Travel during Covid-19 Tracking research - week 6

12 June 2020

Travel during Covid-19: omnibus week 6 Minimal change in transport modes used – use of

public transport remains limited

2

1%

1%

2%

2%

1%

1%

1%

2%

3%

1%

2%

2%

1%

1%

2%

2%

1%

1%

1%

2%

3%

1%

1%

1%

2%

3%

Train ( London)

Underground

Train (not London)

Bus London

Bus (not London)

Public transport used in last 7 days

Week 6

Week 5

Week 4

Week 3

Week 2

Week 1

Travel during Covid-19: omnibus week 6 Minimal change in transport modes used – road

use and walking most common

3

6%

15%

46%

51%

2%

8%

14%

40%

48%

1%

7%

15%

39%

53%

2%

8%

18%

39%

53%

2%

9%

17%

43%

53%

2%

7%

23%

42%

54%

Taxi

Bike

Road passenger

Walking

Road - driver

Transport used in last 7 days

Week 6

Week 5

Week 4

Week 3

Week 2

Week 1

Slightly more traffic than

earlier in lockdown but

nowhere near the peak

outside lockdown thankfully.

78%

19%

2% 1%

70%

27%

2%

63%

33%

4%1%

58%

38%

3% 1%

53%

42%

4%

52%43%

4%1%

Light Moderate Heavy Congested

Reported level of traffic when making car journeys

Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6

Travel during Covid-19: omnibus week 6

Level of perceived traffic volume

continues to increase

4

39%

53%

8%

3%

18%

28%

36%

55%

8%3%

18%

30%

Followinggovt advicenot to travel

No reason touse PT

Ill / selfisolating /

caring

Cycledinstead

Walkedinstead

Used car/ vanmotorcyle

Reasons public transport not used in last 7 days

Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6

Travel during Covid-19: omnibus week 6

Shopping is main reason for journeys and

most have no need for public transport

5

WORK 26% (23% W5)

VISITING/CARING FRIENDS/FAMILY 20% (16%W5)

SHOPPING 74% (80% W5)

PERSONAL BUSINESS (MEDICAL ETC) 17% (15% W5)

TRAVEL TO EXERCISE OR FOR LEISURE 35% (36% W5)

Reasons for making any journeys in last 7 days

Travel during Covid-19: omnibus week 6 There is still caution around using public

transport and a variety of reasons will prompt use

6

16%

12%

18%

32%

13%

11%

14%

36%

7%

12%

12%

41%

7%

11%

13%

39%

7%

9%

11%

26%

34%

6%

9%

13%

24%

32%

When government says return to work

Won't go back to work until I feel safe

When employer asks me to return toworkplace

When the government no longer advisesavoiding public transport

Won't use for any reason until I feel safe

When those who previously used public transport and haven’t in last 7 days will start to travel again….

Week 6

Week 5

Week 4

Week 3

Week 2

Week 1

32% say that they won’t use public transport again for any

reason until they feel safe to do so

Included first time at week 5

Travel during Covid-19: omnibus week 6 There is still caution around using public

transport and a variety of reasons will prompt use

7

6%

6%

8%

10%

19%

20%

13%

4%

5%

5%

7%

12%

14%

12%

5%

6%

8%

8%

13%

15%

13%

Doctor's advice is safe to resume travelling

When schools, colleges & universities re-open

When sports events, concerts, festivals startup

When can go on a short break / holiday

When pubs, restaurants, cinemas, theatresopen

When can visit friends and family

When more shops are able to re-open

When those who previously used public transport and haven’t in last 7 days will start to travel again….

Week 6

Week 5

Week 4

Week 3

Week 2

Week 1

The proportion who will be happy to use

public transport when restrictions are

lifted is consistently around one in five

8

24% 20% 18% 20% 23% 22%

W1 W2 W3 W4 W5 W6

As soon as restrictions are relaxed happy to travel by public transportagainAs soon as travel restrictions are relaxed, I’ll be happy

to travel by public transport again (W6 1611)

