Most business trips made by UK-based travellers are domestic journeys, with the car remaining the most regularly used mode of transport, according to a new survey by the Business Travel Association (BTA).

A survey of 1,000 employees who travel for work found that 62 per cent of their journeys took place within the UK with the more than two-thirds of respondents taking at least one business trip per month.

The vast majority of respondents (89 per cent) expect their business travel to stay the same or increase this year, with the key reasons for these trips being relationship-building (30 per cent), project work (28 per cent) and attending events and conferences (28 per cent).

Driving was the most common option for UK domestic business travel with 30 per cent of respondents taking the car ¨C ahead of rail (21 per cent) and air (20 per cent). Although most workers recognised that train travel had a lower environmental impact (73 per cent) and allowed them to be more productive while travelling (69 per cent).

BTA¡¯s research showed that there would be more demand for train travel if rail services offered better reliability (54 per cent), lower prices (51 per cent) and greater connectivity (37 per cent).

In its report, BTA said that the UK¡¯s rail network was ¡°not currently meeting the needs of those travelling for work¡±, despite strong demand for more sustainable forms of transport from business travellers.

The association is calling for ¡°sustained regional infrastructure improvements to encourage greater rail use and to better service the needs of those travelling for work¡±.

Clive Wratten, BTA¡¯s CEO, added:?¡°Big cities often have better services, as seen in London, but the same cannot be said for all regions, with areas in the North and Midlands suffering from fragmented services.?

¡°We at the BTA welcome continued investment from the government to address the infrastructure needs of this growing industry. It¡¯s time to deliver targeted support for routes, services and accessibility across all modes of transport.¡±?

There was strong demand from travellers for TMCs to offer an integrated booking platform where all modes of transport can be booked and managed in one place, with 51 per cent of respondents wanting this kind of solution.

The research also highlighted that accessibility remains a ¡°major barrier to equitable business travel¡±. While 38 per cent of workers with a disability travelled regularly on business, only 13 per cent of them said that accessibility did not impact their ability to travel.