Europeans spend on average nine hours and thirty-five minutes using various forms of transport every week. The car is the preferred means. This is the case even though car users say that they are ready to favour public transport.
These findings are in a study published today (Wednesday) by the consultancy firm, Boston Consulting Group (BCG), and the polling institute Ipsos.
Excepting the weekend, Europeans spend an average of three hours and fifty-eight minutes in motor vehicles (cars and two-wheeled vehicles).
They notably spend three hours and forty-two minutes in the car (including carpooling and car sharing), the vital means of transport for daily journeys.
The study particularly cites user journeys as going to work or people carrying their children to undertake their daily activities, major shopping trips or even administrative reasons.
The study further comments, “The car is even more vital for inhabitants living in rural areas and on the outskirts of cities.”
This is shown by 70% of Europeans using it in rural areas and 67% on the outskirts of cities, compared to 54% who live in cities.
So-called “soft” means of transport will not be outdone: Europeans thus spend on average three hours and fifty-seven minutes getting about on foot or by bike. On the contrary, public transport has taken off the least (with Europeans spending an average of one hour forty minutes per week using it).
By nationality, the Greeks, spending thirteen hours and two minutes each week, devote the most time to using transport. On the other hand, the French come bottom of the rankings with an average of seven hours and twelve minutes.
Sylvain Duranton, the Associate Director at BCG de Paris commented to AFP, “A significant part of Europeans’ available time is spent using transport.” Duranton is both a transport specialist and the report's author. He indicated, “This shows the extent to which transport has an enormous impact upon people’s daily lives.”
The study indicates that a lot of Europeans are prepared to change their behaviour, when the necessary investment is made.
Thus 72% would be prepared to use public transport more often, 66% to use their car less and 44% to practice carpooling and car sharing more often.
The study was completed between February 23rd and March 28th this year, across a sample of 10,018 people having a minimum age of 15. It involved ten European countries (Germany, Belgium, Spain, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Portugal and Slovakia).
The Brussels Times
