Britons are venturing out less than they used to, new figures have revealed, as high fuel costs and surging insurance premiums keep drivers off the roads and lifestyle changes have curtailed that simplest of life's pleasures, a walk.

Since the period 1995 to 1997 trips by private transport – cars, motorbikes and bicycles – have fallen 14% while public transport trips have increased by 2%, according to the Department for Transport's annual analysis of our travel habits.

Walking trips have fallen 27%, while the average distance and length of all trips has generally levelled off since the late 1990s.

A "trip" is deemed by the Department for Transport as a walk of over 50 yards, a journey in a car as driver or passenger, by bicycle, bus, train or tube and even by plane on domestic routes.

Last year the average Briton made only 954 trips within the UK – down from 1,086 in the period 1995 to 1997 – as the attractions and ease of internet shopping and working from home led us to spend more time indoors.

The results (pdf) of the National Travel Survey showed the average distance travelled in 2012 was 6,691 miles – 4% lower than in 1995/97 and also lower than the recent peak of 7,208 miles in 2005.

The Department of Transport said most of the marked decline in overall trips between 1995/1997 and 2012 is due to fewer visits by shoppers to the high street and out-of-town centres and reduced commutes – thanks to opportunities to work from home. Last year, trips by car (as a driver or passenger) accounted for 64% of all trips made and 78% of distance travelled.

On average, females make more trips than males, but males travel much further each year. The average number of car driver trips and distance travelled by men is falling while those by women are increasing. Last year, people in the highest household income group made 29% more trips than those in the lowest income group and travelled nearly three times further.

Buses account for a greater proportion of all trips than rail (both surface rail and London Underground) at 6% and 3% respectively, showing the importance of the local bus network across the UK. However, as bus trips on average are shorter in length, they account for only 5% of total distance travelled whereas rail accounts for 9%. Public transport's share of all trips has increased slightly from 9% in 1995/97 to 11% in 2012.

The statistics from the Department for Transport were based on a survey of 8,201 households – involving over 19,000 individuals across all age groups, including children – based on detailed interviews and regular so-called "diaries' kept by participants.

Between 1995/97 and 2012 the average number of car and van driver trips and passenger trips fell by 6% and 11% respectively. Looking at London only, the number of car/van driver miles per person per year has decreased much more than the national average – down 37% between 1995/97 and 2012.

The figures showed that the average annual mileage per car decreased as the number of cars per household rose. The average figure for 2012 was 8,200 miles, compared with 9,200 miles in 2002. Around 36 million residents in the UK held a full driving licence in 2012 – 19 million men and 17 million women. Of those eligible to apply for a licence but choosing not to, the most common reasons given for not learning to drive were "cost of learning to drive" (32%), "not interested in driving" (29%) and "family and friends drive me when necessary" (29%). In younger age groups, cost factors remain the main barrier to learning to drive. Of those aged 17-20, 59% mentioned cost of learning to drive as a reason, 46% said the cost of insurance and 42% said cost of buying a car. When asked for the main reason the majority of 17- to 20-year-olds gave the cost of learning to drive (35%).

Stephen Joseph, chief executive of the Campaign for Better Transport, said: "The national travel survey shows that, year on year, the amount we drive has been going down. Yet year on year government forecasters predict a huge jump in car traffic. It's madness to base a £28bn (roads) policy on such shaky forecasting. We urgently need a review of the whole model that the government uses."