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National Travel Survey 2019

When We Travelled

Busiest time for taking journeys is 4pm to 7pm

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In 2019, the busiest time for taking journeys was between 16:00 and 18:59, with 22.5% of journeys during this time. One fifth of all journeys (20.1%) were made between 10:00 and 12:59, while another one fifth (20.7%) were between 13:00 and 15:59. See Table 4.1.

The overall percentage of total journeys made between midnight and 06:59 was relatively low, with one in sixteen (6.4%) journeys made by males carried out during this time, compared with 5.2% of journeys made by females. Females were most likely to travel between 13:00 and 15:59 (22.3%). See Table 4.1, Figures 4.1 and 4.2.

Table 4.1 Percentage distribution of journeys by time of departure and gender, 2014, 2016 and 2019

	Males
00:00-06:59	6.4
07:00-09:59	17.6
10:00-12.59	21.2
13.00-15.59	18.5
16:00- 18:59	23.5
19:00-23:59	12.7

	Females
00:00-06:59	5.2
07:00-09:59	21.3
10:00-12.59	19.3
13.00-15.59	22.3
16:00- 18:59	21.7
19:00-23:59	10.1

The degree of urbanisation had relatively little impact on the time of departure of journeys in 2019. The pattern of travel based on time of journey was relatively similar across all population density area types. See Table 4.2.

Table 4.2 Percentage distribution of journeys by time of departure and degree of urbanisation, 2014, 2016 and 2019

Busiest time for 18 to 34 year olds between 4pm and 7pm

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The greatest proportion of journeys by 18 to 34 year olds was between 16:00 and 18:59 (26%). Over one fifth (21.8%) of journeys by this age group were made in the morning between 07:00 and 09:59. Nearly one quarter (23.7%) of journeys by persons in the 35 to 54 years age group were also in the morning between 07:00 and 09:59, while a further 23.2% of journeys taken by this age group were between 16:00 and 18:59. The busiest time for persons aged 55 years and over was in the morning between 10:00 and lunchtime (28.1%), while nearly one quarter (24.1%) of journeys by this age group were in the afternoon between lunch and 4 in the afternoon. See Table 4.3 and Figure 4.3.

Table 4.3 Percentage distribution of journeys by time of departure and age group, 2014, 2016 and 2019

	00:00-06:59	07:00-09:59	10:00-12.59	13.00-15.59	16:00-18:59	19:00-23:59
18 - 34	5.6	21.8	16.1	16.6	26	13.9
35 - 54	7.1	23.7	14.8	19.3	23.2	11.9
55+	4.2	14.1	28.1	24.1	20.1	9.3

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Table 4.1 Percentage distribution of journeys by time of departure and gender, 2014, 2016 and 2019
% of journeys
	2014			2016			2019
Time of departure between:	Male	Female	All persons	Male	Female	All persons	Male	Female	All persons
00:00-06:59	3.5	1.7	2.5	5.4	2.4	3.8	6.4	5.2	5.7
07:00-09:59	18.4	19.1	18.8	18.3	21.0	19.7	17.6	21.3	19.7
10:00-12.59	19.5	20.3	19.9	18.9	18.8	18.8	21.2	19.3	20.1
13.00-15.59	20.3	23.9	22.2	19.6	24.6	22.2	18.5	22.3	20.7
16:00-18:59	25.0	23.6	24.3	25.9	22.3	24.0	23.5	21.7	22.5
19:00-23:59	13.3	11.4	12.3	11.8	11.0	11.4	12.7	10.1	11.2
All departure times	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0
Data may be subject to sampling or other survey errors, which are greater in respect of smaller values.

Table 4.2 Percentage distribution of journeys by time of departure and degree of urbanisation, 2014, 2016 and 2019
% of journeys
	Densely populated area¹			Intermediate density area²			Thinly populated area³			All areas
Time of departure	2014	2016	2019	2014	2016	2019	2014	2016	2019	2014	2016	2019
00:00-06:59	2.7	4.1	4.5	2.4	3.5	4.1	2.2	3.6	7.7	2.5	3.8	5.7
07:00-09:59	18.7	20.2	18.6	19.5	18.4	20.5	18.1	19.7	20.4	18.8	19.7	19.7
10:00-12:59	19.9	18.6	19.7	19.4	19.7	19.2	20.3	18.6	20.9	19.9	18.8	20.1
13:00-15:59	22.1	22.0	19.9	22.4	22.1	20.9	22.5	22.8	21.4	22.3	22.2	20.7
16:00-18:59	23.7	23.4	24.2	24.3	24.1	23.3	25.2	25.0	20.5	24.2	24.0	22.5
19:00-23:59	12.8	11.7	13.0	11.9	12.2	12.2	11.8	10.3	9.1	12.3	11.4	11.2
All times of travel	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0
¹Refers to cities, urban centres and urban areas.
²Refers to towns and suburbs.
³Refers to rural areas.
Data may be subject to sampling or other survey errors, which are greater in respect of smaller values.

Table 4.3 Percentage distribution of journeys by time of departure and age group, 2014, 2016 and 2019
% of journeys
	Age Group
	18 - 34			35 - 54			55+			All ages
Time of departure between:	2014	2016	2019	2014	2016	2019	2014	2016	2019	2014	2016	2019
00:00-06:59	2.9	4.3	5.6	2.7	4.0	7.1	1.7	3.1	4.2	2.5	3.8	5.7
07:00-09:59	21.5	22.3	21.8	22.2	22.3	23.7	13.3	12.9	14.1	19.6	19.7	19.7
10:00-12.59	14.8	14.0	16.1	16.6	15.4	14.8	29.9	29.3	28.1	19.7	18.8	20.1
13.00-15.59	20.1	19.6	16.6	22.3	22.2	19.3	23.6	24.9	24.1	22.0	22.2	20.7
16:00-18:59	27.1	25.7	26.0	24.2	25.1	23.2	20.5	20.4	20.1	24.0	24.0	22.5
19:00-23:59	13.7	14.2	13.9	12.0	10.9	11.9	11.0	9.4	9.3	12.2	11.4	11.2
All departure times	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0
Note: Data may be subject to sampling or other survey errors, which are greater in respect of smaller values.

National Travel Survey 2019

When We Travelled

Busiest time for taking journeys is 4pm to 7pm

Busiest time for 18 to 34 year olds between 4pm and 7pm

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