Transport for Tourism: Can Public Transport Encourage a Modal Shift in the Day Visitor Market?

Two major passenger transport executives and the Countryside Agency launched the Wayfarer project in the UK in 1980. The principal aim was to investigate ways of encouraging visitor access to the countryside by public transport. One initiative stemming from the project was the introduction of a multi-modal ticket in 1983, known as Wayfarer, to encourage a day excursion market from urban centres to the countryside, and in particular to one of the busiest natural parks in the world, the Peak District National Park. Over 20 years later the Wayfarer ticket is still being marketed to encourage sustainable travel for leisure. This paper’s purpose is to profile Wayfarer users, to explain key reasons for ticket choice, and give insights into the use of public transport for recreational travel. The study also attempts to evaluate the extent to which modal shift can be encouraged. The results indicate that this type of multi-modal passenger transport ticket, marketed for recreational and tourism purposes, has the potential to offer a more sustainable modal choice to residents and visitors.