Journeys since time began have been the same - those you can make between meals and do something else, those you have to provide or find food for, there-and-back in a day journeys and those requiring an overnight stay. With faster transport and a greater road network, more places come within range of each category, and more people make that journey.

Deregulation of the buses was a bad move. Good networks were replaced by too many companies bringing in old vehicles and causing congestion by competing on popular routes, leading to decreasing returns, increasing fares, more old vehicles, fewer passengers etc etc.

Bring back goods trains and freight yards, backed up by local van deliveries/wagons on short haul. And stop salesmen chasing up and down the motorways just to talk to other salesmen!