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3.3.1 Introduction3.1.1 This chapter reviews trends in the development of transport, concentrating on thetwelve years since the end of the first Comprehensive Transport Study in 1 976.3.2 Growth of the Vehicle3.2.1 The growth of the licensed vehicle fleet is shown in Figure 3.1 from its origins afterthe Second World War. The growth by vehicle type since 1976 is set out in Table3.1.3.2.2 The strong growth in the vehicle fleet since the Second World War was interruptedon two occasions by increases in vehicle taxation, particularly on private cars andmotorcycles. The changes in taxation from 1974 are shown in Tables 3.2 (FirstRegistration Tax—FRT) and 3.3 (Annual Licence Fees—ALF). The changes inannual licence fees are plotted in Figure 3.2.3.2.3 After the 1974 taxation increases, the fleet declined for two years reaching a lowpoint in 1976 at the end of the first CTS. The fleet then grew rapidly, despite somefurther increases in taxes, until checked by the severe vehicle taxation increasesimposed in 1 982. This time/ it took four years before growth resumed in 1 986, andthis was as a result of a continuing decline in the car fleet being off-set by the stronggrowth in goods vehicles. The vehicle fleet did not reach the previous high level setin 1981 until 1988.3.2.4 Despite the decline in the fleet following the 1982 tax measures, the vehicle fleetgrew by 75% in the twelve years since the first CTS, from 172000 to 300000vehicles.3.2.5 Each vehicle type is discussed in more detail below.3.1: IN VEHICLES36029