The number of passengers using three rail networks from 1950 to 2010

The given bar chart compares the number of passengers travelling on Great Western, Northern and Light Rail networks between 1950 and 2010.

Overall, all surveyed rail networks saw an increase in passenger numbers, albeit at different rates. The northern railway was the most popular at all time, except in 1995, while the Light rail network remained the least favourite since the introduction in 1965.

Regarding Northern and Great Western rail networks, the number of passengers using the former fell gradually from 300 million to hit its trough at around 240 million in 1970, before rising back to plateaued at 310 million from 1990 to 2010. Similarly, the figure for the latter dropped modestly from 200 million to its lowest at around 180 million passengers in 1965, then topped at 310 million after 30 years. Thereafter, this data is followed by a slight decrease to 300 million.

Turning the least opted network, a minority of travellers began to use the Light Rail in 1965. Since that point, the figure rose steadily to its highest at 70 million in 1995, where it remained unchanged until 2010.