Wellingtonians among most likely to use their cars less, survey finds

Respondents listed the environment and working from home as reasons why they would use their cars less. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Wellingtonians are among the most likely in the country to use their car less in the future, an AA Insurance survey has found.

Residents of the capital are thinking about their future road habits, with 40 per cent of Wellingtonians saying they were likely to use their car less, and 22 per cent saying they would drive less over the next 12 months.

Across New Zealand, 13 per cent said they would drive less in the next year.

Wellingtonians also seemed more open to using public transport, with 44 per cent saying they would use it to commute, compared to 20 per cent across the country.

Conducted by AA insurance during June and July 2020, the survey asked 1,100 new Zealanders over 18 about their driving habits and plans for the future.

Just over half (55 per cent) of those surveyed drove their cars every day, which was down from 75 per cent in 2016.

Males were also reportedly driving less, with 34 per cent of men saying they would actively use their car less in the future.

New Zealanders over 60 were also driving down the figures, with 39 per cent saying they would use their cars less, and only a third of those over 60 driving daily.

However the majority of respondents - 79 per cent - planned to drive the same amount over the next 12 months

AA Insurance Customer relations manager Amelia Macandrew said the influence of lockdown on the results had only been temporary, as NZTA statistics showed work-related traffic returning to normal after the first lockdown.

Wellingtonians were more likely than the rest of the country to say they would use their car less. Photo / Mark Mitchell