Survey reveals Christmas transport trends

Date: 23/11/2012

A survey which has been carried out to show how much money will be spent on travel over the Christmas period also highlights which methods prove most popular.

In total, Brits travelling to see friends and family during the festive period will spend £1.2 billion on transport, according to the study by Santander.

It found that seven out of every ten adults will use some form of transport and 73 per cent will go and see loved ones at some point during Christmas, reports the Money Pages.

More than 36 million people will take to the roads, railways and airways as they travel around the country in order to celebrate with loved ones.

Two-thirds of the £1.2 billion which will be spent on travel will be in the form of petrol or diesel (amounting to £776 million) as the majority of people will use their own vehicles.

Eleven per cent of the money (a total of £134 million) will be spent on train fares and seven per cent on buses, which will come to £85 million.

A relatively small number of people will undertake air travel, just five per cent, with £64 million to be spent on air fares.

Alan Mathewson, Chief Executive Officer of Santander Cards, said: “Britain’s roads and railways look set to be crammed with Christmas travellers again this year, many of whom will spend a lot of money on transport costs which have increased significantly since last year.”

London will see the biggest surge in those using public transport with 25 per cent of the money spent on travel by this demographic going on train fares, compared to a national average of 11 per cent.

15 per cent of the travel money spent by Londoners will be on buses, in comparison with seven per cent nationally and 12 per cent on flights, above the national average of five per cent.

Posted by Sarah Bailey

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