The bar chart illustrates the proportion of school journeys made by children aged 11 to 16 in the UK, classified by mode of transport and distance travelled.
Overall, walking is the most common method of travel for short distances, whereas buses dominate longer journeys. Bicycles are moderately used, while cars are preferred mainly for mid-range distances.
In terms of walking, nearly 90% of children who live within one mile of their school go on foot, although the figure declines sharply with distance, reaching under 10% for those over five miles away. Similarly, cycling is most popular for journeys of one to two miles, accounting for about three-quarters of trips, but usage drops significantly for both shorter and longer distances.
Car use, by contrast, is relatively low for journeys under one mile (below 10%) but rises steadily, peaking at around 35% for two to five miles, before falling again for distances over five miles. The bus shows the opposite trend: it is rarely used for journeys of less than one mile but becomes increasingly common as distance increases. Approximately 50% of children rely on buses for journeys of two to five miles, while nearly 70% use them for trips exceeding five miles, making it the dominant mode of long-distance travel.
In summary, walking and cycling are most prevalent for short and medium distances respectively, while cars and buses take over as the distance grows, with the bus being the primary choice for the longest journeys.