The challenge of a changing demographic
The Urban Transport Group represents the combined thoughts of the various urban areas around the UK that attempt to manage their own transport systems. Its reports are a proper collection of data, with an analysis careful not to read too much into the real numbers. Summarising them, this is what is happening.
There is a lot of difference between areas, but we won’t be wasting too much time on that, as there are few surprises. Basically, if you invest in a good transport system people use it. No kidding, Kojak.
Nationally the big transport growth area is in vans, nigh on doubling over a 20-year period. With high street closures and travel for shopping dropping 15% in 10 years it is fair to assume much of the increase is from Internet shopping. As all these vehicles chase around trying to deliver our click-picks (then scurry around again when we might be in), they are compensating for the small (2%) drop in car traffic. Since vans’ average load factor is only 38%, the market is ripe for some consolidation, but commercially driven, not the return of Red Star Parcels by rail.
Suffice to say that road traffic is still terrible, especially around the peak of the other …