18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+

33% 26% 27% 21% 15% 17%

Male Female

26% 18%

Access

to car

No car

access

19% 35%

Children in

household

No children

in household

19% 23%

Any disability No disability

23% 22%

ScotlandNorth

East

North

West

Yorks &

Humber

West

Mids

East

MidsWales Eastern London

South

East

South

West

28% 28% 18% 24% 20% 20% 15% 21% 27% 18% 24%

Public

transport user

29%

White BAME

21% 31%

Base excludes don’t know/not applicable answers

Base excludes don’t know/not applicable answers

Increased proportion in those saying

they will be wearing a face covering

outside the home in Week 6

9

38% 39% 47% 45% 40%51%

W1 W2 W3 W4 W5 W6

For own and others’ safety I will wear a mask when outside home For my own and others’ safety I will be wearing a face

covering when I’m outside my home (W6 1773)

18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+

57% 50% 52% 44% 44% 57%

Male Female

44% 57%

Access

to car

No car

access

49% 56%

Children in

household

No children

in household

50% 51%

Any disability No disability

57% 48%

ScotlandNorth

East

North

West

Yorks &

Humber

West

Mids

East

MidsWales Eastern London

South

East

South

West

48% 52% 45% 45% 58% 45% 49% 47% 68% 48% 44%

Public

transport user

56%

White BAME

49% 68%

And an increase in the proportion who think

that face coverings should be a requirement

on public transport to two thirds in week 6

10

51% 54% 63% 62% 58% 67%

W1 W2 W3 W4 W5 W6

Not happy using public transport unless required to wear masksI wouldn’t be happy using public transport unless passengers

required to wear face coverings (W6 1696)

18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+

60% 63% 65% 65% 70% 74%

Male Female

62% 72%

Access

to car

No car

access

69% 59%

Children in

household

No children

in household

68% 67%

Any disability No disability

67% 67%

ScotlandNorth

East

North

West

Yorks &

Humber

West

Mids

East

MidsWales Eastern London

South

East

South

West

58% 68% 69% 66% 69% 68% 64% 71% 69% 70% 60%

Public

transport user

63%

White BAME

67% 65%

Base excludes don’t know/not applicable answers

The proportion of those who won’t use

public transport unless social distancing is

in place is stable at around seven in ten

11

62% 70% 72% 71% 73% 71%

W1 W2 W3 W4 W5 W6

I won’t use public transport unless social distancing in place I won’t use public transport unless social distancing

is in place (W6 1565)

18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+

62% 65% 73% 67% 74% 79%

Male Female

65% 76%

Access

to car

No car

access

74% 59%

Children in

household

No children

in household

71% 71%

Any disability No disability

74% 70%

ScotlandNorth

East

North

West

Yorks &

Humber

West

Mids

East

MidsWales Eastern London

South

East

South

West

64% 73% 72% 70% 79% 70% 78% 78% 64% 71% 70%

Public

transport user

66%

White BAME

71% 73%

Base excludes don’t know/not applicable answers

The proportion thinking hand sanitiser

should be available on public transport

remains high at more than eight in ten

12

83% 85% 86% 85% 87% 85%

W1 W2 W3 W4 W5 W6

Hand sanitiser should be available on public transportHand sanitiser should be available on public transport,

on vehicles, at stations, and at stops (W6 1893)

18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+

85% 83% 86% 86% 87% 84%

Male Female

81% 89%

Access

to car

No car

access

86% 80%

Children in

household

No children

in household

84% 85%

Any disability No disability

88% 84%

ScotlandNorth

East

North

West

Yorks &

Humber

West

Mids

East

MidsWales Eastern London

South

East

South

West

88% 88% 86% 80% 89% 86% 91% 86% 82% 85% 79%

Public

transport user

85%

White BAME

85% 87%

Base excludes don’t know/not applicable answers

Almost half say that in the future they are

more likely to drive for journeys where they

previously used public transport

13

60% 63% 66% 60%43% 48%

W1 W2 W3 W4 W5 W6Once restrictions relaxed, I will drive more rather than public transport

Once restrictions relaxed I will drive more for journeys where I wouldhave used public transport before

18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+

55% 46% 44% 45% 45% 51%

Male Female

44% 51%

Access

to car

No car

access

49% 30%

Children in

household

No children

in household

47% 48%

Any disability No disability

49% 47%

ScotlandNorth

East

North

West

Yorks &

Humber

West

Mids

East

MidsWales Eastern London

South

East

South

West

42% 54% 42% 46% 53% 44% 53% 50% 46% 49% 51%

Public

transport user

53%

White BAME

46% 59%

Base excludes don’t know/not applicable answers

Wording of question changed in week 5

Base (W6 1194)

