Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.The National Travel Survey (NTS) is a series of household surveys designed to provide regular, up-to-date data on personal travel and monitor changes in travel behaviour over time. The first NTS was commissioned by the Ministry of Transport in 1965. Further periodic surveys were carried out in 1972/73, 1975/76, 1978/79 and 1985/86 (the UK Data Service holds data from 1972 onwards). Since July 1988 the NTS has been carried out as a continuous survey with field work being carried out in every month of the year, and an annual set sample of over 5,000 addresses. From 2002, the NTS sample was increased approximately threefold, to approximately 15,000 per year. The advantage of the continuous study is that users will be able to discern seasonal and cyclical movements as well as trend changes over time. The NTS is carried out primarily for the purposes of government. The most fundamental use of the National Travel Survey within the Department for Transport (DfT) is as core base data for key transport models. These are critical to the assessment and appraisal of transport scheme proposals (national and local), transport policy proposals, and contribute to the development of our long-term strategy. The NTS data is used to develop consistent sets of transport policies. Because it relates travel to travellers, it makes it possible to relate policies to people and to predict their impact. The survey provides detailed information on different types of travel: where people travel from and to, distance, purpose and mode. The NTS records personal and socio-economic information to distinguish between different types of people, and the differences in the way they travel and how often they do so. The NTS is the only source of national information on subjects such as walking which provide a context for the results of more local studies. Further information may be found on the gov.uk National Travel Survey webpage. End-User Licence, Special Licence and Secure Access NTS data The UK Data Archive holds three versions of the NTS:the End User Licence (EUL) versions (SNs 5340 and 6108) contain a comprehensive range of NTS data at Government Office Region geographic level and should be sufficient for most research needs. EUL data are available to registered users of the UK Data Service (see the Administrative and Access section below for details).The Special Licence versions (SNs 7553 and 7804) contain more detailed travel (including accidents), demographic and socio-economic data, and the geographic level is Local Authority/Unitary Authority. Special Licence data are subject to more restricted access conditions.The Secure Access version (SN 7559) contains more detailed information and postcode sector geographies. Secure Access data are subject to further restricted access conditions, including the completion of a training course.Full information about the variables contained at each level are available in the NTS Table Structures spreadsheet, available in the documentation.

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The data for this study are in two separate files, one covering 1988-1995, and the other covering 1995-1997. Users should note that both parts contain the data for 1995, and therefore they overlap. There are about 200 variables in the survey, covering various topics. Most of the variables are available for all years from 1988 to 1997, but there have been some changes over time. First available dates are noted below where applicable, but users are advised to consult the technical reports where possible. Variables are as follows : Primary Sampling Unit (PSU variables) : area geography, concessionary fares schemes. Household variables : address, access to public transport, household composition, social and economic characteristics, vehicle access, period of travel, attitudes to local bus services (from 1993). Vehicle variables : vehicle characteristics, availability, fuel consumption, benefits and supports for motoring costs, parking (from 1995). Individual variables : personal/social and economic characteristics, travel difficulties, access to motor vehicles, special tickets and passes, travel to work. Long distance journey variables (from 1992) : purpose of journey, travel distance and main mode, origin and destination, travel period. Day variable : travel day. Journey variables : structure, purpose, travel times, travel mode and distance, travel speed, origin and destination (from 1992). Stage variables : mode, travel time, distance and speed, occupancy, public transport, private transport.

One-stage stratified or systematic random sample

Diaries

Face-to-face interview

Self-completion