2010 CAR DEPENDENCY SCORECARD The top cities for sustainable transport September 2010 www.bettertransport.org.uk CarCar Dependency Dependency Scorecard Scorecard 2010 2010 Contents Fixing the car problem 2 Cars are often still associated with freedom and car users 2 Introduction are seen to be exercising their freedom to choose how INTRODUCTION they get about. Our report suggests that for many people 2 car use is enforced rather than a choice and people are 4 Ranking only dependent on cars due to the lack of other options. Car dependency adds to congestion and pollution and creates social exclusion for those without access to a car. 25 Best 3 cities Car dependency isn’t inevitable. We found that English cities vary widely. This variation is, of course, partly about whether there are good alternatives to the car – whether 26 WorstINTRODUCTION 3 cities public transport is available, affordable and attractive and whether cycling and walking feel safe. It is also about town planning; the design and location of housing, employment and essential “Through their transport 2 services. Through their transport and planning policies, and planning policies, 7 SectionCarINTRODUCTION dependency conclusions cities can reduce car dependency and give people real cities can reduce car choices about how they travel. However, their ability dependency and give 213 Local Transport Plans to do this could be affected by Government policies. people real choices.” INTRODUCTION The priorities in the forthcoming Spending Review will determine whether the funding that cities get helps them to develop sustainable 2 Top 3 Cities transport or promotes further car use. Similarly, if the Government’s planning policies 15 Appendices encourage low-density car-based development, car dependency will increase. Tackling car dependency is not about stopping people owning or using cars – it’s about giving people options, allowing them to decide how they get about and what kind of city they want to live in. This report shows that cities can choose their future. www.bettertransport.org.uk Telephone: 020 7566 6480 Email: [email protected] Executive Director Registered charity: 1101929 1 www.bettertransport.org.ukwww.bettertransport.org.uk Introduction Key findings: If public transport is sparse, cities are in England make their inhabitants. poorly planned and pedestrians and Last year we released a report on Nottingham is the least car dependent city. Its cyclists are squeezed off the roads, which regions of England were most Local Transport Plan was also ranked by us as people will naturally need cars. The dependent on cars and where it was the best of all the major English cities we studied right decisions on transport, funding, made easy to use sustainable transport infrastructure and land-use are alternatives. Higher population levels London was beaten into second place, needed to avoid this. If there are in cities make them interesting to with Brighton and Hove the third least car no viable alternatives for residents study; decisions made at the urban dependent city in England to replace car use for everyday area level can have a big effect Milton Keynes lags way behind the rest as the travel, then congestion, pollution nationally, so we have ranked cities most car dependent. It ranks among the five and increased carbon emissions rather than regions this year. We plan worst scores for three quarters of indicators are inevitable. to re-evaluate both regional and city examined in the report data in future years. In this report we have set out to assess Liverpool is one of the 5 least car dependent just how car dependent the major cities To study car dependency, we have cities in England: but it might not be for long studied 17 indicators of – for Liverpool, and other cities, Government car dependency (for a full funding cuts set out in the Spending Review list see Appendix 1). We could undermine public transport split these indicators into three sections, individually As well as ranking as the third most car- dependent city, Luton’s Local Transport Plan ranked: grade of C- shows it is likely to stay close to the bottom of the table for some time 1. Accessibility and planning 2. Quality and uptake of public transport “Reducing traffic gives us 3. Walking and cycling all an opportunity to live in a better environment.” The combined total then Campaign for Better gave an overall rank for Transport Supporter, Commuters depart from Liverpool Street Station each city. East Sussex www.bettertransport.org.uk 2 Car CarDependency Dependency Scorecard Scorecard 2010 2010 City selection We have selected the top two cities* by population size in each of the eight regions of England. Due to the high numbers of commuters in the south and south-east, we have also included Milton Keynes and Cambridge. Data was analysed at local authority level (e.g., Manchester, not Greater Manchester). Full explanation of the methodology can be found in Appendix 3. 