Results shed light on future of cleaner, healthier local travel

What does a future with cleaner, healthier, safer, and more connected local travel in North Somerset look like? And what’s standing in the way right now?

To find out what people thought, in 2025, we ran the North Somerset Transport and Travel Survey – receiving more than 2,100 responses – and held community group workshops. The survey was open to all adults who live, work, study in, or regularly visit the district.

A big thank you to everyone who took part or shared the survey. The results give valuable insight into respondents’ travel behaviours, choices and priorities, and appetite for cleaner, healthier, safer local travel options.  

Such as:

• While petrol and diesel cars or vans were generally the most-used transport type for respondents travelling both within (55%) or outside (49%) their communities, walking and wheeling came a close second (48%) for neighbourhood travel. To do more active journeys, people said they’d be encouraged by ‘Convenient, accessible and safe routes’ (51%), ‘Better fitness, health or wellbeing’ (39%), and ‘Saving money’ (24%).  

• When making travel decisions, respondents were most influenced by ‘Journey time and or distance’ (55%), ‘Public transport availability and coverage’ (55%), ‘Costs’ (49%), ‘Car parking availability’ (49%) and ‘Transport reliability’ (48%).

• Respondents also said they would be motivated to use public transport more with ‘Reliable and frequent services’ (75%), ‘Better routes to where I want to go’ (62%) and ‘Cheaper tickets’ (35%).  

• Generally speaking, respondents said: ‘Being able to afford an EV’ (43%) would allow them to make the switch to electric. Younger age groups showed more of an interest in incentives, charging, and local EV options.  

• Similarly, younger respondents were more open to car-sharing, lift-sharing, or using car clubs. This includes half of 18 to 24s (50%) and two-fifths of 25 to 34s (41%) who would ‘Car or lift-share with people I know’.

• When it came to investing in projects for cleaner, healthier, safer and more connected travel, overall, respondents prioritised strengthened public transport services and infrastructure, and better routes and support for walking, wheeling and cycling. (Though again, priorities varied by age.)

You can read the summary and full results reports at: www.n-somerset.gov.uk/travelsurveyinsights    

The benefits of a cleaner, healthier travel future

As well as helping us live happier and healthier lives, breathe cleaner air, and enjoy more thriving, safer and greener communities, rethinking how we travel is key to reducing road and rail emissions – which are the single biggest source of polluting emissions locally (44 per cent).

In our survey and workshops, more than 2,100 people, aged 18 and over, with a range of lived experiences, shared their travel stories, investment priorities and ideas for making travel in the district work better for people, places and nature – reinforcing the need for action.

What’s happening with the results?

The travel perceptions and experiences heard through our survey and workshops highlight key considerations for existing and future travel planning and initiatives.  

Alongside other data and strategic priorities, these will also help inform the direction for cleaner, healthier, safer and more connected travel locally.

Visit the council website to check out our survey results reports and workshop discussions summary at: www.n-somerset.gov.uk/travelsurveyinsights