The graph below shows the quantities of goods transported in the UK between 1974 and 2002 by four different modes of transport.

The line graph illustrates the quantities of goods transported in the United Kingdom using road, water,

rail

, and pipeline from 1974 to 2002.

Overall

,

it is clear that

the figures for all modes of transport had increased in the period, except for

rail

transport which remained stable. In 1974, the

quantity

of roads was about 70

million

tonnes

, before it experienced a gradual decrease (at the same figure as the initial

quantity

), had increased to around 70

million

tonnes

. After 1982, it had a significant rise to nearly 100

million

tonnes

in 2002.

Furthermore

, the figure for the pipeline was almost 3

million

tonnes

and

then

it experienced a slight increase to about 5

million

tonnes

and after that it had a gradual rise between 1982 and 1990 before it remained stable with just over 20

million

tonnes

, it increased moderately from 18 to more than 20

million

tonnes

. The

quantity

of water and

rail

was the same in the first 4 years with approximately 40

million

tonnes

,

then

the figure for water increased considerably to around 55

million

tonnes

and remained stable between 1981 and 1994.

At the end

of 4 years, it experienced significant growth to over 60

million

tonnes

. From 1978 to 2002, the

quantity

of

rail

experienced fluctuations and

at the end

, it reached the same amount as beginning (around 40

million

tonnes

).