has been a nine-fold increase in the number of schools with travel plans from 133 in 2002/03 to 1,229 in 2006/07. The introduction of workplace travel plans is being achieved through conditions attached to new planning permissions. The number of businesses with travel plans increased to 356 in 2006/07 from 326 in 2005/06 and is now four times the figure for 2002/03, but there is some evidence to suggest that many workplace travel plans are not being fully implemented or monitored, or indeed being reviewed and amended in light of the original objectives not being achieved.

Figure 17.5 - Businesses and schools with travel plans: 2002/03 - 2006/07 

Figure 17.6 shows that across the region the number of businesses with travel plans is highest in Northamptonshire whilst the number of schools with travel plans is highest in Lincolnshire.

Figure 17.6 – Businesses and Schools with travel plans for counties and unitary authorities: 2006/07

In figure 17.7 it an be seen that there has been a slight increase in the percentage of the workforce travelling to work by public transport from 18% in 1999/2001 to 22% in 2006. This figure has fluctuated over time but has increased between 2005 and 2006 and remains below the national figure of 29%.

Figure 17.7 - Percentage of Workforce travelling to work by public transport: 1999/2001 – 2006 

Despite fluctuations, the distance travelled per person per year for all purposes has fallen, as can be seen in figure 17.8, from 7736.19 miles in 1995/97 to 7,267.51 in 2006. Figure 17.9 shows that the car is the most used mode for trips with only a small number of trips made using public transport. The distance travelled per person per year for all purposes and the trips per person per year are both above the figure for Great Britain.

Figure 17.8 - Distance (miles) travelled per person per year for all purposes: 1995/97 – 2006 

Figure 17.9 - Trips per person per year by car, walking, bicycle/motorcycle, local bus, rail/tube, and other: 1995/97 – 2006 

The number of households finding it very or fairly difficult to access services has increased since 1997/98 as shown in figure 17.10. The largest increase has been the number of people finding it very or fairly difficult to get to a doctor or local hospital which has increased by 16% from 24% in 1997/98 to 40% in 2005/06 which is above the national figure of 37%.

Figure 17.10 – Percentage of households finding it very or fairly difficult to get to a corner shop or supermarket, post office, doctor or local hospital: 1997/98 - 2005/06 

Figure 17.11 shows that most school trips in the East Midlands are made by walking and that there has been a slight increase from 48% in 1998/00 to 49% in 2005/06 and this is above the national figure of 46%. The least school trips are made by bus and this has decreased from 19% in 1998/00 to 16% in 2005/06 and is below the national figure of 18%.

Figure 17.11 - Percentage of school trips made by walking, car and bus: 1998/00 - 2004/05 

Indicators: IRS Framework Objective 17 - Accessibility and Traffic