Modes of Transport for School Trips (1990 vs 2010)

The chart compares the number of school trips per year made by children in 1990 and 2010 using five modes of transport.

Overall, there was a significant decline in walking and cycling, while car travel increased markedly over the period. Walking with others remained popular, though it also declined, whereas bus usage showed a modest fall.

In 1990, walking was the dominant form of travel, accounting for nearly 12 million trips, followed by walking with others at just under 7 million. Cycling was also relatively common, at about 6 million journeys. By contrast, car travel was the least used option, at roughly 4 million trips.

By 2010, the situation had reversed. Cars became the most popular mode, rising to almost 11 million trips. In contrast, walking fell sharply to around 6 million, while cycling dropped to below 3 million. Bus journeys also declined slightly, to just over 5 million.