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Distance And Duration

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In general, in 2016, journeys took longer to complete. Nearly 56% of journeys undertaken by those living outside Dublin took 15 minutes or less to complete, a decrease of over four percentage points on 2014. For those residing in Dublin, almost half of all journeys (46.4%) took a quarter of an hour or less, compared with 49.6% in 2014. There was an overall increase for both Dubliners and persons living outside of Dublin, for journeys of greater than fifteen minutes duration but less than one hour. Over four fifths of all journeys (both for persons residing in Dublin and outside of Dublin) took half an hour or less to complete while just over 4% of all journeys took greater than one hour to complete. See table 5.1 and figure 5.1.

Distribution of journey
duration for Dublin versus
all regions excluding Dublin
All regions excluding DublinDublinAll regions
15 minutes or less55.846.552.9
16-30 minutes2734.129.2
31-45 minutes7.110.48.1
46-60 minutes5.45.65.5
>60 minutes4.73.54.3
5.1 Percentage distribution of journey duration for Dublin versus all regions excluding Dublin, 2013, 2014 and 2016

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People living outside Dublin were more likely to travel longer distances. Nearly half of all journeys (49.8%) made by those living outside of Dublin in 2016 were eight kilometres or more, in comparison with those residing in Dublin where just 28.9% were of a similar distance. Nearly one third of all journeys of Dubliners were less than two kilometres, compared with 23% of all journeys taken by persons living outside of Dublin. See table 5.2 and figure 5.2.

Distribution of journey
distance for Dublin versus
all regions excluding Dublin
All regions excluding DublinDublinAll regions
<2 kilometres2331.125.5
2<4 kilometres12.116.513.4
4<6 kilometres10.215.611.9
6<8 kilometres585.9
8+ kilometres49.828.943.3
5.2 Percentage distribution of journey distance for Dublin versus all regions excluding Dublin, 2013, 2014 and 2016

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The majority of journeys which had a distance of less than eight kilometres were completed in less than 15 minutes. In the case of journeys of less than two kilometres, nearly nine out of every ten journeys (88%) were 15 minutes or less. Over one third of journeys (35.1%) of eight kilometres or more took longer than half an hour to complete. See table 5.3 and figure 5.3.

Distribution of journey
distance for Dublin versus
all regions excluding Dublin
15 minutes or less16-30 minutes>30 minutes
<2 kilometres88111
2<4 kilometres70.324.15.5
4<6 kilometres63.927.19
6<8 kilometres5632.611.4
8+ kilometres23.241.735.1
5.3 Percentage distribution of journeys by duration and distance travelled, 2013, 2014 and 2016

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Over three quarters of journeys (77.4%) of fifteen minutes or less were by car (as driver or passenger) compared with over 71% of journeys over one hour in duration. For short journeys of a quarter of an hour or less, nearly 17% were by walking. One fifth of journeys greater than three quarters of an hour in duration were by bus. See table 5.4 and figure 5.4.

Distribution of journey
duration by mode
15mins or less16-30 mins31-45 mins46-60 mins>60 mins
Private car - Driver73.565.964.961.761.2
Private car - Passenger3.95.45.95.510.2
Walk/cycle17.816.710.912.99.5
Public transport incl.
bus, rail,
DART and LUAS
4.81218.42019
5.4: Percentage distribution of journey duration by mode

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In 2016, over one third (35%) of all journeys of one hour or more were for the purpose of work, an increase of nearly seven percentage points on 2014. Nearly one fifth (19.4%) were for the purpose of entertainment, lesiure or sports. Over 26% of journeys of a quarter of an hour or less were to go shopping, while over one fifth (20.1%) were companion/escort journeys. See table 5.5 and figure 5.5.

5.5: Percentage distribution of journey duration by purpose, 2013, 2014 and 2016

WorkEducationShoppingVisit family/friendsEntertainment/leisure/sportsPersonal businessCompanion/escort journeyOther incl. eat or drink
15 mins or less223.926.27.57.65.920.16.8
16-30 mins35.54.719.59.19.15.610.85.8
31-45 mins44.73.415.28.710.75.28.83.3
46-60 mins41.13.912.19.91646.16.9
>60 mins351.29.415.819.47.365.9

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