National statistics

National Travel Survey 2022: Travel to and from school

Updated 14 December 2023

Applies to England

About this release

The National Travel Survey (NTS) is a household survey of personal travel by residents of England travelling within Great Britain, from data collected via interviews and a seven-day travel diary, which enables analysis of patterns and trends. This release covers the main findings from these travel behaviours during 2022. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic from March 2020, has had a substantial impact on travel trends since 2020 and has affected the operation of this survey. Further details on these impacts can be found in the Introduction and main findings section of this report.

Trips to and from school by main mode

Chart 25: Trips to and from school by main mode and age: England, 2002 to 2022 (NTS0613)

In 2022, 53% of trips to and from school were made by walking, by children aged 5 to 10, and 40% by car. Pre-pandemic (2019), the proportion of trips to and from school made by children aged 5 to 10 by walking was at an all time low of 46% and this proportion has increased in recent years. The opposite is true for the proportion of car trips which have reduced in recent years. In 2022, 4% of children aged 5 to 10 travelled to and from school by local bus.

Children aged 11 to 16 made 41% of trips to and from school by walking and 26% by car. Around 16% of trips to and from school were made by local bus by this age group. This proportion has increased since 2020, and before that the proportion was 23% in 2019. Children aged 11 to 16 tend to cycle to school slightly more than younger children, with 6% of such trips made by pedal cycle in 2022.

Chart 26: Trips to and from school by main mode, trip length and age: England, 2002 to 2022 (NTS0614)

For children aged 5 to 10 most trips of less than a mile to and from school were made by walking, with 86% walked in 2022. This proportion has increased in recent years. The car is used most often for longer trips to and from school for this age group, with 78% for trip length 1 to 2 miles, 77% for trip length 2 to under 5 miles and 72% for trip length 5 miles and over in 2022. The proportion of trips to and from school by bus increased in 2022 compared to the previous year with 22% for trip length 2 to under 5 miles and 14% for trip length 5 miles and over.

Most trips to and from school by children aged 11 to 16 were made by walking for trip length under 1 mile (90%) and trip length 1 to under 2 miles (62%) in 2022. Motorised transport is used more often for longer school trips, with similar proportions travelling via car and bus for trip length 2 to under 5 miles with 42% and 38% respectively, and for trip length 5 miles and over with 37% and 44% respectively in 2022. Around 11% of trips to and from school were made by cycling for trip length 2 to under 5 miles by this age group.

Chart 27: Trips to and from school by main mode and rural-urban areas of residence: England 2002 to 2022 (NTS9908)^{[footnote 3]}

Around 43% of trips to and from school were made by walking by children aged 5 to 16 living in urban conurbation areas, 35% by car and 15% by local bus in 2022. Children living in urban cities and towns made a higher proportion of trips by walking with 53%, 31% by car, 6% by local bus and 6% by cycling. Around 11% of trips to and from school by children living in rural towns and fringes were made by local bus and 12% by private bus in 2022. Children living in rural villages, hamlets and isolated dwelling made the highest proportion of their trips to and from school by car with 57% in 2022, followed by private bus with 18%.

Barriers and encouragements to walking to school

Chart 28: Main reason for not walking to school more often: England, 2021 (NTS0809)

Statistics on the main reason for not walking to school more often are collected every odd year within the NTS from 2019. The latest statistics for 2021 show that 47% of individuals report the school being too far, followed by it takes too long (12%) and children are too young (8%).

Chart 29: What would encourage walking to school more often: England: 2021 (NTS0809)

This chart demonstrates responses to the question: “what would encourage you the most to walk to school more often?”. These statistics are collected every odd year within the NTS from 2019. The latest statistics for 2021 show that 69% of individuals report that nothing would encourage them. The most popular encouragements were safer roads (for example with slower speeds, less traffic, more considerate driving (12%)) and more safer crossing points (7%).

Background information

The 2022 National Travel Survey (NTS) is the latest in a series of household surveys of personal travel by residents of England travelling within Great Britain, from data collected via interviews and a seven-day travel diary. The NTS is part of a continuous survey that began in 1988, following ad-hoc surveys from the 1960s, which enables analysis of patterns and trends.

Some key uses of the data include describing patterns, for example how different groups of people travel, monitoring trends in travel, including sustainable modes; assessing the potential equality impacts of different groups; and contributing to the evaluation of policies.

We always welcome feedback to help ensure that the survey meets the needs of users, and any feedback provided will help inform the future design and development of the survey. If you have any feedback, please email National Travel Survey statistics.

National Statistics

These statistics are designated as National Statistics. National Statistics are produced to high professional standards as set out in the Code of Practice for Statistics. The Code of Practice for Statistics plays an essential role in ensuring that statistics published by government inspire the public confidence through demonstrating trustworthiness and providing high-quality statistics. These statistics were designated as National Statistics in July 2011. The continued designation was confirmed in September 2018.

Further information about these statistics is available, including:

• National Travel Survey statistics: data tables
• National Travel Survey statistics: notes and definitions
• National Travel Survey statistics: guidance and quality information
• National Travel Survey statistics: future developments

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Contact details

National Travel Survey statistics

Email national.travelsurvey@dft.gov.uk

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1. These statistics are usually presented as two years combined; however, these statistics are presented as single years for 2020 to 2022. This is due to changes in the methodology of data collection, changes in travel behaviour and a reduction of data collected during 2020 to 2022, as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Such changes prevent combining data for 2020 to 2022 with another year to create a two-year figure. Care should be taken when interpreting this data and comparing to other years, due to the small sample sizes. ↩