The penultimate part of this look at the 2021 census focuses on the home. This includes marital status, tenure and access to private vehicles.
Another reminder of the ground rules/method:
- The figures will be counted at council level (the 22 unitary authorities). There are probably more interesting results at a local level/ward level, but that’s not for me to do. You can look these up yourselves using the ONS’s interactive map.
- Percentages are rounded to the nearest decimal place and changes are percentage point increases or decreases (unless stated otherwise).
- 2021 will be compared to both the 2011 and 2001 censuses unless comparable figures are unavailable (i.e. things were counted differently in 2021 compared to previous years) or I couldn’t find the data for whatever reason. In some instances, there won’t be a comparison because it’s a new category.
- Any conclusions are educated guesses rather than hard/academically rigorous ones.
What’s the overall national picture?
There’s been a consistent drop in the proportion of households without access to at least one private vehicle, falling by 3.5% since 2011 and 6.5% since 2001.
What are the standout findings for individual councils?
Some areas have seen far sharper drops than others.
Since 2001, the proportion of no-vehicle households has fallen fastest in the M4 corridor and southeast, including Monmouthshire (-16.6%), Blaenau Gwent (-12.2%), Bridgend (-12.0%), Caerphilly (-11.3%) and Merthyr Tydfil (-10.1%).
Every single local authority saw a drop since the last census in 2011, but the only local authority to have seen an increase in vehicleless households since 2001 is Cardiff (+4.5%). Swansea came very close to not seeing any change over the same period (-0.5%).
What may be the reasons behind the changes (if applicable)?
Increasing self-employment following the recession may result in some tradespeople having a works vehicle that they also use as a car for general use.
It’s often now an unofficial job requirement in Wales to have a driving licence and/or access to a car and there will no doubt be some correlation between reduced unemployment and increased car ownership.
There’s also a sizable proportion of people who need access to a car out of necessity – such as those with certain disabilities or those living in rural areas served poorly by public transport.
Are there any public policy implications?
A drop in the proportion of carless households may be interpreted as a sign of increased prosperity.
It’s also an indicator of terrible public transport, is bad news for the environment and suggests the Welsh Government’s attempts to encourage “modal shift” and discourage car use will be like talking to a brick wall.
If you’re worried about climate change or the environment you might want to give the next section a miss.
