5. Views on motoring taxes and charges, traffic growth, and congestion - adults (16+)(Tables 4 to 10)
5.1 The interviewer asks the randomly selected adult for their views on motoring taxes and charges. The interviewer then goes on to ask them how concerned they are by traffic growth in Scotland, and if concerned, what concerns them. Drivers (aged 17+) who drive at least once a week are asked how often they drive in congested traffic. Those who say that they drive in congested traffic are asked about the impact this has, and for views on what should be done about traffic congestion.
5.2 Views on motoring taxes and charges
5.2.1 Table 4 shows that, in 2005, 36% of adults supported keeping the current system of fuel tax and road tax, and 34% felt that incentives should be given to drive environmentally friendly cars. The other options given were; charge people according to the number of miles they drive on any roads (16%); charge according to when people drive ( i.e. paying more to drive in busy times) (9%); and charge according to the roads driven on (8%). In addition, 4% said "none of these" and 21% had no opinion.
5.2.2 Men were slightly more likely than women to support "keep the current system …" (38% vs. 34%), "incentives to drive more environmentally-friendly cars" (37% vs. 32%), "charge according to miles driven" (20% vs. 13%) and "charge people according to when they drive" (11% vs. 7%). 26% of women compared with only 14% of men said they had "no opinion". Perhaps because the proportion who had no opinion was highest in the youngest and oldest age groups ( e.g. around a third of those aged 19 and under; a fifth of those aged 65-69, and 46% of those aged 80+) and only around a tenth for those aged between 25 and 54, it is difficult to see any clear pattern other than support for the different options tending to be highest amongst the middle-aged.
5.2.3 Adults who were employed or in higher/further education were most likely to support "give incentives to drive environmentally friendly cars" (43-48%), whereas those in other situations were most likely to support "keep current system" (26-32%). Those in managerial and professional occupations were most likely to say "give incentives to drive environmentally friendly cars" (44-58%) whereas those in routine and semi-routine occupations were most likely to support "keep current system" (37-40%). Those in households with an annual net income of under £10,000 were most likely to say "no opinion" (36%) whereas those in "£40,000 households" were most likely to say "give incentives to drive environmentally friendly cars".
5.2.4 In a similar pattern to that shown above for income, those in the 20% most deprived areas in Scotland were most likely to say that they had no opinion (36%), whereas those in the 20% least deprived areas of Scotland were most likely to say "give incentives to drive environmentally friendly cars" (44%). Those in "remote" rural areas were the most likely to support "give incentives to drive environmentally friendly cars" (41%). Those who had a full licence but never drove and those who did not hold a full driving licence were much more likely to say they have "no opinion" (23% and 52% respectively) than those who ever drove (2-6%).
5.3 Concern about traffic growth in Scotland
5.3.1 The interviewer asked "how concerned would you say you are by the increase in the amount of traffic on Scotland's roads?". Respondents picked what they considered to be the most appropriate answer from a "show card", which listed a number of possible responses. Table 5 shows that 19% chose "very concerned", 39% chose "quite concerned", 22% chose "not very concerned" and 17% chose "not at all concerned". Only 3% chose "don't know". There was not much difference between the sexes. However, there were clear differences between the age-groups - e.g. one in ten or less of those aged 16-29 were "very concerned" compared with 26% of those aged 50-59.
5.3.2 Table 6 shows a more detailed breakdown of the percentage of adults who were "very concerned" or "quite concerned" in each population sub-group. Under the age of 30, women seem to be more concerned than men e.g. 50% of women aged 20-29 are concerned about traffic growth, compared with 45% of men in the same age group. Above this age, men and women have similar levels of concern. Those who are employed are more concerned about traffic growth than the unemployed (62-63% vs. 42%). Concern grows with income - 52% of those in households with an annual net household income of under £10,000, compared with 71% in "over £40,000" households. Similarly, 51% of those living in the 20% most deprived areas in Scotland were concerned about traffic growth, compared to 66% of those living in the 20% least deprived areas. Concern was highest in urban areas and "accessible" areas, compared to "remote" areas (58-60% vs. 51%). Those who drove every day were more likely to be concerned than those who never drove (65% vs. 58%) and those who do not hold a full driving licence (37%).
