Two-thirds of UK residents have said they believe virtual
meetings will replace some or all business trips or meetings even after the
coronavirus outbreak is under control, with rail journeys set to fall, according to a new poll.
A survey of 1,500 UK adult residents by transport consultant
SYSTRA found the number of people using public transport in Britain could be 20
per cent lower than normal after the pandemic, growing to 27 per cent for those
who use the railways to commute, raising fears people could turn to cars and cause
a spike in harmful emissions.
Nearly half (49 per cent) of those who expect to make fewer
journeys said this will be because of health concerns, while 24 per cent said they
plan to work from home more when the lockdown is eased (17 per cent among full
and part-time workers), citing reasons such as saving money and time, and
wanting a better work-life balance. Fourteen per cent said they have found alternative
ways of getting to work.
Katie Hall, SYSTRA’s director of travel behaviour, commented:
“Our climate emergency has not been cancelled. There is no doubt that this
situation has opened up different ways of working for many, but if people start
rejecting public transport over the car for work and leisure trips – that’s a
massive step backwards. Public transport operators must rise to this challenge.”
Neill Birch, director of public transport at SYSTRA, added: “A
drop of 20 per cent equates to 5 million fewer trips being made every single
day, most of them in and out of our major towns and cities. Our research
highlights the need for the public transport sector to think hard and plan
ahead to be ready for when travel restrictions are lifted. Public transport
operators must reassure nervous passengers by communicating very clearly about
their hygiene regimes, driver and passenger responsibilities. A national
campaign may well be required.”
Rail journeys in the UK have dropped dramatically since the government placed the country on lockdown to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. First Group, which operates bus services across the UK as well as the Great
Western Railway, South Western Railway, TransPennine Express and Avanti West
Coast franchises, recently reported a 90 per cent decline in passenger numbers,
while Transport for London said Tube journeys have fallen by 95 per cent.