How far do people walk to bus stops?

Distance from bus services is important in transport planning, particularly when assessing the sustainability credentials of development sites or neighbourhoods. It determines whether new homes and businesses need additional or diverted bus services to ensure that people can use public transport for their daily journeys. The WYG team analysed the National Travel Survey (NTS) data to assess the distances that people actually walk to access bus services. We compared this with current policy guidance and have then provided a sound evidential basis on which new guidance can be based. Planning for Public Transport in New Development1 and Planning for Walking2 provide current guidance on acceptable walking distances to public transport. The NTS is a UK-wide survey by the Department for Transport of some 15,000 households. Normally around half fully co-operate. This is some 7,700 to 8,200 households and over 18,000 individuals. From our study we recommend that there should be separate guideline walk distances for London from the rest of the UK.