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How many people in the UK don't have easy access to public transport (i.e. live more than two miles from a bus, train, underground or tram stop)? I tried to find out yesterday evening, it seemed relevant to our piece on older-drivers, but unfortunately the cones seem to have been out on the information super-highway and the Department for Transports website was inaccessible

Blogger Dizzy Thinks has a rather more technical description of what (I should add it's back up now)

As for the figure I'm trying find out, still no joy. But a helpful chap at the DfT has directed me to their National Travel Survey - new one out tomorrow. The last survey covering 2006 found that, "Licence holding among all those aged 70 and over rose from 38 to 50 per cent."

And you can see why that should be, "In 2006, 45 per cent of individuals aged 70 or over have problems walking or using a bus, compared with five per cent of those aged 16 to 49."

And if you are in that 45% and you live in the country, the car may well be the only option, "rural areas that were within 13 minutes walk of an hourly or better bus service ... increased from 45 to 54 per cent."

The latest survey is due out tomorrow. You if the website stays up, and we'd appreciate your help pouring through the facts and figures for stats relevant to the elderly driving feature.

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