Around a quarter say that in the future they are

more likely to cycle for journeys where they

previously used public transport

14

51% 54% 52% 53%27% 24%

W1 W2 W3 W4 W5 W6

Once restrictions relaxed, I will cycle and walk more rather than public transport

Once restrictions relaxed I will cycle more for journeys where I would have usedpublic transport before

18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+

44% 29% 28% 21% 16% 9%

Male Female

24% 25%

Access

to car

No car

access

23% 29%

Children in

household

No children

in household

26% 24%

Any disability No disability

22% 25%

ScotlandNorth

East

North

West

Yorks &

Humber

West

Mids

East

MidsWales Eastern London

South

East

South

West

26% 14% 18% 16% 31% 16% 20% 33% 37% 18% 27%

Public

transport user

30%

White BAME

22% 42%

Base excludes don’t know/not applicable answers

Wording of question changed in week 5

Base (W6 1012)

15

51% 54% 52% 53% 46% 43%

W1 W2 W3 W4 W5 W6

Once restrictions relaxed, I will cycle and walk more rather than public transport

Once restrictions relaxed will walk more for journeys where I would have usedpublic transport before

18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+

50% 48% 47% 36% 40% 39%

Male Female

40% 46%

Access

to car

No car

access

41% 49%

Children in

household

No children

in household

46% 42%

Any disability No disability

39% 44%

ScotlandNorth

East

North

West

Yorks &

Humber

West

Mids

East

MidsWales Eastern London

South

East

South

West

38% 43% 45% 35% 45% 35% 38% 50% 56% 37% 35%

Public

transport user

51%

White BAME

42% 55%

Base excludes don’t know/not applicable answers

Wording of question changed in week 5

Base (W6 1433)

Around four in ten say that in the future they

are more likely to walk for journeys where they

previously used public transport

Half say they expect to work from home

more often in the future – this has

increased since week 1

16

40% 47% 46% 52% 49% 50%

W1 W2 W3 W4 W5 W6

I expect to work from home more often in futureI expect to work from home more often in the future

(W6 966)

18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+

55% 55% 53% 47% 45% 25%

Male Female

51% 50%

Access

to car

No car

access

49% 54%

Children in

household

No children

household

48% 51%

Any disability No disability

49% 50%

ScotlandNorth

East

North

West

Yorks &

Humber

West

Mids

East

MidsWales Eastern London

South

East

South

West

52% 65% 50% 34% 45% 45% 49% 50% 58% 47% 57%

Public

transport user

57%

White BAME

50% 51%

Base excludes don’t know/not applicable answers

17

Survey method

• c.2000 online interviews per week, nationally

representative of Great British population – not all

respondents are passengers on public transport.

• Those who have provided a response are excluded from

the subsequent wave of research

• The analysis of attitudinal questions excludes responses

from those who don’t have an opinion, or from those who

say that the question is not applicable to them.

• Fieldwork dates:

• week 1: 1-3 May 2020

• week 2: 8-10 May 2020

• week 3: 15-17 May 2020

• week 4: 22-24 May 2020

• Week 5: 29-31 May 2020

• Week 6: 5-7 June 2020

• Using Populus weekly omnibus.

• To be repeated each week.

18

Sample breakdown

Sample size by age groups, gender, and region.

ScotlandNorth

East

North

West

Yorks &

Humber

West

Midlands

East

MidlandsWales Eastern London

South

East

South

West

Week

1185 84 233 164 185 157 110 210 259 287 182

Week

2165 86 240 177 163 161 110 188 229 306 201

Week

3173 87 230 179 184 155 110 193 236 274 192

Week

4194 78 246 148 167 162 101 214 283 237 170

Week

5176 86 246 162 184 149 96 185 285 276 171

Week

6 181 82 260 155 191 155 105 171 264 263 188

TOTAL 18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+ Male Female

Week

1 2056 234 310 324 377 314 497 1003 1053

Week

2 2026 242 361 287 332 315 489 1009 1017

Week

3 2013 223 351 332 350 300 457 1004 1009

Week

4 2000 232 327 323 318 294 506 1010 990

Week

5 2016 226 319 324 362 316 469 974 1042

Week

6 2015 184 329 386 399 291 426 968 1047