Commuters would prefer an extra hour in bed

A new survey has found one in three commuters would prefer to spend more time in bed than sitting in their car in traffic each day.

The survey for Travelwise NI marks the beginning of European Mobility Week,16-22 September, which encourages commuters to leave the car at home on Friday in favour of the more sustainable alternatives.

With the school holidays well and truly over and the traffic patterns returning to normal, more people are now spending an even greater amount of time sitting in their car every day than they were only a few weeks ago. Research carried out by the Department for Regional Development’s Travelwise NI initiative found that on average the typical car commuter from a dormitory town spends on average an extra hour a day travelling to and from work than they do during the school holidays.

Announcing the findings of a survey of 200 commuters that work in Belfast, Aileen Gault, Head of Travelwise NI said: “With people now having to leave for work earlier and get home later, it is far from surprising that 34% of those surveyed said that if they were able to reclaim that hour lost each day they would like to spend it in bed.

"Twenty one per cent said they would prefer to use this time to exercise while 20% said they would rather have an extra hour of time with their family. Nineteen per cent stated that if they had this time they would spend it working.

"While these statistics are not shocking, they do highlight the impact of how we commute to and from work on our health, our work, as well as our family and social lives. By choosing to sit in the car in traffic every day, with only the radio for company, people are missing out on quality time that could be put to better use. Travelwise NI would encourage commuters to leave the car at home, even for one day a week in favour of more sustainable modes of transport.

"Taking the bus or train would enable people to catch up on some work or reading, walking or cycling part of the way, where possible, would provide an excellent form of exercise. As it is not always possible for some to go completely car free, Travelwise would suggest sharing your car journey with family, friends or colleagues that will allow people to spend more time in the company of others.

"However, for many here, going car free is a realistic option and I would encourage them to leave the car at home this Friday, 18 September, try out Translink’s Metro Friday promotion and give the alternatives a go,” she said.

With congestion levels being an issue across the north, Travelwise is being supported by the Northern Ireland Local Government Association (NILGA) in encouraging local Councils to do more to help promote sustainable forms of transport.

NILGA President, Cllr Helen Quigley said: “We have become increasingly reliant on our cars for transport when in fact there are more sustainable options available to the majority of us. In many of our Council areas, road traffic is the main contributor to air pollution, so during Mobility Week we will be focusing on how this can be reduced. We will be encouraging all local Councils to take part by urging their residents to go car free this Friday, not just in Belfast but throughout Northern Ireland, and by aiming to continue to do so each week in order to make a positive impact on our local environment."

Mobility Week is taking place in towns and cities across Europe and the theme this year is, ‘Improving City Climates’, in an effort to highlight the effects of car use on pollution in the atmosphere and the difference that can be made by using sustainable alternatives to the car.

Notes to Editors:

1. Aileen Gault is available for interview to be arranged through Inform Communications. Please contact Ross Williamson or Jenny Johnston, Inform Communications on Tel: 028 9023 3550 Mob: 07734821070 (Ross) or 07730527857 (Jenny)

2. The survey of 200 commuters was undertaken between 8 -10 September 2009. The full results were as follows: 34% (68) would prefer to sleep 21% (42) would prefer to exercise 20% (39) would prefer to spend time with family 19% (38) would prefer to work 6% (13) stated other

3. Travelwise NI is a division of the Department for Regional Development dedicated to the promotion of sustainable transport to commuters, employers and schools in the north. For more information please visit www.travelwiseni.com

4. More information on European Mobility Week may be found at www.mobilityweek.eu