Assessing sustainable journey-to-work solutions around stated and revealed employee preferences: the case of Bristol International Airport

From an airport perspective it is important for sustainable surface access plans, related to airport employees, to be informed by employee stakeholder views, attitudes, and preferences. A comprehensive Bristol Airport employee journey-to-work survey was carried out over the summer of 2022 with 326 responses received across 39 different employers with a presence at the airport, including 107 from the airport operator itself. The most popular travel choice amongst respondents was single occupancy petrol or diesel vehicles, which represented 62% of all employee journeys. The remaining 38% of journeys consisted of single occupancy hybrid or electric journeys (15%), Bus trips (13%), Multiple Occupancy vehicle trips (5%), Cycling (2%), Walking (1%), Booked taxis (1%) and Rail/Bus combinations (1%), which represent a significant proportion given the airport's regional location. Factors affecting the commute to work revolved around overall trip cost and convenience, with the environmental impact of travel choices holding a growing but still limited significance. The topography of the land around the airport and the rural nature of the transport network were also considerable influences affecting modal choice. Although more environmentally sustainable modal choices are growing, financial or other incentives would need to be provided to compensate for perceived changes to travel cost and convenience, with the most sought-after amongst Bristol Airport employees being free or discounted public transport and support for electric and hybrid private vehicles.