Increasing walking rates during the Covid-19 pandemic in the UK and the window of opportunity for modal shift

The COVID-19 pandemic, and the associated lockdowns and travel restrictions significantly impacted transport systems worldwide. Cities saw reductions in car use, reductions in public transport patronage and increases in active travel (walking and cycling). This prompted many to speculate about what travel might look like after the pandemic, and whether increases in active travel would lead to more permanent modal shifts away from car use, and towards a more sustainable transport system. However, as restrictions have been lifted, many countries have reported car use rates returning to, or close to, pre-pandemic levels, with public transport patronage being lower than pre-pandemic levels, and active travel rates reducing since initial lockdowns. This poses the question, has the window of opportunity for sustainable travel post-pandemic gone? This paper examines this question further by focusing on walking rates during the pandemic. Using data from a longitudinal panel survey this paper addresses the following questions: how have walking levels changed during the pandemic in the UK? What are people walking for? and what impact could these changes have on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions? Findings show walking is the only transport mode to increase during the pandemic and have more people walking regularly than pre-pandemic. This increase has been for mixed purposes, not solely for leisure purposes, and in June-21 17.4 % of the sample who eligible to drive, increased the frequency they walked and also decreased their car use. This paper argues there is still opportunity for policy makers to encourage a continuation of walking, and for some modal shifts from car use to continue post-pandemic.