The line graph illustrates the quantities of goods transported by four different modes of transport in the UK from 1974 to 2002.
Overall, it is evident that road transport had the highest quantity of goods transported compared to the other three modes, while pipeline transport remained the lowest throughout the period.
During the first 15 years, road transport increased steadily from 65 to 66 between 1974 and 1986, while pipeline transport remained stable, with a slight rise in 1982. At the same time, water transport saw an increase from about 39 to 60 million tonnes. Rail transport remained at a similar level, at just over 39 million tonnes between 1974 and 1978, and then this figure fell sharply in 1986.
In the next 15 years, road transport experienced significant growth, rising from nearly 65 to about 99 million tonnes in 2002. Pipeline transport showed a minimal increase, from approximately 16 to 21 millon tonnes. On the other hand, rail transport fluctuated throughout the period between 1986 and 2002. Water transport also remained stable, hovering around 45 between 1986 and 1998, but then it saw a dramatic rise from 1998 to 2002.