Travel throughout the South East has rebounded since the sharp drop experienced during the pandemic, although the overall number of trips made remains slightly below pre-Covid levels, according to a new study from Transport for the South East (TfSE).

Cars remain the most common way to travel in the South East, followed by walking. Convenience, cost and journey time are the main factors influencing travel choices, highlighting the ongoing challenge for transport planners to make public transport and active travel more attractive and accessible.

The Regional Travel Survey, approved by our Partnership Board this week, gathered insights from 6,800 people who recorded over 18,000 individual journeys across a two-week period in October and November 2024, with an additional sample collected in March 2025. Participants logged how often they travelled, why, how far and by which mode, along with key demographic information.

Leisure is now the most common reason for travel in the region, followed by shopping. More than half of respondents reported commuting three or more times a week, although around 40% said they travel to work less often than before the pandemic.

While the results showed a clear morning rush-hour peak, the traditional evening peak has become less pronounced, particularly when trips by older people and students were included, the morning peak extended until around 11am before tapering off through the rest of the day.

The survey’s large regional dataset provides TfSE and our local transport authority partners with a valuable opportunity to compare regional patterns with national trends, giving a more detailed picture of travel behaviour at a local transport authority level.

The findings will help inform:
•Transport planning and investment decisions
•Model and analytical tool development
•Devolution and future governance
•Economic development and land-use planning

We will share the findings with local transport authorities and explore how the data can be further used, including by strategic bodies and universities.