This publication is intended to complement Transport Statistics Great Britain. It illustrates major trends over the last 25 years and highlights some of the key issues. Road traffic has grown by 82% 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. Car use has increased as disposable income has increased and the number of women drivers is increasing. The cost of motoring is unchanged in real terms while the cost of public transport fares has increased. There has been a slight increase in bus use in the past six years (mainly in London) and and an over 40% increase in train use since 1980. The number of trips made and distance travelled increases with income. Adults in households with two or more cars travel on average over three times farther than those in households without a car. Total freight moved in tonne kilometres has increased by 47% since 1980. UK residents made 66 million overseas visits in 2003 compared with 18 million in 1980, mainly by air. The car passenger fatality rate has more than halved since 1980. Walking and cycling have both declined significantly over the past decade. Vehicle carbon dioxide emissions have increased by 52% since 1980, accounting for 23% of total UK emissions. Local air pollution has declined with the advent of catalytic converters and cleaner fuels. Despite an improvement in vehicle fuel efficiency, the fuel consumed by transport has increased due to growth in road traffic and a substantial rose in international aviation. (Author/publisher)
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