Automobile use in Wales has decreased dramatically since 2007
By Claire Miller
14 February 2012 CAR use in Wales has decreased dramatically since the start of the economic crisis in 2007, latest figures show.
The data suggests that rising fuel costs are driving motorists away from using their car and instead looking to cheaper alternatives – with cars travelling 517 fewer miles each year than before the downturn began. Car use was increasing year on year up to 2007 but has been falling ever since. In 2007 motorists drove 13.9bn miles on Welsh roads, by 2010 this had fallen to 13.3bn, according to figures from the Department for Transport. The figures are similar to the pattern across Britain, which has seen car use fall by 3% while cycling is up by 15%. Lee Waters, director of travel charity Sustrans Cymru, said: “The rise in fuel prices over the last few years has meant we are all having to think twice before using our cars and that’s not going to change. “Fuel prices will continue to rise and we need to be prepared for that in Wales. We need to give people more choice about how they travel and offer them affordable alternatives to the car.” […]
