Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions

Transport Statistics for London 1999
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date 29 November 1999
source Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions
type Press release

note Press Notice 1143

The 1999 edition of Transport Statistics for London is published today. This report has 30 sections covering a wide range of facts and figures on transport in the capital, together with background information. There are indications of further increases in public transport demand in London.

Key points of interest are:

People entering central London in the morning peak

o In autumn 1998, 1.1 million people were estimated to enter central London between 7am and 10am on a typical weekday. This represents a 3% increase on the previous year and continues an upward trend established in 1994, following a period of steady decline between 1988 and 1993. Around 83% used public transport in 1998, 3% higher than in 1993. People entering central London by surface rail increased by 3% and by underground by 6% during 1998, whereas people entering by car decreased by 2%.

London Underground

o The distance travelled by passengers on London Underground's network rose by 4% in 1998/99, to 6.7 billion kilometres, the highest level for over a decade. Passenger journeys increased to over 860 million in 1998/99, some 6% higher than the previous peak in 1988/89.

Bus

o Bus passenger travel decreased marginally in 1998/99 to 4.3 billion passenger kilometres. However, bus passenger travel has increased by 13% over the last five years after a steady decline between the late 1980s and 1993/94.

London Transport

o London Transport achieved a gross operating profit of £255 million in 1998/99, a rise of 4% in real terms over the previous year, and with no requirement for Government to subsidise day-to-day operations.
o Investment in London Transport has increased by nearly 70% over the last decade, partly due to the construction of the Jubilee Line extension.

Docklands Light Railway

o Passenger traffic on the Docklands Light Railway has more than doubled since 1995/96, largely due to rapidly increased usage of the Bank to Canary Wharf line.

Rail in the South East

o The distance travelled by train passengers in the South East increased by 6% to 16.4 billion kilometres in 1998/99, the fourth year running that passenger kilometres have increased.

Road

o The average daily total vehicle flow on major roads in Greater London increased by less than 2% between 1991 and 1998 to 29.1 thousand vehicles a day. Cars comprise over 80% of the total flow.
o In central London, average travel speeds are similar in peak and daytime off-peak periods at about 10 mph. In outer London, average peak period speeds are at about 18 mph and in the off-peak at around 23 mph.
o The number of people killed in road accidents within Greater London (226 in 1998) is less than half the level of the early 1980s.

Other points of interest include:

o The population of Greater London has grown slowly over the last ten years, having exceeded 7 million in 1995 for the first time since the 1970s. The population growth from 1991 to 1998 was 4%. The total number of people employed in Greater London increased in 1998 to over 4 million, 14% higher than the low 1993 level associated with the recession of the early 1990s.
o In 1998, 78% of people working in central London travelled to work by public transport, compared with 18% in outer London and 13% in Great Britain as a whole.
o The average travel time to work in 1997 for those working in central London was 55 minutes, more than twice as high as the Great Britain average of 25 minutes.
o Over a million trips were made on London's 'Dial-a-ride' services for disabled people in 19987/99, using 262 buses.
o In 1996/98, the average distance travelled per year by residents of Greater London was about 5,000 miles (just under a hundred miles a week), almost the same as in 1985/86. Car accounts for around two thirds of the average distance travelled by London residents.
o Inner London residents used cars for 54% of the distance travelled in 1995/97, compared with 71% for residents of outer London.
o In 1997/98, households in Greater London spent about £38 a week on motoring, and £17 on fares and other travel costs.
o In 1997, 39% of households in Greater London did not have use of a car or van, compared with 30% for Great Britain as a whole.
o Vehicle thefts in the Greater London area increased by 6% in 1998 compared with a decrease of 6% for England and Wales as a whole.
o The number of licensed vehicles registered to owners in Greater London increased by 5% between 1988 and 1998 compared with 19% nationally.
o The number of passengers travelling to or from London's airports rose by 8% between 1997 and 1998, and by over 60% since 1988.

Notes to Editors

Transport Statistics for London 1999 (ISBN 1-851123-27-X)] is published today by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, price £12. A separate Bulletin of Public Transport Statistics GB, published tomorrow, will also provide trends in use of public transport in London.

Topics covered in Transport Statistics for London 1999 are:

Population Road casualties
Employment, earnings and GDP Parking
People entering central London during the morning peak Freight traffic
Air quality Londoners' personal travel
London Transport funds and expenditure Household expenditure on transport
Bus and coach services Travel to work in Greater London
Bus fares, receipts and costs Peak travel and employment in Docklands
Underground traffic Journey times in London
Underground fares, investment, receipts and costs Travel facilities for the disabled
Car ownership and vehicle thefts Rail traffic, fares and receipts
Road vehicles Docklands Light Railway
Average traffic speeds Service quality
Road traffic Air traffic
Traffic in the City of London Mode of access to London's airports
Taxis Travel to work at London's airports
Copies are available from:
Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions
Publication Sales Centre
Unit 8, Goldthorpe Industrial Estate
Goldthorpe
Rotherham S63 9BL
Tel: 01709 891318
Fax: 01709 881673

Press Enquiries: 0171 890 3045
Out of Hours: 0171 890 5925/5945
Public Enquiries Unit: 0171 890 3333
E-mail: press@dtlr.gov.uk
DETR Press Notices: http://www.press.dtlr.gov.uk/

Railhub Archive ::: 1999-11-29 DET-002