Irish people became more active through the Covid-19 pandemic following restrictions on car movements and the introduction of remote working, which has led to nearly four in ten people walking more now than they did prior to the arrival of the pandemic and one third cycling more.
A new CSO report monitoring how car usage was affected during the pandemic, has found that in 2021, car usage was down on pre-COVID-19 levels. Of those who travelled by car daily or almost daily (at least five times weekly ), less than nine in ten (87% ) continued with similar frequency when surveyed in Quarter 4 2021, with one in eleven (9% ) now using a car less often (three to four times weekly ), and 3% were only making trips by car once or twice weekly.
The survey also found that more people were spending less on their petrol/diesel in 2021 than they did prior to the pandemic, with nearly half of respondents (46% ) saying their motor fuel spend had changed between 2021 and 2019, and of these, over three quarters were spending €50 or less per week on petrol/diesel. The greatest proportion (30% ) were spending just €20 or less per week on motor fuel, compared with 27% pre-Covid-19.
Car usage in general was also impacted with more people now staying at home more often. In Quarter 4 2021, just 58% of respondents who were remote working, travelled by car daily or almost daily, compared with three quarters (75% ) of respondents who were not working remotely pre-Covid-19.
Concerns regarding Covid-19 was one of a number of reasons given by respondents for not using public transport more frequently. Covid-19 concerns were cited by one in seven (14% ) respondents who use bus services less than weekly and one in ten (10% ) respondents who use rail services less than weekly, while nearly four in ten (37% ) persons who walk said they walk more now than they did prior to COVID-19, and nearly half of these were specifically for leisure/exercise purposes.
“When this survey was carried out in Quarter 4 2021, we were more than one and half years into the global pandemic. It is interesting to look at how this pandemic has changed our lives and, in particular, how it has impacted our travel behaviour.
“More remote working has likely impacted on our car usage. With more people remote working for part or all of their working week in Quarter 4 2021, car usage was impacted with more people now staying at home more often. In Quarter 4 2021, just 58% of respondents who were remote working, travelled by car daily or almost daily, compared with three quarters (75% ) of respondents who were not working remotely pre-Covid-19.
“We are also becoming more active since Covid-19. Respondents were asked how often they walk/cycle. Of those who walk or cycle at least monthly, they were asked if they walk or cycle more than they did before the pandemic. Nearly four in ten (37% ) said that they walk more now than they did prior to the arrival of Covid-19, while one third (33% ) said they cycle more now than they did before the pandemic. Leisure/exercise purposes was the main reason for almost six in ten (57% ) cycling journeys and nearly half (47% ) of journeys by foot.
“Covid-19 related restrictions remained in place on public transport until early 2022. Concerns regarding Covid-19 was one of a number of reasons given by respondents for not using public transport more frequently. COVID-19 concerns were cited by one in seven (14% ) respondents who use bus services less than weekly and one in ten (10% ) respondents who use rail services less than weekly.”
“It is important to note, however, that this is a snapshot in time, as to how Covid-19 had affected our lives and in particular, our travel behaviour in 2021. Future CSO National Travel Surveys will strive to provide insight in to how many of the pandemic-related changes in travel behaviour are sustained,” Maureen Delamere, CSO statistician in the Social Analysis and Modules Division, commented.
