Official Statistics

NTS mid-year estimates: year ending June 2023

Published 25 April 2024

Applies to England

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-travel-survey-mid-year-estimates-year-ending-june-2023/nts-mid-year-estimates-year-ending-june-2023

About this release

This is a new statistical release showing mid-year estimates for the year ending June 2023 of travel behaviours by residents of England travelling within Great Britain, extending the use of the existing National Travel Survey (NTS). This mid-year NTS release is intended to provide faster indicators for key statistics including a small set of tables based on the most widely used annual tables.

These statistics are released under the ‘Official Statistics in Development’ label – formerly called Experimental Statistics. For more information, see the about these statistics section.

Users can be involved in the development of this statistical series by completing this short 5 minute survey. We would like to hear your views on the value of these mid-year estimates and whether this publication can meet your needs. Alternatively, you can email us at National Travel Survey statistics. Any feedback provided will help inform the future design and development of this statistical release.

The NTS is a household survey of personal travel, from data collected via interviews and a seven-day travel diary, which enables analysis of patterns and trends. Please note that statistics for the year ending June 2023 include data from the second half of 2022 and the first half of 2023. The questions asked in the 2 periods were broadly the same, however from January 2023 the sample size was increased. In the year ending June 2023, the survey captured responses from 10,351 individuals covering 167,916 trips. For more information please see the technical report.

For further detailed trends and insights for the years up to and including 2022, please see the annual statistical release and associated tables. There may be different trends to the annual publication due to different way this dataset is weighted.

Main findings

People living in England made on average 882 trips in the year ending June 2023. Overall trip rates were 2% higher in the year ending June 2023 compared to calendar year 2022, however, trip rates remain 7% lower than in 2019.

In the year ending June 2023, average trips increased for car passengers[footnote 1], buses in London, London Underground and surface rail compared to 2022. Trip rates for these modes however remained lower than pre-pandemic levels (2019). Walking, pedal cycle, non-London buses and car driver trips remained similar in the year ending June 2023 compared to 2022. Average walking trips in the year ending June 2023 are higher than in 2019, average pedal cycle trips are similar to 2019 and average non-London buses and car driver trips remain lower than in 2019.

There have been increases in trip rates for the purpose of shopping, personal business and day trips in the year ending June 2023 compared to 2022. Trip rates for visiting friends at home, and for other including just walk have decreased in the year ending June 2023 compared to 2022. Trip rates for commuting, business and education have remained similar in the year ending June 2023 compared to 2022. Trip rates for day trips and other including just walk were the only trip purposes to remain at higher rates than pre-pandemic levels in the year ending June 2023.

COVID-19 and travel in the year ending June 2023

The National Travel Survey has found that, broadly, personal travel in the year ending June 2023 remained similar to calendar year 2022 and has not returned to pre-pandemic trends and patterns. However, there were increases in trips per person on many public transport modes such as buses in London, London Underground and surface rail. Active transport modes (walking and cycling) have remained fairly stable compared to 2022. This is consistent with Department for Transport’s COVID-19 transport use statistics which show that travel by various transport modes, whilst varying month-to-month, remained below the pre-pandemic reference point, especially in 2022. Over the first 6 months of 2023 monthly domestic public transport use has grown, although it has remained below pre-pandemic levels.

Chart 1: Trends in trips taken, miles travelled and hours spent travelling: England, 2019, 2022 and the year ending June 2023 (NTSMY0101)

People made 882 trips on average in the year ending June 2023, or 17 trips per week. This was 2% higher than 2022 (862 trips on average), however, remained 7% lower than 2019 (953 trips on average). People travelled on average 5,720 miles in the year ending June 2023, a 6% increase compared to 2022 (5,373 miles on average) but 12% lower than 2019 (6,500 miles on average). People spent 338 hours on average travelling in the year ending June 2023, 4% higher compared to 2022 (324 hours on average) but a 9% decrease compared to 2019 (370 hours on average). This includes 23 minutes per cycling trip, 21 minutes per car driver trip and 18 minutes per walking trip, on average in the year ending June 2023.

