The Scoop

London now only region with fewer vehicles than households

Adam Bienkov | Tuesday 11 December, 2012 10:20

London is now the only region with fewer vehicles than households, new figures reveal.

Car and van ownership has risen or stayed roughly the same in every part of England and Wales apart from London, according to census data out today.

This is particularly startling given that the rest of the South East is now the most car-saturated region in the country. London is the least.

The actual number of cars has also decreased despite a big population increase.

According to the Office for National Statistics

“The lower numbers of cars and vans in London may be related to factors such as high population densities and extensive public transport facilities.”

The decrease follows a decade of lobbying for infrastructure investment by Ken Livingstone, Boris Johnson and TfL.

A big increase in bus services under Livingstone and the continued investment in rail services under Johnson has helped London buck the national trend.

Despite huge increases in fares, car use remains in decline.

The Mayor should now take the initiative and abandon any future road-building initiatives for good.

Links: More graphs from Mike, Evening Standard campaign for the 2%

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