SECTION 2. “How long does the journey take?”

Times taken in travelling to work (from door to door) in September - October 1943, January and February 1943 and August 1942, are compared below:

Results for September and January show no statistically significant differences. At both these periods there are higher proportions taking longer times over the journey than in August 1942.

The results suggest that the situation is slightly worsened when it is remembered that the blackout time is shorter in September to October than in January, and the weather better.

Analysis by occupation group shows no statistically significant differences from January figures. As in January and in August, those in war industry and in the clerical group show higher than average proportions taking over 30 minutes.

Compared with January, the South, South West and S. Wales show a slight improvement, and the North some deterioration. Changes in other regions are only small. In considering these figures however, it should be noted that they may be influenced to some extent by slight differences in the distribution of the sample between the central, inner and outer zones within the different regions, and they should therefore, be treated with some reserve.

Analysis by different time periods throws some light on the situation in the Midlands and in S. Wales.

From the first classification there appears to be little change in the Midlands, but from these results the situation in this region appears to be somewhat worse. In the case of Wales, this analysis emphasises the results shown by the first, confirming that the situation has improved.

As in January no statistically significant differences are shown between the times taken by men and women. The youngest age group, as in January, shows a slightly lower proportion having journeys of half an hour or more than other groups.

Analysis by size of town and by central, inner and outer zones show the same differences as in January, the percentages shown by the two inquiries approximating very closely to one another. That relatively high proportions of those in large towns and in the outer zones take more than half an hour over their journey is shown by both inquiries.

Those workers who used public transport services were asked how long it took them to walk to the bus or tram stop or to the railway station from their homes. The proportions taking different times were as follows:

Only a small proportion have a walk of more than 10 minutes. However, of those who take more than half an hour over the whole journey, considerably higher proportions have long walks.