employment in London reached a peak in 1962 or 1963, and then fell consistently for 20 years, but seems to have been rising again since 1982 or 1983. employment is now mainly professional and administrative. Rail transport is the only effective way to move the large numbers involved.
Telecommunications will modify travel patterns, but it is not likely to have much effect on the total volume of travel. Some journeys will become unnecessary, but business associates will eventually need to meet; people will want to move, if only from boredom; and recreational travel may increase when there is more leisure.
The authors assess the influence on the modal choice of commuters of a number of variables; the strongest are the age, density and size of the urban area. The monocentric model is modified by the development of sub-centres. Time is regarded as more important than distance.