5.3.3 Adults who expressed concern about traffic growth in Scotland were asked what concerns them. Table 7 shows the results. The most common concerns were "busier roads/streets" (46%), "congestion/increased travel times" (41%), "air pollution" (32%), and "more accidents" (20%). There was some variation between the sexes; for example, "congestion / increased travel times" was mentioned by 47% of men who were concerned by the increase in traffic but by only 36% of such women. Of those who were concerned, women were more likely than men to refer to "air pollution" (women: 34%; men: 30%) and "more accidents" (23% vs. 17). Older people who were concerned about traffic growth were more likely to be concerned about "busier roads/streets" (53-56% of those aged over 60 compared to 36-41% of those under 40, and less likely to be concerned about "air pollution" (17-23% vs. 42-44%).
5.3.4 Table 8 shows further breakdowns of the 8 most common concerns. In 2005, those who were self-employed or employed full-time who were concerned about traffic growth were most likely to be concerned about "congestion/increased travel times" (49-53%), whereas those who were "permanently retired from work" were most concerned about "busier roads/streets" (55%), and those who were in "higher/further education" were most concerned about "air pollution" (51%). Type of concern also varied with income; those in households with an annual net income of up to £10,000 were most concerned about busier roads streets (53%), whereas those with an income of over £30,000 were most concerned about "congestion/increased travel times" (49-52%) and "air pollution" (37-44%). A similar pattern is shown in the Deprivation quintiles; only 39% of those who expressed concern in the 20% least deprived areas of Scotland were concerned about "busier roads/streets", compared to 46-49% in the rest of Scotland.
5.3.5 There were also some differences between different parts of Scotland - for example: 39% of those living in large urban areas referred to "air pollution" compared to between 25% and 31% of those living in other types of area; and those who lived in small "remote" towns were by far the most likely (60%) to refer to "busier roads/streets".
5.3.6 In 2005, 46% of adults who had a full driving licence referred to "congestion / increased journey times" compared to only 27% of those without a full driving licence; and by 49% of those who said that they drove every day compared to only 34% of those who had a full licence but never drove. 26% of those without a driving licence had the concern "more dangerous for pedestrians/cyclists/children", compared with 14% of those with a driving licence.
5.4 Frequency of driving in congested traffic, and views on congestion
5.4.1 Those who drove at least once a week were asked how often they drove in congested traffic. Table 9 shows the results as a percentage of all adults. In 2005, 11% drove in congested traffic every day, 6% at least three times a week, 10% once or twice a week, 6% at least 2-3 times a month, 6% at least once a month, 13% less than once a month and 8% "never". This makes up the 59% who drive at least once a week. 16% of men drive in congested traffic every day compared to 7% of women, and those aged 30-59 were much more likely to have done so than younger or older people (16% compared to 9% for 17-29 year olds and 3% for those aged 60+). Those in rural areas were more likely to have ever driven in congested traffic (even if "less than once a month") than those in urban areas (62% vs. 46%).
5.4.2 Those who said they ever drove in congested traffic (even if "less than once a month") were asked about the impact this had on them. The most often mentioned effects were "longer journey times" (38% of those who drove in congested traffic ), "stress" (23%), "makes me angry/irritable" (19%), and "uncertainty/unreliable journey times" (12%). In addition, 31% said that congestion had no impact on them. There were some differences in the answers given by men and women; men were more likely than women to say "longer journey times" (40% vs. 36%) and "makes me angry / irritable" (21% vs. 17%). Adults aged under 60 were more likely to be concerned by "longer journey times" than those aged 60-79 (39-42% vs. 27-31%), and than those aged over 80 (20%). Those aged between 20 and 59 are more likely to say "stress" than those over 60 (24-26% vs. 13-19%).
5.4.3 The interviewer also asks those who ever drove in congested traffic what they thought should be done about traffic congestion. The most popular suggestions were "improve public transport services" (mentioned by 34% of those who drove in congested traffic), "public transport should be cheaper" (16%), "build more roads" (15%), "add lanes to existing roads" (13%) and "move goods by rail/fewer lorries" (10%). In addition, 25% said that they did know what should be done about traffic congestion. There were some differences in the answers given by the two sexes. Women were more likely than men to support "improve public transport…" (37% vs. 33%) and less likely to support "add lanes to existing roads" (10% vs. 16%) and "build more roads" (12% vs. 17%). Support for "improve public transport services" was higher for those aged 20-69 (30-39%) than from those aged over 70 (17-22%).