Professor Alan Townsend Workplace and commuting in the North East

Data Sources 2001 Census of Population (29 April 2001) Standard Tables / Theme Tables –static resident population + limited workplace population –theme table 10 on resident, workplace & daytime population Special Workplace Statistics –origin (residence) / destination (workplace) matrices –based on all persons aged in employment –analyses based on set 1 – local authority matrices

Geographies North East Government Office Region: Four sub-regions: –Northumberland County –Tyne & Wear Metropolitan County –County Durham (excluding Darlington) –Tees Valley (Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar & Cleveland, Stockton) 23 local authority districts Commuting to/from surrounding regions: –Yorks & Humber; North West; Scotland; rest of UK

Definitions 1 lives & works in area residents in employment workplace population out commuters in commuters

Definitions 2 People who live and work in an area include: –local commuters: i.e. people who travel from home to a workplace in the same area –homeworkers: people who work mainly at or from home 2001 Census: people with no fixed workplace generally counted as working at or from home In Special Workplace Statistics all above groups counted as living and working in the same area

A Word of Caution Data quality relies on accuracy of data recorded on form: –In Tyne & Wear: 339 in commuters travel over 60 kms on foot –In Alnwick: 12 people working in the district travel less than 10kms to work by underground/Metro Disclosure control adjustments affect data. Resident population of Tees Valley: –256,369 according to SWS table 101 –256,247 according to SWS table 107 moral: be cautious of small numbers or small differences

Report Contents 1Executive summary 2Introduction Part A: Topic Analyses –3 Workers, residents and commuters –4 Origins and destinations of commuters –5 Distance and method of travel to work –6 Age, hours worked, employment status –7 Industry, occupation and socio-economic class –8 Homeworkers and mobile workers Part B: Districts –9 District level commuting patterns –10 District profiles

Executive summary (1) The North East has been traditionally characterised as distinct from the rest of England through having few external commuting flows, and having local travel-to-work patterns that were seen as restricting the mobility required for modern economic development. The 2001 Census shows a continuing shift away from the previous pattern, with increased mobility (accelerated in some areas through industrial closures) lagging behind the rest of England. The shift in ten years is not necessarily all that striking on all measures; rather is it a statement of the “inevitability of gradualness” in a transition to new regional lifestyles. In almost every area, male flows exceed female as a proportion of the respective working populations.

Executive summary (2) When we look at occupations, the greatest volumes and ratios of commuting are found amongst managers, senior officials, professional workers, and their associate and technical occupations. The greatest concentration in the age groups and is in Northumberland, in line with the general impression of the movement of more affluent housing from Newcastle upon Tyne into that county. Part-time work is traditionally associated with females and with shorter distance movement. Tees Valley shows the highest proportions of part-time work and County Durham the lowest. The greener forms of travel have failed to advance in importance, and stand at low levels. Use of foot, bicycle and bus modes appears to have declined (together with the motor cycle); cycling is below national averages, with only 1.7 percent of work journeys.

Executive summary (3) The proportions travelling by public transport, at 14.8 percent, are slightly lower than in England and Wales and weighted more to the bus than the train. Newcastle upon Tyne is the more dependent on public transport (27% of journeys) as to a smaller degree are Durham City and Middlesbrough. The smallest dependence on the bus is shown in the most rural areas. There was an increase of 28 percent in workers travelling into Tyne and Wear (from 64,500 to 82,600), which is associated with many net changes but above all with its largest growth of employment from the growth of offices in Business Services both in the City of Newcastle and sites and business parks across the area at large

Distance travelled to work (residents)

Method of travel to work (residents)

Industry (workplace population)

Occupation (residents)