Traffic on British roads is now heavier than before the Covid pandemic due to a reluctance to use public transport and a sharp rise in internet shopping.
Weekday traffic has reached 104% of pre-pandemic levels. On weekends traffic is even busier – on Sunday June 6, it reached 113% of the pre-pandemic level. Transport Technology Forum said that vans and trucks account for a greater proportion of journeys than before the pandemic, reflecting the rise in the delivery of shopping.
Home working has led to fewer people commuting, although the report said the data suggests that this “may have been offset by a rise in people choosing to drive rather than take public transport”.
The report also found that the “afternoon peak is significantly earlier” than last year, suggesting that the school run between 3pm and 4pm makes up a greater share of afternoon traffic than work commuting, which normally peaks between 4.30pm and 6.30pm.
