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National Travel Survey 2019

Walking

Nearly four in ten take a journey by foot at least 5 times a week

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Over one fifth (22.8%) of persons aged over 18 years say that they never take a journey by foot, while 4.4% state that they take a journey by foot less than weekly but more than once a month, and 4.3% do so less than monthly. Over half of males (52.2%) aged 75 years and over never take a journey by foot. See Table 11.1 and Figure 11.1

For those who take a journey by foot more frequently, 38.5% of persons aged 18 years and over take a journey by foot at least 5 times a week, one in six (16.8%) do so 3 to 4 times a week and 13.2% 1 to 2 times a week.

The average distance that one walked on a typical journey by foot was 3.3km.

Table 11.1 Frequency of walking and average length of walk by sex and age group, 2019

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	All Persons
1 to 2 times a week	13.2
3 to 4 times a week	16.8
At least 5 times a week	38.5
Less than weekly but more than once a month	4.4
Less than monthly	4.3
Never	22.8

Enjoyment of walking and exercise are the main reasons why people walk

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Respondents who take journeys by foot were asked for their reasons for doing so. Nearly half (46.5%) said that they enjoy walking, while a similar figure (46.7%) cited keeping fit/exercise. Owning a pet and the need to walk their pet was a reason cited by 14.1%, while one in ten (10.3%) enjoyed the greater freedom of walking. See Table 11.2.

Table 11.2 Persons who walk by reasons why they choose to walk by sex and age group, 2019

Respondents were asked what factors would encourage them to walk more in the future. A safer walking environment was the most common factor cited (36.1%). Over half (51.2%) of females aged 35 to 44 years said that a safer walking environment would encourage them to walk more.

Improved health was a factor cited by 35.8% of respondents as something which could influence more walking, while one in five (20.6%) cited better infrastructure (such as more footpaths). One in twelve (8.5%) felt that, if they had shorter journey destinations, they would walk more. See Table 11.3 and Figure 11.2.

Table 11.3 Factors that would encourage persons to walk more in the future by sex and age group, 2019

	Safer walking environment	Improved health	Better infrastructure	Shorter journey destinations	Less congestion	Easier access to waterproofs suited for walking	Access to changing facilities at destinations	Other	None
All Persons	36.1	35.8	20.6	8.5	5.6	2.4	0.9	9.7	13

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Table 11.1 Frequency of walking and average length of walk by sex and age group, 2019
% of persons aged 18 and over
	Frequency of walking							Average length of journey taken by foot (km)¹
	1 to 2 times a week	3 to 4 times a week	At least 5 times a week	Less than weekly but more than once a month	Less than monthly	Never	Total	Average length of journey taken by foot (km)¹
All Persons	13.2	16.8	38.5	4.4	4.3	22.8	100.0	3.3

Male
18-24	6.2	19.5	48.3	7.1	2.1	16.8	100.0	2.8
25-34	15.7	18.8	35.6	7.2	3.3	19.2	100.0	3.2
35-44	12.7	15.0	39.4	5.9	4.3	22.7	100.0	3.2
45-54	12.3	15.4	34.3	5.2	5.6	27.2	100.0	3.5
55-64	6.9	23.5	38.4	2.1	7.6	21.6	100.0	3.6
65-74	11.8	12.6	46.4	4.1	5.7	19.4	100.0	3.6
75+	9.1	11.7	19.0	4.2	3.7	52.2	100.0	2.6

Female
18-24	13.3	9.7	57.7	2.4	4.1	12.8	100.0	2.5
25-34	15.4	19.2	47.7	4.0	2.8	10.8	100.0	3.4
35-44	20.0	20.9	37.7	4.0	3.3	14.1	100.0	3.8
45-54	10.6	19.7	40.9	4.6	2.5	21.8	100.0	3.5
55-64	14.6	18.0	39.8	2.9	6.5	18.2	100.0	3.6
65-74	12.2	16.3	41.0	3.4	3.2	24.0	100.0	4.3
75+	16.8	10.8	27.9	7.3	4.2	33.0	100.0	2.3
¹Respondents were asked for the distance that they travel on a typical journey by foot.

