The bar chart illustrates the daily variations in car journeys to the city centre undertaken by residents and non-residents over the nine-year period from 1996 to 2005.
Overall, there was a notable shift in the traffic patterns of residents and non-residents throughout the observed years, with residents initially dominating the journeys before a significant decline, while non-residents exhibited fluctuating trends.
In detail, the number of car journeys made by residents began at 9,000 in 1996, experiencing a peak of 11,000 in 1998 before declining to 10,000 in 1999. Subsequently, from 2000 onwards, a downward trend ensued, with daily journeys falling to 8,500 in 2000, followed by a steady decrease to 8,000 in 2003. This year marked a pronounced drop for residents, culminating at just 8,500 by 2004, with a minor recovery to 9,000 in 2005, illustrating an overall decline over the observed period, despite reverting to their 1996 figures by the end of the timeline.
Conversely, non-resident car journeys showcased a more variable pattern, commencing at 12,000 in 1996 and achieving a peak of 13,500 in 1998. This was followed by a stabilization period until 2000, where the numbers remained consistent at 12,000. However, following the introduction of parking meters and the closure of Westgate Street and Park Lane to traffic, a dramatic drop was observed in 2003, with the figure plummeting to just 6,000. A further decline led to a mere 4,500 journeys by 2005, indicating a stark decrease that outstripped any fluctuations exhibited by residents during the same timeframe.