Dept of Transport - Covid 19 Travel Survey

[Nicholas Lewis]

DofT have uploaded the results of an IPSOS survey

https://assets.publishing.service.g...-summary-for-the-department-for-transport.pdf

into future travel habits which doesn't make pretty reading at first glance until you realise the sample period was during two weeks during late May but its taken them 7 weeks to publish the results so not sure its much use in informing what demand is going to be on public transport.

 

[Huntergreed]

80% of people surveyed feel 'uncomfortable' using rail, that's very concerning

Yet Northern and other TOC's are wondering why they can't get passengers back on their trains!

 

[Non Multi]

80% of people surveyed feel 'uncomfortable' using rail, that's very concerning

Yet Northern and other TOC's are wondering why they can't get passengers back on their trains!

Passenger transport operators need to collectively fund an ad campaign to get the message out that using public transport is safe to use. Needs to be properly persuasive too.

 

[DB]

Some of us are 'uncomfortable' using rail because of the mask requirement, and would otherwise not be bothered. OK, this will be a miniroty but it will still be a significant number of people. With the constant scare tactics and the masks they seem to have done a good job at driving away both those who are concerned about the virus and those who are concerned about the restrictions put in place!

 

[YorksDMU]

Things appear to have changed in East Yorkshire since that survey. Today I travelled from Beverley to Scarborough , and the class 170’s were full. No ‘Out of Use’ signs on the seats, it was just like old times. People seem happy to be going by rail. We do need more trains running, but I’ll say no more about that here.
I’ll be using the train again, and it would appear others will be doing so too.
I think a new survey should be undertaken to see what people think now it’s late July.

 

[yorksrob]

People are definitely back. Although it is a noticably younger age profile in my experience. I feel positively Methuselahn by comparison !

 

[Bletchleyite]

"Uncomfortable" was maybe a bad choice of wording. I certainly feel uncomfortable using rail, partly because of having a mask on and partly because of the likes of the Fainsa Sophia. However, I think they meant "unsafe", and I definitely don't feel unsafe.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Things appear to have changed in East Yorkshire since that survey. Today I travelled from Beverley to Scarborough , and the class 170’s were full. No ‘Out of Use’ signs on the seats, it was just like old times. People seem happy to be going by rail. We do need more trains running, but I’ll say no more about that here.
I’ll be using the train again, and it would appear others will be doing so too.
I think a new survey should be undertaken to see what people think now it’s late July.

Yorks been out three days this week into London and certainly a big uplift in passengers especially off peak.

On the survey Dept of Transport should learn from ONS who are running weekly coronovirus surveys and publishing results within a week! Public Transport operators might have a better clue about what to expect and plan for.

 

[furlong]

A classic example of how you can prove anything with a survey if you control the questions.

28% would be encouraged back if public/passengers wore face coverings but only 15% would if staff had to wear them - so here you have some survey evidence to suggest why staff can be given special treatment.

You can equally read the data to say that up to 47% of people would not be encouraged to return by mask wearing versus only 28% who would, but that 47% isn't asked whether they don't care enough to mention it relative to other things or whether they would be actively discouraged. In other words the survey didn't consider whether any of the things it suggested might have a negative effect and it also mixed up people who had no choice about travelling (so had no need for encouragement) with those who did still have a choice.

 

[J-2739]

People are definitely back. Although it is a noticably younger age profile in my experience. I feel positively Methuselahn by comparison !

My local line, for example, is just about packed to the rafters, based on what I saw last week. Well, compared to this time last month. And not just of the young aged.

People clearly aren't that terrified of train travel. (I accept this is an anecdote)

 

[Huntergreed]

My local line, for example, is just about packed to the rafters, based on what I saw last week. Well, compared to this time last month. And not just of the young aged.

People clearly aren't that terrified of train travel. (I accept this is an anecdote)

This seems to be becoming the general condensed (on here at least!), let’s hope it continues to pick up, encouraging operators to run more services and preventing the risk of future redundancies, cuts or closures.

 

[Non Multi]

Here's one for da kids:

Waiting for a train on an empty station.

Where is everyone?

9:50 pm · 24 Jul 2020

https://www.twitter.com/TimmyMallett/status/1286765798258806784

 

[yorksrob]

My local line, for example, is just about packed to the rafters, based on what I saw last week. Well, compared to this time last month. And not just of the young aged.

People clearly aren't that terrified of train travel. (I accept this is an anecdote)

An anecdote of real life though.

As opposed to those railway managers who are sitting stoney faced, waiting for a tide of commuters while running their longer distance services down (Northern, this is you.).

 

[trebor79]

Trains all seem empty still round my way. I'm planning a trip to Norwich one evening next week for a meal and some pints with a mate. Will be my first train journey since March.

 

[yorkie]

I was impressed by the numbers on a TPE service from York towards Newcastle yesterday afternoon; it was also impressive to see so many on a Northern service towards Saltburn (people were using the train for all sorts of journeys, from Darlington to local stops shortly after there, or local stations in Teeside to/from Middlesbrough, and a reasonable number going all the way to Saltburn too).

However the numbers are still a long way short of what you'd normally expect on a Summer Friday. The evening trains were dead, sadly.

It does appear to be very variable depending on all sorts of factors, but overall numbers are way down compared to what they should be.