Newly published Department for Transport (DfT) research (May-July 2020) from their National Travel Attitudes Study finds that during the pandemic, overall car use reduced to 1955 levels, with more people choosing to walk and cycle. However, this shift to more sustainable forms of travel is now at risk as more people return to driving cars.
The Government is being urged to prioritise and accelerate work to advance active travel promotion, fresh off the back of trends seen in lockdown, where 39% of people reported that they walked more and 38% said they cycled more than before the pandemic. 94% of those surveyed said that they would continue to walk and/or cycle once the travel restrictions were lifted.
Since travel restrictions were eased, children return to school and life has been encouraged to return to as normal as possible whilst the COVID-19 pandemic continues, Brake, the road safety charity, has noted a significant rise in private car use, fearing that the opportunity for reforming the way we move may soon be missed.
In response to the latest DfT research figures, Brake is applying pressure, pushing the Government to move quicker with planned reforms in the updated Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy.
