INTERESTING FIGURES 3. TRAFFIC and TRANSPORT in HERTFORDSHIRE
We need to preface this particular posting with the caveat that all the figures are derived from pre-covid sources. Covid has of course wrecked a lot of traffic and transport scenarios – however not only may covid produce some permanent reductions in some activities but it may also make the achievement of some of our environmental objectives somewhat easier. However, as far as we can tell, many things – apart from aviation – are likely to bounce back to within 10% of previous levels. But we might be quite wrong…
On the other hand, what a tragedy it would be:
* if people used covid as an excuse to give up on the environment or;
* if they decide that their grand-children will either not be in any danger after all (because it’d false news) or;
* if they think that the grand-children will just have to take their chances (because they don’t care) and/or;
* there’s nothing anyone can do about it (because they don’t like to face problems).
So… take all that on board but use the figures as a picture of the world as it was – but let’s see if we can build back better!
* There will be a 21% increase in the population of Herts (252,000 extra) by 2039 which will increase travel demands.
* But already 7% of people find it difficult to assess key services and 19% think bus services are a major problem.
* By 2031 there will be 17.%% more cars on the roads at rush hours and the average car speed will drop from 33mph in 2014 to 28mph in 2031
* In the last 15 years in Hertfordshire there has been and no increases in bus or train use or walking or cycling, even though 63% of all journies are less than 5 miles and 53% of all journies to work are less than 10 miles.
* Only 3% of people in Herts go to work by bus compered to the UK average of 7%
* In 2016 there were 3,634 traffic collisions in Herts producing 3,650 casualties out of whom 20 were killed and 430 were seriously injured.
* Herts has had to declare 31 air quality management areas and it is calculated that air pollution results in about 470 excess deaths in people over 30 per year.
* 1 in 4 of Herts adults do less than 30 minutes of moderate activity per week
Physical inactivity costs the Herts health economy £16 million per year ( obesity and mental health problems)
Hertfordshire developed a Local Plan for Transport 2018 – 2031. This will give you an idea about how Herts County Council is planning to contribute towards solutions to our traffic problems. You can download the Transport Plan as a PDF document by going to the menu bar of this web page and clicking on “Download”. You should find the plan as the second document in the list.