ABSTRACT
It is evident to the casual observer travelling on the British rail network that fellow travellers are occupying their time with a range of activities – including work. The significance of such time use has tended to be overlooked in transport studies and in the economic assessment of time spent travelling and investment in measures to save such time. In transport studies, travel has traditionally been seen as a derived demand (Tipping, 1968) – derived from the need or desire to participate in activities that are taking place elsewhere. As such, travel itself is seen as a cost. In the context of travel during the course of paid employment, travel time is seen as wasteful – time which could otherwise be put to productive use to the benefit of the employer and economy. Taking the case of individuals travelling on business by rail, this chapter examines travel time use and whether or not the time is indeed wasted. It draws upon a mixed-method research study of ‘travel time use in the information age’ funded by the UK’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Study between 2004 and 2007.
