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Results - Let's Talk Transport

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Let's Talk Transport results

What we did and why

In Summer 2023 we asked you about how you travel around in North Yorkshire and how you might like to travel in future – 4817 people filled in our survey.

This was the first stage of asking for input from North Yorkshire residents, to help inform the new Local Transport Plan.

We’ve outlined some of the main things you told us below. You can read the full report on the North Yorkshire Council website.

What the results say

Getting around in North Yorkshire


The survey responses show the most common ways of getting around are: 

  1. Walking (80% say they walk daily or several times a week) 
  2. Diesel or petrol car (68% use this daily or several times a week)
  3. Bus, including park and ride (18% daily or several times a week) 
  4. Electric /hybrid car or van (15% daily or several times a week) 
  5. Cycling (13% daily or several times a week)

Changes to travel habits


Many people report no change in their current travel habits, compared to three years ago. However, the survey suggests one of the biggest changes has been a shift to home-based activities. Nearly half the responses are from people saying they now work from home (49%) and now use home delivery rather than travelling to the shops (48%).


Many people do not expect their travel habits to change much over the next three years, although use of public transport (34%) and cycling (32%) are the two travel habits most expected to increase. Use of the car is the habit most expected to decrease (22%).

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Satisfaction with the transport system in North Yorkshire


The responses show low levels of satisfaction with the transport system, with 59% feeling that the system does not meet their needs very well or at all well. Some 16% of responses say the system meets their needs very or quite well. 

People from the more urban areas (large town or city) are more likely to rate the transport system as meeting their needs very or quite well (20%), while those from the most rural areas (isolated house or small group of houses) are less likely to rate the system as meeting their needs very or quite well (12%). 


Transport concerns


More than half the responses received identified the following as being always or often a concern:

  1. Availability and reliability of travel (77% of responses)
  2. Affordability of travel (62%)
  3. Road safety (60%)
  4. Impact of transport on climate change (56%).

Effectiveness of measures to tackle transport issues


When asked how effective potential measures aimed at addressing transport challenges in North Yorkshire would be, more than half of the responses rated the following measures as very effective or somewhat effective:

  1. Measures to increase more use of public transport (62%)
  2. Traffic and highway infrastructure improvements (60%)
  3. Measures to encourage more walking and cycling (57%). 
  4. Discouraging car use was the measure considered least likely to be effective (30%).

What happens next

The Local Transport Plan sets out strategy, policy and investment plans for transport across the county. It is part of the Council’s Policy Framework, requiring thorough and extensive understanding of the issues, policy formulation and ongoing engagement and consultation with councillors, stakeholders and the public before adoption by full Council.

The results of the engagement activities have given some clear indications of what residents and stakeholders would like the council to focus on for the new Local Transport Plan in North Yorkshire. These will be used in future planning and setting the vision and objectives of the new Local Transport Plan to meet the transport needs of communities across the county.

This work includes further analysis of the engagement results and formulation of possible policy approaches, including a review of the previous Local Transport Plan and development of a draft Strategic Transport Plan, jointly with City of York Council.


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