Official Statistics

NTS mid-year estimates: year ending June 2024

Published 16 April 2025

Applies to England

About this release

This is the second statistical release showing mid-year estimates 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.

Following the first release in 2024, a user engagement exercise found this release to be valuable to users for purposes such as research and modelling. They are considered Official Statistics in Development whilst their value and robustness are assessed. Some trends, especially at the subgroup level, may differ to those in the annual publication due to the different way this dataset is weighted, along with limited sample sizes.

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 2024 include data from the second half of 2023 and the first half of 2024. The questions asked in the two periods were broadly the same. In the year ending June 2024, the survey captured responses from 16,021 individuals covering 271,764 trips. For more information please see the technical report.

For further detailed trends and insights for the years up to and including 2023, please see the annual statistical release and associated tables.

Main findings

People living in England made on average 922 trips in the year ending June 2024. Overall trip rates were 1% higher in the year ending June 2024 compared to calendar year 2023 and 5% higher compared to the year ending June 2023, however, trip rates remained 3% lower than in 2019.

In the year ending June 2024, average trips increased for private transport modes, car drivers and car passengers^{[footnote 1]}, as well as some public transport modes, buses outside London, London Underground and surface rail compared to the year ending June 2023. Trip rates for these modes remained lower than pre-pandemic levels (2019).

Active travel modes remained similar in the year ending June 2024 compared to the year ending June 2023. Walking was however the only mode where trips were higher than pre-pandemic levels (up by 7% in the year ending June 2024).  

There continue to be changes in the frequency of trips of different purposes since the pandemic. There have been increases in trip rates for the purpose of business (an increase of 29%), personal business (13%), visiting friends at home (12%) and day trips (4%) in the year ending June 2024 compared to the year ending June 2023. Trip rates for education, shopping and other including just walk have remained similar in the year ending June 2024 compared to the year ending June 2023. Trip rates for the purpose of commuting have decreased by 5% in the year ending June 2024 compared to the year ending June 2023. Trip rates for day trips and other including just walk remained higher than pre-pandemic levels in the year ending June 2024 by 21% and 38% respectively.

COVID-19 and travel in the year ending June 2024

The National Travel Survey has found that, broadly, personal travel in the year ending June 2024 remained similar to calendar year 2023 and has not returned to pre-pandemic trends and patterns. 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 2023.

Recent trends in trips, miles and hours

Chart 1: Trends in trips taken, miles travelled and hours spent travelling: England, 2019, year ending June 2023, 2023 and the year ending June 2024 NTSMY0101

People made 922 trips per person in the year ending June 2024, or 18 trips per week. This was 1% higher than 2023 (915 trips per person), and 5% higher than the same period in the previous year (882 trips per person in the year ending June 2023). However, the average number of trips made remained 3% lower than in 2019 (953 trips per person).

People travelled on average 6,039 miles in the year ending June 2024, a 1% increase compared to 2023 (5,974 miles per person), and 6% higher than the year ending June 2023 (5,720 miles per person). This was 7% lower than 2019 (6,500 miles per person).

People spent 360 hours on average travelling in the year ending June 2024, 2% higher compared to 2023 (353 hours per person), and 6% higher than the year ending June 2023 (338 hours per person), however, remained 3% lower than 2019 (370 hours per person). This is around 59 minutes a day. On average people spent 23 minutes per cycling trip, 21 minutes per car driver trip and 19 minutes per walking trip in the year ending June 2024.

Trends in trips and distance travelled by main mode

Chart 2: Average walking trips and miles travelled: England, 2019, year ending June 2023, 2023 and the year ending June 2024 NTSMY0303

In the year ending June 2024, the average number of walking trips of 267 trips per person remained similar to the year ending June 2023 (261 trips per person). This was however, a 7% increase compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019 (250 trips per person).

