One fifth of UK would leave cars behind

25 April 2007

Surveys show drivers would take public transport
Road-charging would make drivers leave cars
Still high opposition to road-charging schemes

New surveys show that one fifth of the population would give up their cars and use public transport

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Two surveys have shown that one fifth of the population is prepared to leave their cars behind and use public transport.

The first, from What Car?'s sister magazine Autocar, shows that 20% of drivers would consider using public transport.

In its survey, Londoners are the most prepared to use public transport, with 26% saying they would leave their cars, while those in the north of the UK (15%) are least likely to do so. Younger drivers (aged 17-24) are most likely to give up their cars.

30% of those surveyed by Autocar said they could see a time when they would not own cars and would use public transport.

The second survey comes is from Trueform, a public transport infrastructure service provider. Its survey also shows that 21% of drivers would give up their car and use public transport if road-charging schemes were introduced.

It also discovered that there's still widespread opposition to road-charging schemes, with only 17% of UK adults supporting the idea of additional road-charging plans.

However, in London, there was greater support. With congestion charging already established there, 30% of drivers said they would welcome a nationwide road-charging scheme. Drivers in the east (14%), south-west (14%) and Wales (14%) were least likely to support such plans.