People hopping back in the car as Covid restrictions are easing

Car journeys in Scotland have returned to the same levels as before the coronavirus pandemic, figures reveal.

Cycling, meanwhile, is up by 10% while rail and air journeys remain down by around a half compared to the period before Covid-19 restrictions began.

Analysis covering the first week of September saw walking down by 40% and concessionary bus journeys down by 35%, while ferry journeys rose by 10%. Travel as a whole is at an average of 2.7 trips per person per day, an increase of 0.1 on last month.

Figures were obtained from sources including the Department for Transport National Travel Survey and data collected across transport networks.

The figures were compared to pre-pandemic statistics from 2019 except for walking and cycling which were in comparison to the equivalent period last year.

Transport Scotland said the figures were used to inform government policy on resilience and response, adding: “The data shows lots of people are still choosing to cycle, although it’s clear people are still very cautious about getting back on to public transport.

“This is a challenge we need to work together to meet as we must encourage more people to choose sustainable travel methods in future. Public transport operators are working hard to keep people safe and connected, and face coverings, ventilation, contactless tickets and payments are all in place to help keep passengers safe.

“We encourage people to think bus, train, active and remember there is more than one way to go.”