Average walking distance travelled was 230 miles per person in the year ending June 2024. This was an increase of 8% compared to the year ending June 2023 (214 miles per person) and an increase of 13% compared to 2019 (205 miles per person).

Chart 3: Average pedal cycle trips and miles travelled: England, 2019, year ending June 2023, 2023 and the year ending June 2024 NTSMY0303

There were 15 cycling trips per person in the year ending June 2024. This was similar to the year ending June 2023 (16 trips per person). There were 16 cycling trips per person in 2019.

In the year ending June 2024, there were 51 cycling miles per person travelled, this was similar to the year ending June 2023 (53 miles per person) and 6% lower than in 2019 (54 miles per person).

Chart 4: Average car (as driver or passenger) trips and miles travelled: England, 2019, year ending June 2023, 2023 and the year ending June 2024 NTSMY0303

In the year ending June 2024, there were 364 car driver trips per person and 188 car passenger trips per person. These were higher than the year ending June 2023 by 5% and 8% respectively (346 car driver trips per person and 174 car passenger trips per person), but a decrease of 4% and 6% respectively compared to 2019 (380 car driver trips per person and 200 car passenger trips per person).

In the year ending June 2024, there were 2,987 car driver miles per person and 1,689 car passenger miles per person. Compared to the year ending June 2023, this remained similar for car drivers (2,889 miles per person) but an increase of 5% for car passengers (1,607 miles per person). These were both, however, a decrease compared to 2019 by 7% (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, year ending June 2023, 2023 and the year ending June 2024 NTSMY0303

There were 13 trips per person on buses in London in the year ending June 2024. This was a decrease of 21% compared to the year ending June 2023 (16 trips per person), but comparable to levels seen in calendar years 2023 (14 trips per person) and 2022 (14 trips per person), suggesting the medium term trend may be more stable. This was also a decrease of 31% compared to 2019 (18 trips per person). Any volatility in NTS statistics may reflect a number of factors, such as smaller sample sizes in years closer to the pandemic.

On buses outside London, there were 27 trips per person in the year ending June 2024, this was an increase of 15% compared to the year ending June 2023 (23 trips per person), but a decrease of 15% compared to 2019 (32 trips per person). The increase in trips on buses outside London coincides with the £2 bus fare cap being in operation in England outside London during 2023 and 2024.

The trends were similar for distance travelled where there were 49 miles per person travelled on buses in London in the year ending June 2024. This was a decrease, of 15% compared to the year ending June 2023 (58 miles per person) and of 33% compared to 2019 (73 miles per person). On buses outside London in the year ending June 2024, there were 136 miles per person. This was an increase of 13% compared to the year ending June 2023 (120 miles per person), but remained a decrease of 14% compared to 2019 (158 miles per person).

Chart 6: Average London Underground trips and miles travelled: England, 2019, year ending June 2023, 2023 and the year ending June 2024 NTSMY0303

There were 10 London Underground trips per person in the year ending June 2024. This was an increase of 15% compared to the year ending June 2023 (9 trips per person), but a decrease of 16% compared to 2019 (12 trips per person).

There were 86 miles per person travelled on the London Underground in the year ending June 2024, this was an increase of 10% compared to the year ending June 2023 (79 miles per person), but a decrease of 21% compared to 2019 (109 miles per person).

Chart 7: Average surface rail trips and miles travelled: England, 2019, year ending June 2023, 2023 and the year ending June 2024 NTSMY0303

Surface rail trips increased by 9% in the year ending June 2024 with 19 trips per person, compared to the year ending June 2023 (17 trips per person). This was however a decrease of 11% compared to 2019 (21 trips per person).

Surface rail distance travelled increased 20% in the year ending June 2024 with 564 miles per person, compared to the year ending June 2023 (468 miles per person). This remained a decrease of 10% compared to 2019 (625 miles per person).

