Road usage

Britain's transport passengers by mode (billion passenger km)

Year Buses & coaches Cars, vans & taxis Motor cycles Pedal cycles All Road Rail Air (UK) All modes
2000 46.50 638.57 4.94 4.14 694.14 46.51 7.60 748.25
2001 46.54 651.40 5.20 4.20 707.34 47.47 7.70 762.51
2002 46.90 672.72 5.49 4.36 729.47 47.99 8.46 785.92
2003 47.00 667.36 6.04 4.43 724.82 49.22 9.15 783.19
2004 41.03 672.46 5.46 4.12 723.06 50.37 9.77 783.21
2005 42.46 666.71 5.63 4.31 719.12 51.36 9.87 780.35
2006 40.47 672.43 5.48 4.50 722.88 54.34 9.88 787.10
2007 40.70 673.09 5.88 4.11 723.78 57.88 9.53 791.18
2008 43.21 666.60 5.30 4.57 719.68 60.52 9.03 789.23
2009 44.22 661.97 5.36 4.77 716.32 60.17 8.40 784.88
2010 44.72 645.70 4.77 4.83 700.02 63.51 7.78 771.31
2011 42.61 644.32 4.88 4.94 696.75 66.80 8.24 771.79
2012 42.23 647.33 4.91 5.00 699.47 69.69 8.30 777.46
2013 40.38 641.85 4.65 5.04 691.92 71.09 8.45 771.46
2014 39.62 654.34 4.82 5.56 704.34 74.26 8.49 787.09
2015 39.37 655.13 4.84 5.23 704.56 76.79 8.74 790.09
2016 34.36 665.50 4.87 5.10 709.83 78.70 8.05 796.58
2017 37.98 669.84 4.85 5.26 717.93 80.26 9.16 807.36
2018 35.27 672.71 4.93 5.36 718.28 80.53 9.36 808.16

Source: DfT.

GB commuting by mode (percent)

Source: DfT.

GB roads freight goods moved (billion tonne km)

Source: DfT.

GB roads freight goods lifted (million tonnes)

Source: DfT.

GB roads freight goods vehicle distance travelled (million km)

Source: DfT.

Average number of trips per person per year by mode in England

wdt_ID Main mode 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
1 Private:
2 Walk 234.31 241.83 233.12 222.93 220.14 219.29 242.74 254.76 262.45
3 Walks of over a mile 65.31 69.51 66.86 70.27 66.27 67.70 62.71 62.71 63.62
4 Bicycle 15.37 16.41 17.01 14.38 18.09 17.04 14.69 16.61 17.05
5 Car / van driver 401.78 392.47 396.37 380.06 383.90 380.82 389.17 390.25 394.96
6 Car / van passenger 212.47 209.10 212.69 209.61 205.98 203.57 201.63 204.02 207.45
7 Motorcycle 2.87 3.58 3.53 3.02 3.27 2.71 3.09 3.23 1.90
8 Other private transport 7.13 6.41 7.03 6.89 6.07 6.60 6.32 6.15 7.45
9 Public:
10 Bus in London 24.67 20.71 18.59 21.33 18.89 20.10 16.09 17.49 15.16
11 Other local bus 42.16 42.05 41.32 41.52 40.46 41.31 35.42 37.36 32.66
12 Non-local bus 0.62 0.53 0.70 0.51 0.75 0.60 0.58 0.77 0.40
13 London Underground 9.17 8.96 9.02 9.23 10.31 9.16 9.97 10.01 10.78
14 Surface Rail 19.50 17.43 19.54 20.32 20.90 20.08 20.99 20.93 22.12
15 Taxi / minicab 9.38 9.89 10.12 9.92 10.46 9.67 10.81 9.08 10.43
16 Other public transport 2.46 2.46 2.45 2.88 2.32 2.90 2.66 3.87 3.44
17 All modes 981.90 971.82 971.48 942.58 941.54 933.84 954.15 974.53 986.26
18 Unweighted sample size:
19 individuals 16,553.00 15,730.00 16,670.00 16,192.00 16,491.00 15,525.00 15,840.00 14,541.00 14,150.00
20 trips ('000s) 292.33 273.41 290.89 273.75 280.05 259.47 276.45 256.46 256.26

Source: DfT.

Miles travelled per person per year in England

Source: DfT.

EU28 Passenger travel by mode (%)

Source: EuroStat, EU

EU28 Passenger travel by mode (billion km)

Source: ERF

EU28 Freight transport by mode (billion tonne km)

Road usage
In this section:

There has been a modal shift since 2000, with declining passenger journeys on buses and coaches, but increased journeys by foot, bike and taxis. Domestic freight transported by road has increased by 9% since 2010. 

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