The ‘Attitudes to Walking, Cycling and Public Transport in Northern Ireland 2019/20’ report has been published.

This report, produced by the Analysis, Statistics and Research Branch (ASRB) of the Department for Infrastructure (DfI), presents findings from the 2019/20 Continuous Household Survey (CHS).  This is the third year that this question set was included in the CHS.

The publication is available on the ASRB website at: Walking, Cycling and Public Transport in Northern Ireland 2019/20

Key Points

• 87% of respondents consider ‘walking’ to be active travel while 80% say the same about ‘cycling’.

Walking

• 59% of respondents were satisfied with the current situation for walking in their area in 2019/20, down from 64% in 2017/18.
• The most common reasons respondents were ‘not satisfied’ were ‘poor lighting at night’ (52%), ‘traffic goes too fast’ (50%), ‘poor footpath conditions’ (48%) and ‘not enough footpaths’ (45%).
• Respondents who said they were likely to walk short journeys (up to 2 miles/3km) has increased from 54% in 2017/18 to 57% in 2019/20.
• Bad weather (38%), lack of footpaths (26%), and cars driving too quickly (23%) remain the top reasons that discourage respondents from walking short journeys. 

Cycling

• 50% of respondents were satisfied with the current situation for cycling in their area.  This is a decrease from 55% in 2017/18. 
• Seven in ten respondents (71%) said they were ‘not satisfied’ with cycling in their area due to ‘no cycle lanes’.  This remains the most common response since 2017/18.
• Around one in seven (15%) respondents said they were likely to cycle short journeys (up to 3 miles/5km).
• As in previous years, the main reason respondents were unlikely to cycle short journeys is ‘don’t own/no access to a bicycle’ (62%). 

Public Transport

• 76% of respondents are satisfied with public transport and facilities in their area, an increase from 72% in 2017/18.
• Like previous years, the main reasons respondents are ‘not satisfied’ with public transport and facilities in their area are, ‘not enough services’ (68%), ‘no direct services to where I want to go’ (47%) and ‘times of buses/trains not suitable’ (40%).
• Almost a third (30%) of respondents said they never use public transport.
• Those who use public transport were asked what encourages them to do so.  They said: I find it convenient (50%) It is free (35%) It is a cheap way to travel (25%).