Driving is being split along generational lines with a growing proportion of pensioners retaining their licences just as young people “fall out of love” with the car, according to research.

A study found that young people were ditching car ownership because of internet shopping, taxi-sharing apps and better public transport.

The fall was also attributed to the escalating cost of insurance for young people, with some being quoted almost £5,400 a year for comprehensive cover.

Older drivers, meanwhile, are hanging on to their cars to “preserve their independence”.

The conclusions are made in a report from the Independent Transport Commission, alongside the Office of Rail and Road, into attitudes towards different forms of transport.

It follows the publication of statistics from the Department for Transport showing that the proportion of 17 to 20-year-olds with a driving licence has dipped over the past two decades. In 2013, 31 per cent held a licence, compared with almost half in 1992. Among over-70s, the proportion of driving-licence holders had risen from 33 per cent to 62 per cent. In the mid-1970s it was 15 per cent.

“The research demonstrates that young people are ‘falling out of love’ with the car, and place greater weight on alternative consumer products, while older people see the car as an important part of their lifestyle,” the commission’s study said.

Researchers interviewed almost 4,700 people for the report, which sought to set out the factors behind changing travel trends.

They found examples of young people being quoted huge amounts for insurance. One 20-year-old, a Post Office worker from Manchester, said that he was quoted £5,394 for comprehensive car insurance.

In urban areas, the researchers found that pensioners often owned a car but were less likely to rely on them as they used free bus passes and senior rail discounts.