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.