June 5, 2008

Britain a nation of “car” junkies

As A Nation, we are just as car dependent to day as we were in the early 1990’s, according to a new research paper released by the RAC Foundation.
 
The study finds that those using public transport in the early 1990 are the only ones who have used it more since. People who have never used a bus have not been persuaded to give it a go. The number of people driving a car has risen steadily over this time and the number of frequent car drivers is also on the increase.
 
The Foundations Fact File on Car Dependence finds that over the period between 1993 and 2005.
 
  • The percentage of the population with a valid driving licence has risen from 67 to 72 per cent.
  • The total mileage driven has increased by 17 per cent across the country
  • There has only been a slow down in car usage in London since 2002
  • The number of women driving has risen rapidly from under 50 to over 60 per cent
  • The number of men driving has risen more slowly (75 to 80 per cent)
  • In London the proportion of frequent drivers has fluctuated around 80 per cent
  • Car use peaks amongst the 35-44 age groups
Bus usage in the UK (outside London) has declined by 13 per cent over the past ten years and only 19 per cent of people frequently use a bus; a figure which has hardly changed over the years. An increasing number of people never use the bus-currently standing at 50 per cent.

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