Peterborough, Colchester and Milton Keynes are the most car dependent cities, according to new research from the Campaign for Better Transport.
The 2014 Car Dependency Scorecard rates the quality of public transport, cycling and walking facilities provided by different towns and cities. It also examines the use of planning policies that support sustainable transport.
The Scorecard reveals that Milton Keynes comes last in many of the metrics due to its low density planning and a road system that is better suited to cars rather than public transport. Colchester also ranked lowest for accessibility and planning.
Peterborough was also judged as having a heavy reliance on cars but the report said there are signs of improvement and ‘a will for active travel’.
London, Manchester and Liverpool emerged as the easiest places to live if you don’t have a car. Newcastle, Cambridge and Brighton also ranked highly because of investment in car-free transport options, despite having lower building density.
Chief executive of the Campaign for Better Transport, Stephen Joseph, said the highest rated cities had good quality public transport and plan new developments ‘thoughtfully’.
‘There is a lot that Government can do to make our cities less car dependent,’ he said. ‘What emerges strongly from the research is that local control often goes hand in hand with smarter policies and better targeted investments. More devolution to English cities could mean more integrated and greener transport networks that make our towns and cities better places.’
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