National rail strikes could force a long-term shift to car usage, according to research by Startline Motor Finance.

Of those saying they’ll use trains less in the future, the vast majority – 78% – plan to travel instead by car

More than two-thirds (67%) of respondents in its February Used Car Tracker say the recent wave of strikes means they’ll use trains less in the future.

Of those, the vast majority – 78% – plan to travel instead by car, with 35% walking more, 19% using other public transport such as bus and tram, 13% using a traditional bike and 11% an electric bicycle.

However, a significant minority remain committed to rail use, with 20% saying it is “convenient” and 16% that they simply like travelling by train.

Paul Burgess, CEO at Startline Motor Finance, said: “Anecdotal feedback suggests used car sales are increasing in areas especially affected by the rail strikes and our research at least partially bears this out. It seems industrial action is affecting overall willingness to use trains and that people are using cars and other transport more often.

“It would be worrying if rail-to-car switching by travellers develops into a long-term trend. This would obviously be bad news for clean air strategies in cities and for urban congestion in general. To us, these findings underline the need to resolve the rail dispute as soon as possible.”

Startline’s latest Used Car Tracker research also reveals notable movements in used car buyer preferences for fuel types, with petrol up seven percentage points to 40% over the last six months and electric falling nine percentage points to 14% over the same period.

Burgess said: “This is an interesting trend because electric used cars have been falling in price recently and are arguably starting to represent much improved value. Added to this is the well-publicised new car price adjustment by Tesla. Our best guess, based on feedback from dealers and customers, is that people are wary of adopting the new technology at a time when their personal finances are under pressure.”

This month’s research also shows the impact of the current economic crisis on used car buyers. Factors influencing car buying decisions include running costs, which was the top answer at 69% and up 10 percentage points over the last six months. The cost of living was second at 66%, followed by inflation at 41% and job security at 18%

Burgess summed up: “We know that dealers are stocking increased numbers of cars that are cheaper to buy and to run, and it’s clear they are doing this in response to changes in what people are looking for when they buy a used car. Increasingly, it’s about making sure that the cost of purchasing the vehicle and keeping it on the road is kept at a level where people feel comfortable.”