Chart 2: Average walking trips and miles travelled: England, 2019, 2022 and the year ending June 2023 (NTSMY0303)

In the year ending June 2023, the average number of walking trips of 261 trips per person remained similar to 2022 (267 trips per person). This was also similar to 2019 (250 trips per person).

Average walking distance travelled was 214 miles per person in the year ending June 2023. This was similar to 2022 (221 miles per person) but an increase of 5% compared to 2019 (205 miles per person).

Chart 3: Average pedal cycle trips and miles travelled: England, 2019, 2022 and the year ending June 2023 (NTSMY0303)

There were 16 cycling trips per person in the year ending June 2023. This is similar to 2022 (15 trips per person) and in 2019 (16 trips per person).

In the year ending June 2023, there were 53 cycling miles per person travelled, this was a decrease of 7% compared to 2022 (57 miles per person), but similar to 2019 (54 miles per person).

Chart 4: Average car (as driver or passenger) trips and miles travelled: England, 2019, 2022 and the year ending June 2023 (NTSMY0303)

In the year ending June 2023, there were 346 car driver trips per person, this was similar to 2022 (337 trips per person), however, this remained 9% below pre-pandemic levels in 2019 (380 trips per person). There were 174 car passenger trips per person in the year ending June 2023, this was 5% higher than in 2022 (165 trips per person). This was also lower than in 2019 by 13% (200 trips per person).

In the year ending June 2023, there were 2,889 car driver miles per person and 1,607 car passenger miles per person. These were an increase compared to 2022 by 6% and 10% respectively (2,726 car driver miles per person and 1,466 car passenger miles per person in 2022). These were both however, a decrease compared to 2019 by 10% and 11% respectively (3,198 car driver miles per person and 1,812 car passenger miles per person).

Chart 5: Average bus (within or outside London) trips and miles travelled: England, 2019, 2022 and the year ending June 2023 (NTSMY0303)

There were 16 trips per person on buses in London in the year ending June 2023, this was an increase of 11% compared to 2022 (14 trips per person). This was, however, a decrease of 12% compared to 2019 (18 trips per person). On buses outside London, there were 23 trips per person in the year ending June 2023, this was similar to 2022 (23 trips per person), however, a decrease of 26% compared to 2019 (32 trips per person).

The trends were similar for distance travelled where there were 58 miles per person travelled on buses in London in the year ending June 2023. This was an increase of 6% compared to 2022 (54 miles per person), but a decrease of 20% compared to 2019 (73 miles per person). On buses outside London, in the year ending June 2023, there were 120 miles per person, this was similar to 2022 (120 miles per person) but a decrease of 24% compared to 2019 (158 miles per person).

Chart 6: Average London Underground trips and miles travelled: England, 2019, 2022 and the year ending June 2023 (NTSMY0303)

London Underground trips increased by 17% in the year ending June 2023 with 9 trips per person, compared to 2022 (7 trips per person). This did, however, remain 27% below 2019 levels (12 trips per person).

London Underground miles travelled increased by 10% in the year ending June 2023 with 79 miles per person, compared to 2022 (72 miles per person). This was a 28% decrease compared to 2019 (109 miles per person).

Chart 7: Average surface rail trips and miles travelled: England, 2019, 2022 and the year ending June 2023 (NTSMY0303)

Surface rail trips increased by 13% in the year ending June 2023 with 17 trips per person, compared to 2022 (15 trips per person). This was however a 19% decrease compared to 2019 (21 trips per person).

Surface rail miles travelled was similar in the year ending June 2023 with 468 miles per person compared to 2022 (453 miles per person). This was however a 25% decrease compared to 2019 (625 miles per person).

Chart 8: Trips per person per year by selected purposes: England, 2019, 2022 and the year ending June 2023 (NTSMY0403)

In the year ending June 2023, the most common trip purpose by England residents was for shopping with 165 trips per person. This was an increase of 9% compared to 2022 (151 trips per person), however, remained 8% below 2019 (181 trips per person). The second most common trip purpose was for commuting with 119 trips per person in the year ending June 2023. This remained similar to 2022 (119 trips per person), and a decrease of 15% compared to 2019 (140 trips per person).

