People in Plymouth bound by routine, but crave spontaneity

Research released today by CrossCountry has found that over half (53%) of people living in Plymouth feel they follow too much routine in their lives, with 54% agreeing they would like to be more spontaneous.

According to the leading train company, despite the desire to be more open-minded, a remarkable 49% admit that they have never made a spontaneous life changing decision. Over a quarter (29%) also said they had never even decided to travel to another town or city on the spur of the moment.

The research found that almost a third (30%) of people are simply too scared to be spontaneous. A money-conscious 36% also said they were held back by the potential cost.

However, over two fifths (43%) said the ability to visit family and / or friends would encourage them to act on impulse when it comes to last minute travel. Being able to make a surprise visit to see a boyfriend or girlfriend would also spur on a romantic 17% of people in Plymouth.

To further encourage Plymouth residents to break off the shackles of routine CrossCountry has extended the availability of Advance fares up to ten minutes before travel, enabling much more flexibility.

Not only can passengers save money on their train fares, they can also avoid the queue at stations by booking online or via the CrossCountry mobile app and have their tickets sent straight to their handset. Passengers can also secure a free seat reservation.

When asked about where previous spontaneous travel decisions had led them, one respondent described how they ended up staying in France for a year after only going there because of a petrol strike in Sweden. Another decided to move to a different part of the country one evening, packing up the very next morning!

David Watkin, commercial director for CrossCountry said: “We know people feel their lives are bound by routine and they would prefer to live more spontaneously. With cheaper CrossCountry Advance fares available on the day of travel passengers now have the freedom to be more impulsive while still keeping a hold of the purse-strings.”