An insight into the impacts of COVID-19 on work-related travel behaviours in the Cardiff Capital Region and following the UK's first national lockdown

Traveller responses to transport disruptions can be used to understand individual travel choices and the potential barriers restricting the uptake of sustainable travel behaviours. Using the Cardiff Capital Region as the study area, this research employed a cross-sectional survey to determine the immediate and anticipated long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, as a transport disruption, on work-related travel behaviours. This research identified that COVID-19 had significantly reduced travel frequencies for office-based workers, with reductions identified both during and in the expected frequencies following COVID-19. Similarly, modal changes and intentions to modal shift were identified as an immediate and potential post-lockdown impact. Meanwhile, departure times before and after the pandemic are expected to remain between similar hours. Additionally, no statistical relationships were identified between respondents' socio-demographics and attitudes towards the avoidance of public transport and the exclusive use of a private car in the future. Overall, the research indicated the potential for low-frequency work travel but increased car dependency following the pandemic. This signifies the importance for local policymakers and planners to continue to improve existing active and public transport infrastructure to secure a low-carbon recovery and future. •Adaptive capacity affects a traveller's behavioural response to a transport disruption.•Active travel uptake is predicted to increase following the pandemic.•The risk of infection associated with public transport indicates a car-dependent recovery.•Public transport ridership levels should slowly recover following the pandemic.•The return of pre-pandemic levels of work-related travel is highly unlikely.