TransFigures
MARCH 2013
Active transport in Sydney: Walking
About the data
About this publication
Estimates in this publication were
This publication explores the nature of walk trips in Sydney. We look
at the incidence of walking across various segments of the population
and examine changes over the past decade.
produced using the 2010/11 Household
Travel Survey (HTS).
Figures reported in this publication are
for the Sydney Greater Metropolitan
Area (GMA), which includes Newcastle
Broad trends - walking in comparison to other modes
Statistical Subdivision (SSD), Sydney
As a mode of transport, walking has obvious health and environmental benefits.
NSW 2021 targets include increasing the share of walking trips made on an average
day in the Greater Metropolitan Area of Sydney (GMA)1 at a local and district2 level to
25% by 2016. To achieve this target, ideally short car trips will be converted to walk
trips. As shown in Figure 1, ‘walk only’3 trips in 2010 made up nearly 23% of local and
district trips, which was marginally up from a decade ago. Car trips (as a driver or
passenger) made up over two-thirds of trips, while public transport trips accounted
for 7% of these trips.
Statistical Division (SD) and Illawarra
Statistical Division.
To maximise the statistical reliability
of the estimates, data from five
years were pooled together and
weighted to the 2010 Estimated
Resident Population (ERP) from the
Figure 1
Mode share3 of trips in 2001, 2006 and 2010 on an average day
2001
50%
2006
2010
reported are for an average day, unless
44.2%
45.0%
44.7%
35%
produce estimates for 2010. Figures
otherwise specified.
45%
40%
Australian Bureau of Statistics to
30%
2.4%
2.3%
2.3%
22.5%
22.3%
21.3%
4.9%
4.8%
4.7%
5%
2.2%
1.9%
10%
1.6%
15%
23.9%
24.6%
20%
24.3%
25%
0%
Vehicle driver
Vehicle
passenger
Train
Bus
Walk only
Other
Bureau of Transport Statistics
T 8202 2702 F 8202 3890
E [email protected]
W bts.nsw.gov.au
Level 6 18 Lee Street
Chippendale NSW 2008
PO Box K659 Haymarket 1240
TransFigures
Figure 2
MARCH 2013
Average number of walk trips per person per day by socio-demographic characteristics, GMA
Gender
2001
Total
1.1
1.1
Male
1.0
1.1
1.1
1.2
Female
<5
1.0
0.8
1.5
1.4
1.3
1.5
15 - 19
20 - 29
1.2
1.3
1.0
1.1
1.0
1.1
1.0
1.1
30 - 39
40 - 49
50 - 59
60+
An alternative approach to looking at
the incidence of walk trips is to look
at per capita measures. On average,
Sydney residents made 1.1 walk trips
a day. These walk trips include ‘walk
only’ trips as well as ‘walk linked’ trips3.
This figure of 1.1 walk trips a day
remained relatively unchanged
between 2001 and 2010. Similarly, the
average amount of time spent walking
per day was largely stable, 10 minutes
in 2001 and 11 minutes in 2010.
0.6
0.7
5 - 14
Age group
2010
Though change in walking rates in
the last decade has been small, there
is a clear relationship between the
amount of walking and various sociodemographic characteristics.
• Females walked more than males.
1.1
1.2
1.1
1.1
Full-time worker
Labour force
PT /Casual/Volunteer
Unemployed/Keeping house
Primary/Secondary student
0.7
0.7
Person income
($2006)
Other
Licence
1.8
1.9
FT/PT tertiary student
Pensioner
1.1
1.1
0.9
1.0
1.1
1.0
• Full-time and part-time tertiary
students had a higher incidence
of walking as compared to other
segments of the labour force.
1.1
1.2
1.2
1.1
1.0
1.2
1.3
1.4
< $10,000
$10,000 - $24,999
$25,000 - $49,999
$50,000
• Walking rates were also high
amongst non-licence holders aged 15
or over.
1.0
1.1
Has licence
Household
vehicles
1 vehicle
0.8
0.9
0.6
0.7
2 vehicles
3+ vehicles
2.6
2.7
1.2
1.4
Household
Lone person
Couple only
0.9
0.9
Couple w/ children
One parent w/ children
Other
0.0
1.1
1.3
1.3
1.2
• Walking was more prevalent
amongst those without access to
vehicles in their households. The
greater the number of household
vehicles, the fewer the number of walk
trips made.
