The Travel Survey for Northern Ireland Headline Report 2021 has been published today

The Travel Survey for Northern Ireland (TSNI) headline report, containing statistics for 2021, is now available.

The publication is produced by the Analysis, Statistics and Research Branch (ASRB) of the Department for Infrastructure and contains information on journeys taken by mode of travel and purpose of journey. The publication is available on the Travel Survey for Northern Ireland website.

KEY POINTS

The key points for 2021 are:

Overall results

• In 2021, each person travelled, on average, 4,940 miles (approximately 13.5 miles per day), no real change from the previous year (4,550 miles per person in 2020).
• On average, 838 journeys were made per person in 2021 (just over 2 journeys per day), similar to 2020 (826 journeys per person).
• In 2021, the average journey length was 5.9 miles, an increase from the previous year (5.5 miles in 2020).

Main mode of travel

• On average, 583 car journeys were taken per person in 2021. This equates to just under seven in ten (69%) of all journeys made, similar to 2020 (65%).
• There were 199 walking journeys per person in 2021.  This represents just under one quarter (24%) of all journeys made, similar to 2020 (27%).
• In 2021, 20 public transport journeys were made per person.  This equates to 2% of all journeys made, no real difference from 2020 (3%).
• In 2021, 1% of all journeys were made by cycling. There was an average of 10 cycling journeys per person in 2021, no real change from 2020 (16 journeys).

Purpose of journeys

• There were 323 leisure and other journeys taken per person in 2021 (visiting friends at private home/elsewhere, entertainment/social activities, sports, holiday/day trip, other including just walk, undefined purpose).  This represents just under two fifths (39%) of all journeys made, similar to 2020 (43%).
• Each person made, on average, 148 shopping journeys during 2021, which represents almost one fifth (18%) of all journeys made, the same as 2020 (18%).
• On average, 139 commuting and business journeys were taken per person in 2021. This equates to 17% of all journeys made, no real change compared to 2020 (16%).
• There were 117 education and escort education journeys made per person in 2021 (e.g. a schoolchild going to school, a student going to college/university, a parent taking a child to school).  This accounted for 14% of all journeys made, no real difference from 2020 (12%).

Journeys made by walking, cycling or public transport

• In 2021, over one quarter (27%) of all journeys were taken by walking, cycling or public transport, a decrease from 2020 (33%).

Notes to editors: 

1. The Travel Survey for Northern Ireland (TSNI) is a household survey and is the only source of information on how, over the region as a whole, people use different forms of transport to meet their travel needs as individuals.  Detailed user information, definitions and guidance are included in the report.
2. TSNI reports are published annually and the earliest data available are for the 1999-2001 period.  Two reports, a headline report and an in-depth report, are published.  The 2021 in-depth report is planned for publication in Summer 2023.
3. There were a number of significant changes to the survey methodology from April 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure the data could continue to be collected safely.  This included moving from face-to-face to telephone interviewing.
4. Due to these changes to the methodology, the 2020 and 2021 survey estimates are being reported as single years instead of the usual three years combined and these results are not directly comparable to those of previous years.  The commentary contained in the report is therefore focussed on the findings for 2021 and comparisons are only made with 2020 data.
5. This is a National Statistics publication and therefore follows the Code of Practice for Statistics.  You can find further information about the Code of Practice on the UK Statistics Authority website.
6. For more information relating to this publication, including alternative formats, please contact:

• Telephone: (028) 9054 0799
• E-mail: asrb@nisra.gov.uk
• Website:  DfI Statistics and Research

7. All media queries should be directed to the Department for Infrastructure Press Office at: press.office@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk
8. Follow the Department on Twitter @deptinfra and on Facebook @DepartmentforInfrastructure
9. The Executive Information Service operates an out of hours service for media enquiries only between 1800hrs and 0800hrs Monday to Friday and at weekends and public holidays.

Share this page