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RUSH HOUR IS continuing in Ireland later into the evening, a new report shows – and there’s also more of us out and about in the wee hours of the morning.
And slightly more of us are choosing to walk cycle, or take a train or tram to our destination.
The latest National Travel Survey, published by the CSO, compares trends in our travel habits in 2013 to 2012.
It analysed the trips made by almost 15,000 people over a total of 27,800 journeys.
The vast majority of us are still travelling by private car, but the figure for 2013 is down 1.4% to 69%.
On the day surveyed, 15.4% walked to their destination, 1.5% caught a train, Dart, or Luas, and 3.8% hopped on their bike.
Click here to see a larger version of this graph.
The majority (57.6%) of journeys were short, lasting 15 minutes or less. We were making very slightly more longer journeys – those lasting 60 minutes or more were up to 4.3% – in 2013.
We took the longest journeys by rail or tram, lasting for an average of 45 minutes over 28 kilometres. The lorry/motorcycle/other category saw almost the same distance travelled, but in just over half an hour. The average trip behind the wheel of a car lasted 20.5 minutes over just more than 15 kilometres – if you were a passenger you can add ten to both those figures.
Click here to see a larger version of this graph.
Needless to say, journeys in Dublin were shorter but took longer than journeys elsewhere in the country. The average speed travelled in the rest of the country was 43.9 km/h, but in Dublin it was just 27.7 km/hour – despite the journey lasting an average of two minutes more over five less kilometres.
Compared to 2012, journeys in Dublin are getting slightly faster, but they are over a longer distance and last longer.
Click here to see a larger version of this graph.
We were mainly going to work, to shop, or bringing a friend somewhere. Interestingly, just 4.6% of journeys were for education of some kind.
Companion/escorts saw a 5% fall to 15.2% compared with 2013.
Click here to see a larger version of this graph.
This is one point in the data released where a noticeable change in trends emerges. In 2013, there was a 5% increase (to 15.9%) in the number of journeys taken between 7pm and midnight, and a similar fall to 14.9% in the number taken between 7am and 10am.
The number of journeys take overnight rose to 4.1% from 1.7%.
This means there’s likely to be more cars on the roads later at night than before.
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Was thinking about a bike to work type incentive for peoples gardens, I know every garden is different, aspect, neighbours etc but a number of templates, set it up with a college re design etc.
So many gardens wasted but most people have no idea what to put in
@Seamus Brady:Tell that to the army of distinguished power washers who have made it their life’s ambition to obliterate every living thing with death by water jet.
@Seamus Brady: I think that the new admiration for faux grass lawns says it all, people don’t want the maintenance. Currently converting some of my lawn to a flower meadow. Will take some work and the grass has the upper hand for the moment but saw one interesting idea while researching it: people think lawns are low maintenance, they’re one of the most high maintenance needing cutting every one to two weeks during spring, summer and autumn, a healthy meadow only needs to be cut once a year so it’s much easier to maintain.
@Diarmuid Hunt: Check out yellow rattle plant if you haven’t seen it yet. It’s called the meadow maker. And best of luck!
@Bill Spill: Already have it, thank you though, more people need to know about yellow rattle/hay rattle. I got ripped off buying it from a specialist shop, a friend told me it’s readily available in farmer’s co-ops. For those that don’t know it’s a semi-parisitic plant that weakens grass so that native wildflowers have a better chance at taking hold.
@Diarmuid Hunt: its a great idea,good luck with it!
Replaced my lawn with wild flowers five years ago, looks so much better, smells great, attracts and feeds bees and other pollinators. I would like to see all urban greens (obviously not playing fields)turned to wild flower meadows. Better still we should be turning over all our unproductive land to nature and an outright ban on non native forestry.
have your say