1B 1C We chose not to grade Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland as these have devolved administrations and therefore transport statistics collected by local authority areas in England are sadly not necessarily comparable for other parts of the UK. E Cities featured in report by region: A London West Midlands F 1111G D J Birmingham North East K Coventry I Newcastle B H C Sunderland East N L Luton J K Yorkshire and the Humber M Cambridge M O D Sheffield N Peterborough L E Leeds South R 1A North West O Milton Keynes F Liverpool P Southampton G Manchester Q Brighton and Hove P Q East Midlands South West H Leicester R Bristol S11 I Nottingham S Plymouth *or similar urban areas 3 www.bettertransport.org.ukwww.bettertransport.org.uk Cities by rank: 1 LIVERPOOL least to most car dependent 191 MILTONNOTTINGHAM KEYNES 2 LONDON 3 BRIGHTON AND HOVE 4 MANCHESTER 5 LIVERPOOL 6 NEWCASTLE 7 CAMBRIDGE 8 BIRMINGHAM 9 PLYMOUTH 10 SOUTHAMPTON Nottingham: least car dependent 11 SUNDERLAND 12 LEICESTER 13 BRISTOL 14 LEEDS 14 COVENTRY 16 SHEFFIELD 17 LUTON 18 PETERBOROUGH 19 MILTON KEYNES Milton Keynes: most car dependent www.bettertransport.org.uk 4 Car Dependency Scorecard 2010 THE LEAST CAR-DEPENDENT CITIES 1. Nottingham 2. London 3. Brighton and Hove Why did Nottingham score well? Why did London score well? Why did Brighton and Hove score well? Nottingham came top of the cities surveyed It is no surprise that Brighton and Hove is supportive of d u e t o s c o r i n g w e l l i n t h e m a j o r i t y o f t h e London is one of the sustainable transport. Our research shows indicators measured. It ranked highly for top three cities. In high levels of bus patronage and good factors such as bus patronage, satisfaction fact, with its high levels of satisfaction about bus services with bus services and low car use for the density of residential and local transport information. The bus school run. development and service is also fairly cheap in relation to well-funded public average earnings. As well as having an efficient bus service, transport, it is more the new expanding tram system is of a surprise it has Brighton and Hove, with a significant now used by 10 million passengers a not reached the top number of London commuting residents, year. Other positive moves include spot. This possibly has good rail links. 44 trains a day go to improving accessibility, reflects the fact that while Inner London London Victoria. Cycling and walking routing buses on has extremely low car dependence, outer could be good options as most local uncongested bus- boroughs are more car reliant. commuters travel only roads and smart under 3km to reach ticketing. Future plans Most Londoners make use of a wide work. As part of the include extending network of sustainable travel options Cycling Demonstration the tram systems including tube, buses, trains and boats. Town programme, and modernising the While transport can be overcrowded there has been a existing rail network. at peak times, services are mainly fast, 27 per cent increase frequent and run at flexible times. London in the number of has the lowest number of car commuters trips by bicycle. and cycling is growing dramatically. 5 www.bettertransport.org.uk THE MOST CAR-DEPENDENT CITIES 1. Milton Keynes 2. Peterborough 3. Luton Why did Milton Keynes score badly? Why did Peterborough score badly? Why did Luton score Milton Keynes was Public transport has improved over the badly? designed for the last few years, with more frequent bus Car travel has caused car. Those with cars services, but this is from a very low starting traffic problems, can get to work in point. Difficulty accessing the outskirts, especially around under ten minutes, particularly new out-of-town developments, the M1. The town is but those without has meant that this city, designed for the densely built-up with a car struggle to car, is still extremely car dependent. inaccessible areas, get around. Milton causing congestion Keynes’ large road Cycling provision has improved greatly problems during network is beginning in recent years with investment from peak rush hours. Poor to suffer from the Sustainable Travel Towns programme. public transport and congestion, causing While this has resulted in a cycling increase high car use led to increased pollution. of 12 per cent, bus Luton’s rank. passenger increase Travelling by public transport is a poor of 35 per cent and a Buses suffer from punctuality alternative and the design of the city 9 per cent reduction in issues, inadequate frequencies makes it hard to navigate quickly this way. car journeys, planning for and lack of direct services to Consequently in this research, Milton accessibility, improving required destinations.