Traffic levels in Great Britain have reached a record high of 325Bn vehicle miles in the year to June 2017, an increase of 1.4% on the previous 12 months, according to latest Government figures.

 

Record traffic levels have also been seen on motorways (68Bn, up nearly 1%), rural A roads (94.5Bn) and rural minor roads (46Bn). Van traffic was up 3.6% to nearly 50Bn vehicle miles, but lorry traffic fell by 1.5% to 16.5Bn miles.

 

Commentators questioned whether the Government is doing enough to counter rising traffic levels in view of its commitment to combating air pollution.

 

Campaign for Better Transport spokesman Bridget Fox said: “We already have lethal and illegal levels of air pollution so it is vital the Government invests in better public transport, walking and cycling routes, locates new homes near public transport and gets more freight traffic off our roads and onto rail.”

 

A spokesman for motoring group the AA noted that an increase in rural traffic may partly be attributed to drivers seeking alternative routes to busier, congested roads.

 

In other Government statistics released last week, the average delay on the strategic road network stayed broadly similar compared with a year before. Delays increased by all of 0.1 seconds per vehicle mile on the strategic network and increased by one second a mile on local A roads.

 

It was also announced that sales of ultra low emission vehicles exceeded 10,000 in a quarter for the first time. In the three months to June nearly 11,400 new ULEVs were registered in the UK, an increase of 17% on the same period last year.

 

A Government spokesman said the increase in traffic on rural A roads should not be seen as evidence of an increase in rat-running and added that it remains determined to deliver a green revolution in transport and reduce pollution in towns and cities.

 

“We are pleased to see massive growth in the sales of alternative fuel vehicles. It is our ambition is that every new car and van is zero emission by 2040 and there are already more than 110,000 ultra-low emission vehicles on our roads,” he said.

 

(Photo: Anne Burgess and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence)