Travel by car and by public transport in West Yorkshire returning to pre-pandemic levels

Travel by car and by public transport in West Yorkshire is returning to pre-pandemic levels according to a new survey
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People’s confidence in using public transport has been maintained, and the shift to hybrid working caused by COVID-19 is likely to become permanent are some of the findings of the latest COVID-19 Transport Recovery Survey by West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

The research was conducted between September 28 and October 13 and the results are now available for publication. 

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Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin said: “This survey gives us a great insight into how people in West Yorkshire are travelling, as we emerge from the pandemic. The results reveal some encouraging signs of recovery in terms of public transport use.

Passengers at Halifax bus stationPassengers at Halifax bus station
Passengers at Halifax bus station

“They also show that, contrary to recent claims by the Government in their Integrated Rail Plan, the numbers of people using public transport do mean that it’s vital we deliver a system with adequate capacity to cope with future demand.

“And it’s also still vital that we encourage even more people back onto buses and trains; and to cycle and walk more, to reduce emissions from transport and deliver our pledges to tackle the climate emergency and protect our environment,

“The Bus Service Improvement Plan we recently launched, and our Future Mobility Strategy will help us deliver improved public transport and active travel in the region, so that more people see them as attractive and highly-effective options for work and leisure.

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"We have also set out long-term plans for investment in our Connectivity Infrastructure Plan programme. This aims to deliver public transport improvements where they are most needed to enhance people’s quality of life. It is built on detailed evidence and includes our bold and ambitious plan for a new mass transit system for West Yorkshire.”

The wearing of face coverings on public transport has once again become compulsory following a Government announcement.

West Yorkshire Combined Authority have been running a COVID-19 Transport Recovery Survey series since June 2020.

The Combined Authority carries out the research to understand how the pandemic has changed working and travel patterns and to assess longer-term trends that influence transport planning.

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The research involved a randomly selected, statistically representative sample of 1,000 people from West Yorkshire’s communities who were interviewed by telephone.

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