Transport: journeys by mode

The Scottish Household Survey collects transport data, including a travel diary in which respondents report details of journeys made the day before the survey. Transport Scotland publish annually the report Transport and Travel in Scotland, which presents the transport and travel findings from the Scottish Household Survey. The most recent report suggests that people are making fewer journeys than previous years. In 2023, 64% of respondents had travelled the day before their survey interview. This is slightly higher than in 2022 (61%), but well below the 2019 figure of 74%, and it was also over 70% in all years between 2007 and 2019. Reasons for travel include shopping (24% of journeys), commuting (21%), going for a walk (10%), and visiting friends and relatives (10%). Over half (55%) of journeys were under 5km.

Car or van travel, as driver or passenger, is the most common mode of travel, accounting for 63% of journeys. Walking was the next most common mode, with 25% of journeys. Bus travel accounted for 7% of journeys and rail, bicycle, taxi and others were each 2% or less of total journeys. Chart 1 below shows these proportions have changed little since 2019.

Travel to work

In 2023, 29% of people in employment said they worked from home at least some of the time. This compares with 31% in 2022 and 16% in 2019 pre-pandemic. When asked how many days per week they travel to work, 17% of people in employment reported ‘none’, compared to 5% in 2019.

Of those who travel to work, 68% travel by car (either as driver or passenger), 15% travel actively by walking or cycling, 10% by bus, 5% by rail and 2% other modes. These proportions are similar to 2019.

Mode share by residence and personal characteristics

Transport mode share is similar between men and women, but varies by characteristics including age, household income and urban/rural residence. Younger age groups, people on lower incomes, disabled people and people in urban areas are less likely to travel by car and more likely to travel by public and active modes. In 2023:

• People aged 20-29 made 54% of their journeys by car, whereas people aged 40-69 made over 65% of their journeys by car.
• People in the lowest equivalised income quintile made 53% of their journeys by car, 10% by public transport and 34% by active modes. This compares with 68% by car, 6% by public transport and 24% by active modes in the highest income quintile.
• Disabled people made 58% of journeys by car, 8% by public transport and 30% by active modes. The equivalent figures for non-disabled people were 64%, 8% and 26%.
• People in large urban areas made 52% of their journeys by car, 13% by public transport and 31% by active modes. In remote rural areas, 72% of journeys were by car, 3% by public transport and 22% active modes.

Further information on personal travel is available in the annual Transport and Travel in Scotland report published by Transport Scotland. Tables are available with data by personal characteristics, local authority, regional transport partnership and urban/rural classification.

Travel to school

Sustrans publishes the annual Hands Up Scotland Survey of mode of travel to school among pupils in state schools and nurseries. Almost 79% of state schools in Scotland take part. In 2023, just under half of pupils (49%) reported an active mode of travel to school (walking, cycling, scootering or skating). A more detailed breakdown shows: 41% of pupils reported that they walked to school; 16% travelled by bus; 24% by car or taxi; 8% by bike, skate or scooter; and 10% were driven part way and walked the rest.