The Travel Survey for Northern Ireland Report 2022 and 2023 data has been published today
Date published:
The Travel Survey for Northern Ireland (TSNI) Report 2022 and 2023 data is now available.
The publication is produced by the Analysis, Statistics and Research Branch (ASRB) of the Department for Infrastructure and contains information on walking, cycling, public transport, travelling by car, journey purpose and key tables by urban–rural. The publication is available on the Department for Infrastructure website.
Key Points:
The key points in the report are:
- In 2023, each person travelled, on average, 5,640 miles (approximately 15.5 miles per day), an increase from the previous year (4,927 miles per person in 2022).
- On average, 828 journeys were made per person in 2023 (just over 2 journeys per day), similar to 2022 (821 journeys per person).
- In 2023, the average journey length was 6.8 miles, an increase from the previous year (6.0 miles in 2022).
- On average, 583 car journeys were taken per person in 2023. This equates to seven in ten (70%) of all journeys made, similar to 2022 (69%).
- There were 181 walking journeys per person in 2023. This represents just over one fifth (22%) of all journeys made, similar to 2022 (24%).
- In 2023, 32 public transport journeys were made per person. This equates to 4% of all journeys made, the same as 2022 (4%).
- There was an average of 9 cycling journeys per person in 2023. This represents 1% of all journeys made, the same as 2022 (1%)
- There were 296 leisure and other journeys taken per person in 2023 (visiting friends at private home/elsewhere, entertainment/social activities, sports, holiday/day trip, other including just walk, undefined purpose). This represents just over one third (36%) of all journeys made, the same as 2022 (36%).
- Each person made, on average, 147 shopping journeys during 2023, which represents almost one fifth (18%) of all journeys made, similar to 2022 (17%).
- On average, 162 commuting and business journeys were taken per person in 2023. This equates to 20% of all journeys made, an increase compared to 2022 (17%).
- There were 116 education and escort education journeys made per person in 2023 (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 2022 (15%).
- In 2023, people living in urban areas made around the same number of journeys, on average, as people living in rural areas (urban: 836 journeys; rural: 814 journeys). However, rural residents travelled further than urban residents (urban: 4,711 miles; rural: 7,103 miles).
Notes to editors:
Background to the report:
- 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.
- TSNI reports are generally published annually and the earliest data available are for the 1999-2001 period. A significant amount of extra data validation work was required for 2022 and 2023, which combined with the delay in receiving TSNI datasets from the data supplier, continues to have a knock-on effect on the usual publication timetable. Therefore, data for 2022 and 2023 are being published in the same report.
- The survey methodology changed in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, 2020 to 2023 results are not directly comparable to those prior to 2020. The commentary contained in the report is therefore mainly focussed on the findings for 2022 and 2023 data. The smaller achieved sample for single years has limited some of the analysis that can be carried out.
- These statistics are accredited official statistics, independently reviewed by Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) in March 2011. Accredited Official Statistics are official statistics that have been independently reviewed by OSR and confirmed to comply with the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics. Accredited official statistics are called National Statistics in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007.
- Electronic copies of the Report and associated data tables are available free of charge from the Department for Infrastructure website.
- For more information relating to this publication, including additional analysis, breakdowns of data, or alternative formats, please contact: Analysis, Statistics and Research Branch, 1st Floor, James House, Gasworks Site, 2-4 Cromac Avenue, Belfast, BT7 2JA Telephone: (028) 9054 0804 (Text relay prefix 18001). E-mail: asrb@nisra.gov.uk. Website: www.infrastructure-ni.gov.uk/topics/dfi-statistics-and-research. ASRB advise customers to make contact through email or by telephone.
- All media queries should be directed to the Department for Infrastructure Press Office at: press.office@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk.
- 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. The duty press officer can be contacted on 028 9037 8110.
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