Provisional road traffic estimates released by the UK Government have revealed that motor vehicle traffic was at a record high in the year ending June 2016.
The provisional figure, of 319.3 billion vehicle miles travelled on Great Britain’s roads in the year ending June 2016, was 1.5 per cent higher than the previous year, and 1.6 per cent higher than the pre-recession peak in the year ending September 2007, making it a record level. Rolling annual motor vehicle traffic has now increased each quarter in succession for three years.
Compared to the previous year, in the year ending June 2016:
- Car traffic increased by 1.1 per cent to 249.2 billion vehicle miles, 1 billion more vehicle miles travelled than the prerecession peak in the year ending September 2007.
- Van traffic (LGV) continued to rise, increasing by 3.7 per cent to a new peak of 47.8 billion vehicle miles.
- HGV traffic grew by 3.8 per cent overall, rising on motorways and rural ‘A’ roads, but falling on urban ‘A’ roads.
- All road types experienced a rise in traffic, apart from urban minor roads where traffic remained at the same level.
- Traffic on motorways and rural roads was at the highest levels ever recorded
View the full documents on the UK Government website.
