Waikato regional economic profile - Waikato Regional Council

Figure 95: Labour market areas in theWaikato, 1991 301Figure 96: Labour market areas in theWaikato, 2006 302The labour market areas can be read as indicators of the real cost of commuting, whichin turn depends on the road and transport infrastructure within the region, relativehouse prices between different areas, differences in the rates of job creation and jobseparation between urban and rural areas, and a lack of mobility amonghomeowners. 3035.3.4 Commuting patternsThe average journey to work in the region was a distance of 7.6 kilometres on censusday, March 2006. The national average commute distance was 7.5 kilometres. Themajority (88 per cent) of Waikato region commutes were in private vehicles, higher thanthe national average of 83 per cent 304 . This is illustrated in figure 97.Figure 97: Average distance travelled to work by region (2006 census)Most commuter journeys are local in scale. Ninety-eight per cent of journeys thatstarted in Waikato stayed within the region. Eighty-eight per cent stayed within thesame district, and 82 per cent within the same town. Twenty-six per cent of peopleremained within the same area-unit (suburb) when commuting to work.301Barrett et al (2009, p. 10).302Barrett et al (2009, p. 12).303Barrett et al (2009, p. 13).304Data sourced from the Statistics New Zealand Commuterview 2006.Page 86 Doc #: 2069885