Transport trends
There have been huge changes to how we travel over the last 70 years, with implications for our health and for health inequalities

There have been huge changes to how we travel over the last 70 years. The average annual distance people in Britain travel is now three times as far as it was in 1952, largely due to a tenfold increase in the distance travelled by car. Over the same period, the average distance travelled by bus annually has decreased from 1,900km to 600km per person.
The growth in car ownership has revolutionised people’s lives in the UK. But these benefits have not been shared equally across society, with access especially low among young adults and low-income families. Car-centric policies can lead to underinvestment in other forms of transport and reduced options for people without a car.
The charts in this section explore trends and inequalities in transport usage and provision.
Trends and inequalities in transport usage and provision
Analysis
Trends in distance travelled by transport mode
Over the past 70 years there has been a three-fold increase in the total distance travelled per...
Analysis
Trends in bus journeys per person by region
London is the only region in which bus use has increased significantly in the past 30 years, with a...
Analysis
Trends in financial support for local bus services
Government support for local bus services has been steadily declining over the past decade.
Analysis
Trends in transport costs
Bus fares continue to increase at a much faster rate than other transport costs, as well as the...
Analysis
Trends in households without access to a car
The poorest fifth of households are far less likely to have access to a car.
Analysis
Deaths and serious injuries by road user type
Since 1979, road safety standards have improved significantly in Great Britain, but vulnerable road...
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