The table illustrates the average distance travelled per person per year in the Netherlands using various modes of transport in 2001 and 2006.
Overall, the total distance travelled increased noticeably over the period. Cars remained the dominant mode of transport, while walking, cycling and local bus travel all declined. In contrast, long-distance bus, train, taxi and “other” modes saw clear increases.
In 2001, travelling by car accounted for the most miles, at 3,199, and this figure rose sharply to 4,806 miles in 2006. Significant growth was also observed in long-distance bus travel, which more than doubled from 54 to 124 miles. Similarly, train usage increased from 239 to 366 miles, and taxi travel experienced the most dramatic rise, jumping from 13 to 42 miles. The category of “other” transport also grew steadily from 450 to 585 miles.
By contrast, three modes became less popular over the period. The distance walked dropped slightly from 255 to 237 miles, while cycling fell from 51 to 41 miles. Local bus travel also declined considerably, from 429 miles in 2001 to just 274 miles in 2006. Despite these decreases, the overall number of miles travelled across all modes rose substantially from 4,740 to 6,475.