Better Transport

People in the South East enjoy a growing bus network and improved access to train stations but car dependency in this region is still quite high. It could be cut if, for instance, some of the larger cities built trams – popular with commuters – and if cycling was encouraged more. The region has the fewest cycling towns in the country. As well, public transport is expensive.

Your turn

What do you think of these results? Score the scorecard.

Want to know more? Read the full research or a summary report.  

Comments we've received

Alice in Tonbridge: I live in the commuter belt but the imbalance between cars and buses is enormous. It would be impossible to get to work in the morning entirely using public/sustainable transport. Ticket costs into London at peak times are extremely high but there is no alternative if you need to get into London every day.

Laura Simpson in New Malden: "These results are unsurprising to me as travel on the trains can be prohibitively expensive. Regional bus services in the area are also quite pricey."

Rupert Pitt in Winchester: "I am not surprised that we are so car dependent.  We have the highest rail fares in Europe and I would imagine the same could be said for bus fares. We need good cheap public transport such as the Dutch and French have and until this arrives we are doomed to more car use. So much could have been done and so little has been done." 

Michael Phillips in Surrey: "I think the score was about right. People are highly car dependent in my area. So much so that it takes longer for me to drive to work than cycle. So I cycle but provision for cyclists is very poor. I think a lot more people would cycle but the roads are congested and motorists are generally inconsiderate towards cyclists. I now use the train a lot more (including for our our holiday in france). It seems like complete luxury after the stress of driving."

Rosalind Kent in Eynsham: "I would like to cycle to neighbouring villages but no cycle tracks and the roads are lethal! We have a good bus service in theory but in practice it is not reliable."

Andrew Cooper in Surbiton: "Very surprised to see a lack of trams as the key weakness of the South East. The South East has no metropolitan cities and a polycentric development patten. Trams are not appropriate for small- to medium-sized towns and where they may be a solution, the flexibility and penetration of bus rapid transport usually provides a better choice, to say nothing of deliverability.  I would suggest the comment should be more about the lack of priority given to public transport and cycling on the road network coupled with the slow progress on bus rapid transit schemes (Only two in the region - Fastrack in Kent and Fastway at Gatwick).  And the real solution: bring in national road user charging."

Regional results

East Midlands East of England North East North WestSouth EastSouth West West Midlands Yorkshire & the Humber