Even as we lurch deeper and deeper into the climate crisis, the other crisis of our times - Covid - is putting people off using public transport. According to a survey carried out by the AA, Irish people are 41 per cent less likely to use public transport now.
People want to walk and drive instead
AA Ireland says that it surveyed 8,241 of its members in September, and the results were that they were 41 per cent less likely to use public transport, and 31 per cent more likely to drive instead. 34 per cent said that they would be walking instead of using public transport, but 60 per cent said that they intend to travel abroad next year. Clearly, aircraft are thought of as being more Covid-safe than buses.
Slow process of attitude changes
Only four per cent said that they would be more likely to use public transport now, a figure which will make for unpleasant reading for the current Government as it tries to enact the climate action plan. "We understand that public transport use is being encouraged now more than ever, as seen with the recent Budget announcement of a youth travel card for 19-23-year-olds. However, changing the attitude of the public will be a slow process, as some people are still hesitant to travel on public transport post-Covid," says Anna Cullen from AA Ireland.
Less travel within Ireland
Incidentally, on the foreign travel bit, AA Ireland also asked those surveyed if they intended to travel abroad next year. 60 per cent of people (three in five) said they do intend to travel abroad next year, 12 per cent said they will travel within Ireland, while six per cent say they are not planning to travel at all. Almost six per cent (5.95 per cent) of respondents say that they never purchase travel insurance when travelling abroad.