The line graph illustrates the amount of goods transported in the UK using four different modes of transport between 1974 and 2002. Overall, road transport consistently handled the highest volume of goods, while pipeline transport, despite a sharp initial increase, remained the least utilised method.
Road transport began at 70 million tonnes in 1974 and, following some fluctuations, experienced a steady upward trend, reaching a peak of 95 million tonnes by 2002. Water transport also saw growth, rising from 39 million tonnes to 62 million tonnes over the same period, with a notable acceleration after 1998.
In contrast, rail transport showed significant volatility. Starting at 40 million tonnes in 1974, it dipped to a low of 30 million tonnes in both 1986 and 1994, before recovering to 41 million tonnes by the end of the period. Pipeline transport saw a rapid rise from 5 million tonnes in 1974 to 23 million tonnes by 1982. Thereafter, it plateaued and slightly declined, remaining stable at 20 million tonnes from 1994 until 2002. While road and water transport showed clear long-term growth, rail and pipeline modes remained relatively stagnant in comparison.