Table 11.2 Persons who walk by reasons why they choose to walk by sex and age group, 2019
% of persons aged 18 and over
	Reason why persons that walk choose to walk
	Keeping fit exercise	Enjoy walking	Pet ownership	No alternatives	Greater freedom	More convenient	Shorter journey distances	To help improve the environment	More reliable journey times	Better value	None of these reasons
All Persons	46.7	46.5	14.1	12.1	10.3	9.4	6.1	4.7	2.7	2.2	19.2

Male
18-24	34.9	33.6	6.9	28.7	6.4	15.0	13.7	2.7	6.2	5.2	23.0
25-34	37.0	34.8	12.6	21.5	14.9	15.7	8.5	5.3	4.7	5.7	26.8
35-44	36.0	37.2	14.8	17.4	12.0	11.1	12.3	6.3	3.2	1.3	19.5
45-54	55.3	42.9	20.7	11.5	20.0	15.8	8.1	4.3	4.0	3.8	13.8
55-64	45.1	47.4	10.5	9.4	7.3	4.0	4.0	4.1	2.8	2.7	18.1
65-74	44.9	39.1	14.6	4.7	9.1	6.8	3.7	1.1	1.5	0.8	25.1
75+	47.5	61.6	9.9	9.5	8.2	4.2	3.7	2.6	0.6	1.3	8.9

Female
18-24	44.4	39.4	12.3	31.0	13.1	11.8	2.2	1.3	4.1	7.0	17.1
25-34	45.0	43.4	13.7	15.3	7.5	14.5	12.2	5.0	3.7	3.4	18.4
35-44	45.1	48.8	10.4	13.3	9.7	10.0	8.3	8.9	4.9	2.0	18.4
45-54	54.1	53.6	18.4	10.4	9.4	12.6	3.7	6.3	1.0	0.8	15.7
55-64	48.7	55.8	22.1	7.9	8.9	6.4	2.3	3.9	2.3	1.3	20.0
65-74	54.5	49.1	13.7	4.9	7.6	4.4	3.9	5.8	1.1	1.2	19.7
75+	46.4	48.7	7.1	10.5	11.6	4.3	2.5	1.4	0.4	1.0	25.2
Note: Respondents may have selected more than one option so the row totals may not add to 100%.

Table 11.3 Factors that would encourage persons to walk more in the future by sex and age group, 2019
% of persons aged 18 and over
	Factors that would encourage persons to walk more
	Safer walking environment	Improved health	Better infrastructure¹	Shorter journey destinations	Less congestion	Easier access to waterproofs suited for walking	Access to changing facilities at destinations	Other	None
All Persons	36.1	35.8	20.6	8.5	5.6	2.4	0.9	9.7	13.0

Male
18-24	32.2	21.4	17.8	15.8	7.1	2.5	3.0	12.8	10.8
25-34	35.7	37.6	20.8	17.1	7.9	5.8	1.9	7.4	11.4
35-44	29.8	32.4	22.3	11.3	9.3	2.0	1.9	8.0	13.1
45-54	39.7	39.8	27.3	13.4	5.1	2.3	0.3	7.2	12.6
55-64	33.3	28.7	15.6	4.2	6.6	1.8	2.1	8.8	17.8
65-74	24.3	39.2	14.6	4.4	5.1	1.2	0.4	10.3	18.3
75+	23.4	37.4	9.5	1.2	1.2	1.6	0.0	17.8	19.0

Female
18-24	49.4	32.8	19.0	9.6	19.4	1.6	0.0	4.4	7.3
25-34	43.3	30.5	24.2	15.5	5.7	1.6	1.5	7.6	13.5
35-44	51.2	34.2	22.2	9.0	6.7	1.5	1.2	8.0	10.0
45-54	40.5	33.0	24.1	11.9	6.5	7.5	1.5	9.6	10.2
55-64	39.2	41.9	26.1	4.5	3.3	3.3	0.3	10.1	9.2
65-74	38.4	40.6	27.5	4.7	2.5	0.8	0.1	6.2	14.2
75+	21.9	39.5	11.0	6.0	2.6	0.4	0.0	17.4	12.5
¹Such as more footpaths.
Note: Respondents may have selected more than one option so the row totals may not add to 100%.

National Travel Survey 2019

Walking

Nearly four in ten take a journey by foot at least 5 times a week

Enjoyment of walking and exercise are the main reasons why people walk

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