Young least likely to ditch car for public transport

Despite increased awareness on global warming and emissions, younger people and students seem to be more attached to their cars than older people, a survey on the effect of traffic on wellbeing undertaken by pollster Vincent Marmara and commissioned by the Faculty for Social Wellbeing at the University of Malta, suggests.

This may show that for young people the car remains a powerful symbol of independence and self-actualisation, despite its negative social and ecological impact, and a prevailing perception echoed in other questions in the survey that traffic is having a negative impact on well-being and mental health.  

One of the questions asked to respondents in this survey was whether they agreed with the statement: “I would prefer to not use my car if public transport was more reliable”.  The question is particularly interesting as it measures public willingness for a nodal shift if public transport becomes more reliable.

The most likely to agree with the statement were respondents aged over 70, while the least likely to agree were respondents aged between 18 to 29. While among the former the average level of agreement was 5 out of a maximum 7, among the latter the average level of agreement was 3.7.  In the survey, 1 represented the least level of agreement while 7 represented full agreement.

In the survey, 1 represented the least level of agreement while 7 represented full agreement.

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Overall, the survey shows that a majority (53%) would consider using the car less if there is a more reliable public transport, but around a third of the population disagrees. Moreover, one in five (19%) “strongly disagreed” with the statement, in a strong indication that they would keep using their car irrespective of the state of the country’s public transport system.

Moreover, a breakdown by occupations shows that the most likely to consider reducing car use if public transport is more reliable were retired people, while students were the least likely to consider doing the same. A breakdown by education also shows that people with a post-secondary level of education are the least likely to reduce car use if public transport is improved.

On the other hand, those who attended trade schools or have a primary level of education, who are most likely to be older, were the most likely to reduce the use of the car if public transport is improved.

Unsurprisingly, men are also more attached to their car then females. Females were slightly more willing to consider reducing car use if public transport improves.

The survey clearly shows that traffic is having a negative impact on people’s everyday life. For example, a staggering 76% sometime prefer not to go out due to the thought of traffic and parking difficulties. But younger people and students are also the least likely to stay inside because of traffic while older respondents are the most likely to do so.