Nearly a third of Londoners plan to cut down their use of public transport and make fewer trips into central London because of the July terrorist attacks, new research reveals.
Researchers surveyed over 1,000 Londoners to assess psychological effects of the 7 July bombings and found 32% are determined to reduce the amount of times they travel by bus, Tube or overground trains and are keen to avoid the Capital's centre.
The survey was conducted just before the second wave of attempted bombings on 21 July.
The research, published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), will prove worrisome for London shop owners, who saw their sales totals in decline before the attacks and have since been unable to recover.
Researchers said they found high levels of stress similar to those recorded in the United States after the 11 September attacks and Oklahoma City bombing in 1995.
Some 31% of Londoners reported suffering from substantial stress; however, only 1% said they felt the need to seek professional help.
In what could be good news for retailers, 71% said they spoke to friends and relatives about their worries which helped them cope, suggesting the majority of people will be able to put the traumatic events behind them.
"Despite some study limitations, these results are reassuring," the researchers wrote. "Although the psychological needs of those intimately caught up in the attacks will require further assessment, we found no evidence of a widespread desire for professional counselling."