1.8
1.9
Has no licence
No vehicle
1.6
1.7
1.6
1.7
1.0
2.0
Walk trips
2
• Those aged 15-29 made the most
walk trips. Amongst 5-19 year-olds,
the average number of walk trips
declined between 2001 and 2010.
However, in every other age group,
the average number of walk trips
increased between this time period.
3.0
• In general, people from households
without children made more walk
trips.
TransFigures
Figure 3
MARCH 2013
Number of walk trips per person on an average day in 2010, by home LGA
In 2010, residents of
Sydney SD made 1.2
walk trips per person,
slightly more than those
in Illawarra SD (0.9) and
twice the number of those
in Newcastle SSD (0.6).
The higher number of walk
trips made by Sydney
SD residents was largely
due to the higher number
of walk-linked trips (eg
access and egress to other
modes) they made, which
is consistent with public
transport use in this region.
Furthermore, residents of
Local Government Areas
(LGAs) close to the CBD
made the most walk trips
per person on an average
day. Higher density living in
these areas, characterised
by close proximity and
easier access to services
and activities, coupled
with more public transport
options, are likely to
contribute to the greater
number of walk trips.
LGAs with the highest
walk trips per capita were
Sydney (3.4), Leichhardt
(2.9) and North Sydney
(2.8). Conversely,
Cessnock (0.3), Port
Stephens (0.3) and
Maitland (0.4), had the
lowest number of walk
trips per capita.
The total duration of
walk trips is related to
the average number of
walk trips; the higher
the number of trips, the
longer the total duration.
Residents of higher
density LGAs tended to
walk for longer each day.
Residents of Sydney (32
mins), Leichhardt (29 mins)
and North Sydney (24
mins) walked the most.
Residents of Port Stephens
and Cessnock (three mins
each) and Hawkesbury and
Maitland (four mins each)
walked the least.
3
TransFigures
MARCH 2013
Figure 4 Average walk trip time by purpose on an average day
2001
9
9
Average, all purposes
7
Change mode
7
8
9
9
9
Work
Work related business
10
10
Education/childcare
Shopping
8
9
9
12
12
Social/recreation
9
Drop off/Pick up
0
In 2001 and 2010, a walk trip was about
nine minutes in duration, though this
varied by trip purpose. Walking trips for
social and recreational purposes had the
longest average trip time of 12 minutes,
followed by education/childcare at ten
minutes.
Trips to change mode, which generally
refer to access trips to public
transportation, were the shortest, at
seven minutes.
8
Personal business
Figure 5
2010
In the past decade, the average walk
trip time by purpose has not changed
substantially.
10
5
10
Average walk trip time (mins)
15
Purpose of walk trips in 2010, weekend and weekday
Weekend
19%
Change mode
3%
Work
Weekday
25%
15%
0%
2%
Work related business
0%
Education/ childcare
The purpose of walk trips was quite
different during the week as compared
to on the weekend. There was a greater
proportion of discretionary walk trips on
weekends, including social/recreation
and shopping trips.
8%
Shopping
15%
22%
4%
6%
Personal business
Social/ recreation
46%
23%
5%
6%
Drop-off/ pick-up
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
Notes:
1. The GMA is a BTS defined geographical area for core BTS datasets. It comprises Sydney Statistical Division, Newcastle Statistical Subdivision and
Illawarra Statistical Division.
2. Local and district trips are 10 kilometres or less.
3.When looking at mode shares, ‘walk only’ trips (where trips are entirely by walking) are considered and ‘walk-linked’ (where trips are intermediary walk
trips simply to just change mode) are excluded. This treatment is to avoid misrepresenting the incidence of walking relative to other modes by inflating its
share artificially. In all other analysis, all types of walking are examined.
For other publications, data and maps, contact:
Bureau of Transport Statistics
T 02 8202 2702 F 02 8202 3890
E [email protected]
W bts.nsw.gov.au
Level 6 18 Lee Street Chippendale NSW 2008
PO Box K659 Haymarket NSW 1240
4
Disclaimer
While all care is taken in producing this work, no responsibility is taken or
warranty made with respect to the accuracy of any information, data or
representation. The authors (including copyright owners) expressly disclaim
all liability in respect of anything done or omitted to be done and the
consequences upon reliance of the contents of this information.
© 2013 Copyright (free to share)
Users are welcome to copy, reproduce and distribute the information
contained in this report for non-commercial purposes only, provided
acknowledgement is given to the Bureau of Transport Statistics as the
source.
BTS TF 2013/02 ISSN 1832-5130