This publication is intended to complement Transport Statistics Great Britain. It illustrates major trends over the last twenty years and highlights some of the key issues. Road traffic has grown by 79% since 1980, although it has grown less during the 1990s than in the 1980s. This is related to increased car ownership and numbers of drivers, decreases in car occupancy levels, fuel price changes and expenditure on roads. Car use has increased as disposable income has increased. The cost of motoring is unchanged but the real cost of public transport fares has increased. There has been a slight increase in bus use and and a 43% increase in train use since the mid 1990s. The number of trips made and distance travelled increases with income. However one third of people have difficulty accessing one or more local facilities such as hospitals, their place of work or the bank. Disabled people are more likely to live in households without a car. Total freight moved in tonne kilometres has increased by 43% since 1980. UK residents made 3.5-fold as many overseas visits in 2003 than they did in 1980, mainly by air. The car passenger fatality rate has halved since 1980. Walking and cycling have both declined significantly over the last 20 years. Vehicle carbon dioxide emissions have increased by 35% since 1980, accounting for 24% of total UK emissions. Local air pollution has declined with the advent of catalytic converters and cleaner fuels.
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