Trends in trips and distance travelled by purpose

Chart 8: Trips per person per year by selected purposes: England, 2019, year ending June 2023, 2023 and the year ending June 2024 NTSMY0403

In the year ending June 2024, the most common trip purpose by England residents was for shopping with 168 trips per person. This was similar to the year ending June 2023 (165 trips per person), however, remained a decrease of 7% compared to 2019 (181 trips per person).

The second most common trip purpose was for commuting with 113 trips per person. This was a 5% decrease compared to the year ending June 2023 (119 trips per person) and a 20% decrease compared to 2019 (140 trips per person).

The third most common trip purpose was for other including just walk with 84 trips per person in the year ending June 2024. The number of trips seen for this purpose was similar to the year ending June 2023 (with 87 trips per person), but an increase of 38% compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019 (61 trips per person). Day trip also showed an increase (21%) compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019 with 38 trips per person in the year ending June 2024.

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.

There have been increases in trip rates for the purpose of business (an increase of 29%), personal business (13%), visiting friends at home (12%) and day trips (4%) in the year ending June 2024 compared to the year ending June 2023. Trip rates for education have remained similar in the year ending June 2024 compared to the year ending June 2023.

Chart 9: Miles travelled by per person per year by selected purposes: England 2019, year ending June 2023, 2023 and the year ending June 2024 NTSMY0403

The journey purpose with the longest distance travelled in year ending June 2024 was commuting, with 1,008 miles per person. This remained similar to the year ending June 2023 (1,045 miles per person) but a 21% decrease 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 902 miles per person. This was an increase of 18% compared to the year ending June 2023 (766 miles per person), but similar to 2019 (872 miles per person).

The third largest distance travelled was for shopping with 628 miles per person in the year ending June 2024. This remained similar compared to the year ending June 2023 (615 miles per person), but a decrease compared to 2019 (700 miles per person).

Distance travelled for the purpose of day trip and for other including just walk in the year ending June 2024 was greater than in 2019. In the year ending June 2024 there were 87 miles travelled on average for the purpose of other including just walk, 50% higher than in 2019 (58 miles per person) and there were 504 miles travelled on average for the purpose of day trip, 16% higher than in 2019 (435 miles per person).

Trips by region of residence

Chart 10: Public, private and active mode share by region of residence: England, year ending June 2024 NTSMY9903

In the year ending June 2024, people living in London made the highest proportion of trips using active transport modes (walking and cycling) with 37%. This was 4 percentage points lower than in the year ending June 2023. 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 26%. This was 1 percentage point lower than in the year ending June 2023.

Residents of the West Midlands and East Midlands made the highest proportion of trips using private transport modes such as car, motorcycle and other private transport with 68%. Residents in the East Midlands made a higher proportion of trips by private transport modes in the year ending June 2024 compared to the year ending June 2023 (an increase of 4 percentage points), however, a smaller proportion of trips by active transport modes (a decrease of 5 percentage points to 27%).

In the year ending June 2024, residents in the West Midlands made the smallest proportion of trips by active transport modes (25%). Residents from London made the smallest proportion of trips by private transport modes (37%) and residents from the South West made the smallest proportion of trips by public transport modes (4%).

About these statistics

The National Travel Survey mid-year estimates of travel behaviours by residents of England travelling within Great Britain is an extension of the existing National Travel Survey (NTS) annual statistics. 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. The NTS is part of a continuous survey that began in 1988, following ad-hoc surveys from the 1960s, which enables analysis of patterns and trends.

Some key uses of the data include describing patterns, for example how different groups of people travel, monitoring trends in travel, including sustainable modes; assessing the potential equality impacts of different groups; and contributing to the evaluation of policies.

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, in line with the standards of trustworthiness, quality, and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics.

We always welcome feedback to help ensure that the survey meets the needs of users, and any feedback provided will help inform the future design and development of the survey. If you have any feedback, please email National Travel Survey statistics.

Further information about these statistics

Further information is available, including:

• data tables

• technical report

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Contact details

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Email national.travelsurvey@dft.gov.uk

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