Has the global pandemic changed transport forever?
New survey reveals the impact of COVID-19 on transport and vehicle use, and points to a very different future for personal mobility:
- 25% of drivers expect to use their car less after lockdown
- 40% of motorbike users in large cities will use their vehicles more
- 60% of commuters in large cities will rethink their public transport use
- Gen-Z and Millennials leading the charge in adopting new modes of transport
The way society views and uses public transport and personal vehicles has been altered drastically, with a dramatic fall in car use for rural areas and a major rise in the use of two-wheel transport, according to the results of a new survey published today.
With many commuters shunning the prospect of rail travel and season tickets, a marked reduction in road use outside cities and a shift towards remote working and home shopping, an overhaul of how the UK builds and manages transport and public mobility will be required.
The survey’s results show why investment in road, rail and new types of infrastructure will need to evolve to meet a change in priorities for the population, affecting car and technology manufacturers, as well as local authorities and central government.
Conducted by consumer and market insight agency 7th Sense Research UK, the survey shows the extent to which the public’s perception of transport has shifted over the last 12 months.
Fergus McVey, 7th Sense Research UK Ltd. CEO, explained: “Major change should come as no surprise – even before lockdown – however, we found some surprising results which herald much deeper, long-term causes and effects than just COVID-19. From the inevitable shortfall in funding that rail operators will face due to a drastic fall in ticket sales, through to the willingness of Gen-Z to a look for alternative solutions, like it or not we are in the midst of a transport revolution.”
Published by advanced automotive communication agency loop, Driving the Future – #01 Transport Use is the first of three exclusive reports based on interviews with 3,000 transport users in the UK throughout June 2020. This new survey is the follow-up to a study conducted in the same period last year, and coincides with the impact of the global pandemic. The results provide key insight to the longer-term impact of COVID-19 on mobility, car ownership and the perception of transport going forward.
Available as three exclusive reports in July and August, the results of the survey provide clear messages for business working in the automotive and related sectors, and will prove invaluable for those developing new products and service, marketing and engaging with an audience and positioning a brand.
loop will be publishing the exclusive reports on the survey for free. Download the first report here.
