Covid-19 impact and recovery

The Covid-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on our transport demands and mobility patterns as we’ve reshaped our daily routines. Medium to longer term impacts remain difficult to predict.

While many elements are likely to recover to pre-Covid-19 levels, going forward there is an opportunity to benefit from lower traffic levels that we’ve seen with

  • cleaner air
  • more walking, cycling and wheeling
  • more local spending
  • more working from home with fewer journeys to work.

Public transport has suffered a significant downturn in patronage and measures to support safe and efficient travel by bus, tram and rail will be vital to the city’s recovery. Many of the policy measures emerging from the Plan reinforce enhancing and growing our city’s public transport.

More flexible working arrangements present opportunities to address peak time travel patterns and supports the plan’s aims to reduce congestion.

The City Mobility Plan will be flexible and responsive to changing travel needs and behaviours as a result of the pandemic. We will monitor and review impacts and review aspects of the Plan once medium to longer term impacts are better understood.