While the pandemic had a continued impact on domestic business travel in 2021, patterns are expected to return to pre-Covid levels by the end of this year.

The research suggests that the proportion of businesses conducting domestic travel will return to pre-pandemic levels

Newly published findings from a Covid-19 business travel survey, undertaken for the Department for Transport (DfT) in December 2021, reveal a reduction in the proportion of companies conducting domestic business travel in autumn 2021, compared with the period before the pandemic.

Carried out among 555 business travel decision-makers, the Ipsos UK research revealed three-quarters (75%) of businesses that made domestic trips in the year before March 2020, said employees in their organisation continued to do so in autumn 2021.

But the research reveals a decrease in the frequency of domestic travel amongst businesses that continued travelling in this period, when compared pre-pandemic.

A total of 33% of these companies said employees travelling for business did so on average at least weekly in autumn 2021, 61% at least monthly and 39% less than once a month. Before the pandemic, these figures were 33%, 74% and 26% respectively.

The study also shows a change in the mix of modes for domestic business trips. Companies that continued to travel in autumn 2021 increased their use of car travel (private vehicle / hire car / company car) when compared with the pre-pandemic period.

In autumn 2021, an average (mean) of 37% of these companies’ domestic trips used car as the main mode of transport, an increase from 31% pre-pandemic. Their use of other modes remained the same. For example, 10% of trips used long-distance train (vs. 12% pre-pandemic) and 9% used domestic air (vs. 10% pre-pandemic).

Looking ahead to December 2022 however, the research suggests that the proportion of businesses conducting domestic travel will return to pre-pandemic levels.

A total of 99% of businesses that travelled domestically pre-pandemic expected employees in their organisations to do so post-pandemic.

Amongst organisations able to anticipate their level of travel post-pandemic, 35% expected staff who travel for business to do so on average at least weekly, 73% at least monthly and 27% less than once a month.

Post-pandemic, companies expect their mix of modes to be in-line with pre-pandemic levels. Organisations able to anticipate their level of domestic travel post-pandemic expect 36% of trips to use car as the main mode, 13% to use long distance train and 10% to use domestic air.

Decarbonisation plans and actions

The research also looked at plans by businesses to reduce the number of business trips and their carbon emissions.

Almost three-quarters (72%) of companies had plans to reduce the levels of carbon dioxide generated by their business in the future.

A third (32%) had sped up their decarbonisation plans in response to the pandemic while 16% had slowed down their plans (39% said there had been no change in pace).

Respondents were asked if their business had implemented any specific actions to help reduce the number of business trips and their carbon emissions.

The most common actions were allowing increased home working (45% of organisations were offering this), substituting travel with video conferencing (40%), and allowing flexible work times (30%).

Over the next three to five years, a further 22% of companies said they plan to start substituting travel with video conferencing, and allowing flexible work times, and 20% said they plan to start allowing increased home working. A total of 20% also said they would provide electric vehicle charge points for employees.

Other, less frequently cited planned measures included incentivising staff to use public transport (13%), or to travel by bicycle (12%), and reducing the availability of employee car parking (11%).

• The DfT has also published new National Travel Survey figures, which show UK travel patterns failed to bounce back last year despite a phased relaxation of lockdown restrictions. The AA has said the stats show the continued use of homeworking but added that the Government and councils had wasted opportunities to keep up the momentum on increased active travel at the start of the pandemic.