North East has one of the highest uses of public transport

Feb 17 2010 by Tony Henderson, The Journal

THE North East has one of the highest uses of public transport in England, according to figures released yesterday.

New data from the Office for National Statistics showed that an average of 14% of people’s mileage in 2007 and 2008 in the region was by public transport, one of the highest outside London.

Only the South West had a lower average daily motor vehicle flow on major roads than the North East’s 17,100 vehicles per day in 2008.

Nationally, between 1991 and 2008, the proportion of youngsters of primary school age travelling to school by car rose from 27% to 43%.

In 2008, 86% of children were usually accompanied to school by an adult, an increase from 78% in 2002. The main reasons parents accompanied their children to school were traffic danger and fear of assault or molestation.

The North East’s housing stock has shown the lowest increase for any English region over the 10 years from 1997 to 2007.

Between 1997 and 2007 the total number of dwellings in the region increased by 4%, considerably lower than the UK average of 7.8% and the smallest percentage increase across all the English regions.

In 2007/08 the North East recycled 28% of household waste, the second lowest region after London. However, this was more than double the percentage recycled in 2003/04.

The estimated resident population of the UK was 61,383,000 in mid-2008, up by 408,000 on the previous year.

The UK population is projected to increase by 4.3 million by 2018.

There were around 25,900 applications for asylum (excluding dependants) to the UK in 2008, an increase of 11% per cent on the previous year.

The estimated number of married people in England and Wales was 21.7 million in mid-2008, down 41,000 compared with the previous year.

The proportion of people who are single has risen from 40% in mid-1978 to 47% in mid-2008.

UK households spent an average of £471 a week in 2008 compared to £459 in 2007.

Spending was highest in the transport category at £63 a week. This included £21.10 per week on buying vehicles, £31.80 on personal transport and £10.50 on transport services such as rail, tube and bus fares.

The second highest category of spending was recreation and culture at £60 a week.

This includes TVs, computers, newspapers, books, leisure activities and package holidays.

On average, £13.60 a week was spent on package holidays abroad, compared with £1.10 a week on package holidays taken in the United Kingdom.

Housing (excluding mortgage costs), fuel and power was the third highest category at £53 a week.