The third most common trip purpose was for other including just walk with 87 trips per person in the year ending June 2023. This was a decrease of 5% compared to 2022 (92 trips per person) but an increase of 42% compared to 2019 (61 trips per person). Trips for this purpose, alongside day trips, were the only ones to remain higher than pre-pandemic levels. There were 37 trips per person for day trips in the year ending June 2023, 8% higher then 2022 (34 trips per person) and 16% higher than in 2019 (32 trips per person).

Day trips and other including just walk trips

Day trips include trips for pleasure (not otherwise classified as social or entertainment) within a single day and other including just walk trips include walking trips for pleasure or exercise along public highways, including taking the dog for a walk and jogging.

Chart 9: Miles travelled by per person per year by selected purposes: England 2019, 2022 and the year ending June 2023 (NTSMY0403)

The journey purpose with the longest distance travelled in year ending June 2023 was commuting, with 1,045 miles per person. This remained similar to 2022 (1,008 miles per person), and a decrease of 18% compared to 2019 (1,276 miles per person). The second largest distance travelled on average was for the purpose of visiting friends at home, with 766 miles per person. This was similar to 2022 (764 miles per person) and a decrease of 12% compared to 2019 (872 miles per person). The third largest distance travelled was for shopping with 615 miles per person in the year ending June 2023. This was an increase of 8% compared to 2022 (570 miles per person) but a decrease of 12% compared to 2019 (700 miles per person).

Distance travelled for the purpose of day trip and for other including just walk were the only 2 purposes where distance travelled in the year ending June 2023 was greater than in 2019. In the year ending June 2023, 461 miles per person were travelled for the purpose of day trip, an increase of 12% compared to 2022 (413 miles per person), and an increase of 6% compared to 2019 (435 miles per person). In the year ending June 2023, 84 miles per person were travelled for other including just walk, a 6% decrease compared to 2022 (89 miles per person), but an increase of 45% compared to 2019 (58 miles per person).

Trips by region of residence

Chart 10: Public, private and active mode share by region of residence: England, year ending June 2023 (NTSMY9903)

In the year ending June 2023, people living in London made the highest proportion of trips using active transport modes such as walking and cycling with 41%. London residents also made the highest proportion of trips using public transport modes such as bus, London Underground, surface rail and taxi or minicab with 27%. This is 3 percentage points higher than in 2022. The highest proportion of trips using private transport modes such as car, motorcycle and other private transport were made by residents of the West Midlands with 69%.

Residents in the East Midlands have made a smaller proportion of trips by active transport modes (31%) but a higher proportion of trips by private transport modes (63%) in the year ending June 2023 compared to 2022 (-5 percentage points and +4 percentage points respectively). This is also true for residents in the South West.

Residents in the North West have made a higher proportion of trips by public transport modes (8%) and a smaller proportion of trips by private transport modes (62%) in the year ending June 2023 compared to 2022 (+2 percentage points and -3 percentage points respectively).

About these statistics

These statistics are released under the ‘Official Statistics in Development’ label – formerly called Experimental Statistics. Official Statistics in Development are Official Statistics that are temporarily undergoing development and are being tested with users, in line with the standards of trustworthiness, quality, and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics.

Users should be aware of the status of this series. These statistics are new mid-year estimates based on the existing National Travel Survey and will be subject to testing in terms of their value and ability to meet customer needs.

Users can be involved in the development of this statistical series by completing this short 5 minute survey. We would like to hear your views on the value of these mid-year estimates and whether this publication can meet your needs. Alternatively, you can email us at National Travel Survey statistics. Any feedback provided will help inform the future design and development of this statistical release.

More information about the development plan for these statistics can be found in the Official Statistics in Development information and feedback request.

Further information about these statistics

Further information is available, including:

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  1. All references to ‘car’ include a small number of vans. ↩

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