Skip to main content

Department for Transport data shows UK traffic growth

Data from the UK’s Department for Transport (DfT) shows that motor vehicle traffic has increased, for the tenth quarter in succession. Motor vehicle traffic in Great Britain increased by 2.2% in the year ending September 2015 from the previous year. The provisional figure of 505.76 billion vehicle km is the highest rolling annual total ever and 0.6% higher than the pre-recessional peak in the year ending September 2007. The upward trend in traffic volumes is likely to reflect growth in the UK economy, wi
November 12, 2015 Read time: 3 mins
Data from the UK’s 5432 Department for Transport (DfT) shows that motor vehicle traffic has increased, for the tenth quarter in succession. Motor vehicle traffic in Great Britain increased by 2.2% in the year ending September 2015 from the previous year. The provisional figure of 505.76 billion vehicle km is the highest rolling annual total ever and 0.6% higher than the pre-recessional peak in the year ending September 2007.

The upward trend in traffic volumes is likely to reflect growth in the UK economy, with GDP 2.6% higher in the year ending September 2015 than in the previous year. Lower fuel prices may also have contributed to increased traffic.

Compared to the previous year, in the year ending September 2015, car traffic increased by 1.7% and van traffic continued to rise faster than any other vehicle type, up 6% to a new peak of 75.04 billion vehicle km. In addition, all road classes experienced higher volumes of traffic, with traffic on rural minor roads increasing the fastest, at 5.8%. Motorway traffic increased by 2% to 105.64 billion vehicle km, the highest ever level.

Car and taxi traffic increased by 1.7% on the previous year to 396.16 billion vehicle km. This is just below the peak level of 397.28 billion vehicle km in the year ending June 2007. LGV traffic increased by 6% from the previous year to a new high of 75.04 billion vehicle km. LGV traffic has increased its share of motor vehicle traffic by 2.4% from10 years ago, from 12.4% in the year ending September 2005 to 14.8% in the year ending September 2015. HGV traffic increased on the previous year by 1.2%, but remains below the peak level in the year ending June 2008.

Traffic has increased across all road types and on motorways and rural roads was higher than it has ever been. Motorway traffic increased by 2% from the previous year, to 104.64 billion vehicle km. Traffic on urban roads increased by 1.0% on the previous year but remains 4% below the peak level of 191.424 billion vehicle km in the year ending September 2007.

On rural A roads traffic rose by 2% to 145.12 billion vehicle km, while on urban A roads traffic rose by 0.5% to 79.04 billion vehicle km. Traffic volumes also increased by 5.8% on minor rural roads, the biggest percentage increase of any road type, to 72.64 billion vehicle km. On minor urban roads traffic grew by 1.4% to 104.32 billion vehicle km.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Wacker Neuson’s strong results reflect demand for small equipment
    November 12, 2015
    The latest financial results for Wacker Neuson reveal strong demand for compact construction machines. The firm has reported revenue in excess of €1 billion for the first nine months of 2015. This marks an increase in business activity compared to the same period last year and a record high for the group. In light of the downturn in key markets in the third quarter, the company revised its forecast for 2015 downwards. However, it still expects to achieve record revenue business levels for 2015.
  • Changing face of global construction industry
    February 28, 2012
    David CA Phillips reports on the changing structure of the global construction equipment industry. In 2007, the year of peak historical demand and before the onset of the international financial crisis, estimated total sales of key equipment types stood at just over 1,000,000 units, valued at approximately US$100 billion. By 2009 sales had fallen to around 600,000 units valued at around $65 billion. The consequences of the global financial recession were dramatic and immediate, and remain with us today, and
  • Liebherr’s results have been hit by the pandemic
    April 20, 2021
    Liebherr’s 2020 financial results have been hit by the pandemic.
  • Transylvania Motorway: route to prosperity
    July 4, 2012
    Work is progressing apace on the biggest infrastructure project in Europe, the Transylvania Motorway or Autostrada Transilvania (A3) in Romania, with completion scheduled for 2013. The four-lane, 415km motorway, stretching northwest from Brasov in central Romania, at an altitude of nearly 600m, will reach the country's northwestern border with Hungary at Oradea in Câmpia Crisanei at 130m above sea level, and will connect the cities of Brasov, Fagaras, Sighisoara, Târgu Mures, Cluj-Napoca, Zalau and Oradea.