The pie charts compare the proportions of four vehicle categories used in the UK in the years 1965, 1985, and 2005.
Overall, private cars dramatically increased their share to become the dominant vehicle type, while the use of public transport saw a corresponding severe decline. The shares for lorries/commercial and recreational vehicles fluctuated but remained relatively minor throughout the period.
In 1965, public transport was the most popular category, accounting for 40% of all vehicles. Private cars followed closely at 35%. Lorries and other commercial vehicles comprised 20%, while recreational vehicles represented the smallest share at just 5%.
By 1985, a significant reversal had occurred. Private car usage surged to 60%, making it the most common by a large margin. Conversely, public transport usage plummeted to 15%. The proportion of lorries increased slightly to 25%, whereas recreational vehicles halved to 2.5%.
In 2005, the dominance of private cars solidified further, reaching 75% of all vehicles. Public transport continued its decline to a mere 5%. Lorries saw a decrease to 10%, and the share for recreational vehicles rose to 10%, equalling that of lorries by the end of the period.
