SN/SG/2660

Passenger transport in Great Britain

Average distance travelled and number of trips per person
Transport by cars, vans and taxis constituted 83% of the total distance travelled by
England 2015
passengers in Great Britain in 2014. In 1952 such transport accounted for just over one-
quarter of the total distance travelled.
Distance Trips Average trip
Rail travel in Great Britain remains at a historically high level - with over twice as many (km) (main mode) length (km)
passenger kilometres travelled as in 1995, but the rapid growth in private road transport Car/van user 8,208 584 14.1
means that rail travel accounted for 10% of all passenger transport, compared with 17% in National Rail 913 20 45.5
the early 1950s. Local bus 455 61 7.4
On average in 2015, people in England made 584 trips as a car driver or passenger covering Walk (50 yards+) 301 200 1.5
a total of 8,208 kilometres. London Underground 133 9 14.5
In England, walking was the main mode of travel for 200 trips per person in 2015, down by Non-local bus 77 0.6 129.1
nearly one-third since the mid 1990s. People walked an average of around 301 kilometres
Taxi/minicab 88 10 9.1
in 2015, a 3% increase from 2014.
Bicycle 79 17 4.7
Share of passenger transport by mode, Great Britain
Percentage of total
Motorcyle/moped 50 3 18.5

Cars, vans Buses and Motor

Other 291 10 29.3
and taxis coaches Rail(a) cycles Pedal cycles Air(b) All modes 10,441 914 11.4
1960 49% 28% 14% 4% 4% 0%
Totals may not sum due due to rounding
1970 74% 15% 9% 1% 1% 0%
1980 79% 11% 7% 2% 1% 1% Source: National Travel Survey England: 2015, DfT. Tables NTS0303 and NTS0309.
1990 85% 7% 6% 1% 1% 1%
2000 85% 6% 6% 1% 1% 1% Passenger transport by mode, Great Britain
r Billion passenger kilometres 900
2003 85% 6% 6% 1% 1% 1%
2004r 86% 5% 6% 1% 1% 1%
800
2005r 85% 5% 7% 1% 1% 1%
2006r 85% 5% 7% 1% 1% 1% Air
700
2007r 85% 5% 7% 1% 1% 1% Pedal and motorcycle
2008r 84% 5% 8% 1% 1% 1% Rail 600
2009r 84% 6% 8% 1% 1% 1%
Car/van/taxi
2010r 83% 6% 8% 1% 1% 1% 500
2011r 83% 6% 9% 1% 1% 1% Bus/coach
400
2012r 83% 5% 9% 1% 1% 1%
2013r 83% 5% 9% 1% 1% 1% 300
2014p 83% 5% 10% 1% 1% 1%
Note: Figures for some modes have been produced on a new basis from 1993 onwards and 200
are not directly comparable to earlier figures
Figures for buses & coaches have been produced on a new basis from 2004 onwards 100
and are not directly comparable to earlier figures.
(a) National railways plus underground and metro systems 0
(b) UK airlines, domestic passengers uplifted on scheduled and non-scheduled flights. 1952 1980 1995 2005 2014
Source: Transport Statistics Great Britain 2015, DfT Table TSGB0101

Next update: September 2017 Contact: Tom Rutherford x4313