High Level Summary of Statistics Trend Last update: Thursday, August 23, 2007
Travel to School
In 2006, 51% of pupils walked to school, 24% went by bus and 22% by car, according to the Scottish Household Survey (SHS). One per cent cycled, 1% went by train and 1% used other modes of transport.
Pupils aged 4-11 (broadly, primary school ages) were more likely to walk (59% against 42% for 12-18 year olds) or go by car (25% against 17%). Pupils aged 12-18 were more likely to go by bus (37% against 14%). The chart shows how the use of the different modes changes with age (the apparent year-to-year fluctuations may reflect sampling variability).
The percentage travelling by car rose with the income of the household: from 12% for pupils from households with an annual net income of up to £10,000 to 29% of those from "over £40,000" households. The percentage walking fell from 63% in "up to £10,000" households to 42% in "over £40,000" households; the percentage using the bus did not vary greatly with income.
Half of the pupils living in "remote" rural areas went by bus, and a third walked. Fifty-seven per cent of pupils in large urban areas walked to school, and only 17% went by bus. The percentage travelling by car did not vary much with the type of area.
Since the SHS started in 1999, the percentage of pupils travelling by car seems to have risen, the percentage who walk may have fallen and there has been little change in the use of the bus. Sampling variability may cause some apparent year-to-year fluctuations.
Over the longer term, National Travel Survey results (reported in "Scottish Transport Statistics") show that the percentage walking to school has fallen (it was around 69% in 1985/86), that travel by car has risen (from about 6% in 1985/86), and that there has been little change in the use of the bus.
Source: Scottish Transport Statistics
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