MORE public transport journeys are being made across Swindon as the lockdown restrictions begin to ease.

Location data gathered by Google from the phones and personal devices we carry with us tracked trends in movement around the town.

The report for the week ending May 21 showed an increase in activity within Swindon’s public transport hubs and suggested that people are beginning to use buses and trains more often.

Over the seven days, time spent in stations was 56 per cent lower than during a five-week baseline period at the start of the year. The week before, it had been 63 per cent lower than usual levels – a seven per cent difference.

In the first report, which covered the week to March 29 when the lockdown came into effect, public transport activity was down 65 per cent.

But the data suggests that the population of Swindon is staying away from transport hubs less successfully than in other locations across the UK.

Nationally, people were spending 58 per cent less time than usual in stations last week compared to 56 per cent less time than usual here.

Other parts of Swindon saw varying levels of footfall. Shopping centres and food outlets saw 65 per cent less traffic than normal Workplaces were 53 per cent quieter than usual

Food shops and pharmacies saw 27 per cent less traffic and people spent 22 per cent more time at home than usual

The seven days to May 21 covered the second week after Boris Johnson announced a partial easing of the lockdown in England and unveiled the Stay Alert slogan.

Rules on once-a-day exercise were relaxed to allow people to spend unlimited time outdoors, while people were permitted to meet one person from another household.

Meanwhile, new figures reveal two more care homes in Swindon have been hit by coronavirus.

It comes as data suggests less than a quarter of care home residents have received a test for Covid-19 since the pandemic started.

Public Health England data revealed 15 of the 51 care homes in Swindon had reported a confirmed or suspected case of Covid-19 up to May 17.

That was two more than the 13 which had reported outbreaks up to May 3, and it means that at least 29 per cent of residential and nursing homes in the area have been hit by the virus.

PHE's data contains no indication of whether the reported outbreaks are still active.

Across the south west, 27 per cent of care homes have been affected.