Traffic jam nightmare: LONGER delays on busy roads than pre-Covid
- Average delay on England’s busiest roads final yr was 10.5 seconds – that is up from 9.5 seconds in 2019
- The common pace measured on strategic highway community fell from 58mph in 2019 to 57mph in 2023
- Largest annual rise in delays by area noticed drivers spend 17% extra time in visitors – see how your space ranked
Drivers are going through longer delays on motorways and main A-roads in England than they skilled earlier than the Covid pandemic, official figures from the Department for Transport have confirmed immediately.
The statistics present the typical hold-up on the nation’s busy strategic highway community final yr was 10.5 seconds per automobile per mile (spvpm). This is up from 9.3 seconds in 2022 and 9.5 seconds in 2019, earlier than the coronavirus disaster.
The RAC described the info as ‘very regarding’ and urged the Government to supply ‘ample funds’ to sort out the causes of rising congestion ranges.
The motoring group stated it’s ‘struggling to see what the trigger will be aside from roadworks,’ because it pointed to extra individuals than ever working from residence, and there being no progress within the variety of vehicles on the highway.
Traffic nightmares on England’s busiest roads: The common delay time on motorways and main A-roads final yr was 10.5 seconds per automobile per mile. This is up from 9.3 seconds in 2022 and 9.5 seconds in 2019, earlier than the coronavirus disaster, new DfT information exhibits
The DfT’s report says the pandemic has ‘had a marked influence on on a regular basis life, together with on congestion on the highway community’.
It added: ‘As with earlier years, most highway visitors has trended again in the direction of ranges seen earlier than the pandemic.’
Yet the delay occasions seen on England’s busiest routes have now surpassed these seen in 2019.
The common delay time on England’s strategic highway community (SRN) – which incorporates motorways and A-roads – rose to 10.5 seconds per automobile per mile (spvm) in 2023. That’s the upper than pre-pandemic and the longest common delay time in 8 years
Coincidentally, the typical pace travelled on A-roads and motorways slipped to its slowest in 2023, dropping to only 57mph. Pre-pandemic, the typical pace was 58mph
Data collated by the division additionally revealed that the typical pace on England’s main highway community final yr had slipped to 57mph, down from 58.1mph through the earlier yr and 58mph in pre-pandemic 2019.
And this cannot be attributed to there being extra autos on the highway. Quite the opposite, the truth is.
Separate DfT figures present that the quantity of visitors on Britain’s motorways final yr (to the month of September) was 1.4 per cent under 2019 ranges – and on A-roads there have been 3.5 per cent fewer autos.
The new visitors statistics printed Thursday present {that a} rise in congestion on native A-roads is costing commuters a minute a mile at peak occasions.
Compared to 2022, when the UK was getting again into pre-pandemic routines and employees started to return to the workplace, commuters are spending practically 5 per cent extra time in morning visitors and seven.5 per cent extra within the night.
This map of England exhibits which motorways and main A-roads – that are managed by National Highways – have the longest and shortest delays, based mostly on 2023 figures
The motoring group stated it ‘struggled to see what the trigger will be aside from roadworks,’ because it pointed to extra individuals than ever working from residence, and there being no progress within the variety of vehicles on the highway
RAC head of coverage Simon Williams stated: ‘It’s very regarding to see delays on our most necessary roads growing to above pre-pandemic ranges and common speeds dropping.
‘With extra individuals than ever working from residence no less than a part of the week and no progress within the variety of vehicles on the highway since then, we’re struggling to see what the trigger will be aside from roadworks.
‘We’re conscious security considerations referring to the all-lane-running sensible motorway experiment have required numerous retrofitting of emergency refuge areas which has restricted capability on these key routes.
‘While that is vital, it’s irritating because it may simply have been averted had the space between them not been quietly diminished as extra schemes have been rolled out through the years.
‘Given immediately’s disappointing findings, it is extra necessary than ever that National Highways, which is chargeable for the strategic highway community, is given ample funds within the subsequent five-year highway funding settlement to sort out these points head on.
‘This is nearly to be agreed so time is of the essence.’
Looking on the regional breakdown, year-on-year visitors delays impacted drivers within the West most. The common delay there rose from 8.1 seconds per mile in 2022 to 9.5 seconds final yr – a rise of 17 per cent
This map infographic exhibits the regional breakdown for common delay occasions in every space. London, unsurprisingly, has the longest hold-ups on main roads, at 15.9 seconds per mile
The DfT report additionally confirmed what the typical pace was on motorways and A-roads in every area of the UK
Looking on the regional breakdown, year-on-year visitors delays impacted drivers within the West most.
The common delay there rose from 8.1 seconds per mile in 2022 to 9.5 seconds final yr – a rise of 17 per cent.
Unsurprisingly, it is motorists in London who spend probably the most time caught in visitors.
The common delay in 2023 was 15.9 seconds for each automobile mile, up from 14.7 seconds the yr earlier.
Peak time journey chaos: Compared to 2022, when the UK was getting again into pre-pandemic routines and employees started to return to the workplace, commuters are spending practically 5% extra time in morning visitors and seven.5% extra within the night
| Time Period | 2022 Average delay (seconds per automobile per mile) | 2023 Average delay (seconds per automobile per mile) | % change from 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekday Morning Peak | 53 seconds | 55.5 seconds | 4.7% |
| Weekday Evening Peak | 59.7 seconds | 64.2 seconds | 7.5% |
| Weekday Inter Peak | 49.1 seconds | 51.2 seconds | 4.3% |
| Weekday Off Peak | 23.3 seconds | 24.1 seconds | 3.4% |
The AA believes the rise in visitors delays is because of a mixture of things.
‘The inflexibility and price of public transport, to not point out strikes, and other people being compelled additional out of city to search out reasonably priced housing are causes that solely scrape the floor of why commuters and different travellers are ready to take a seat in vehicles and watch their time disappear,’ defined AA spokesman Luke Bosdet.
‘It does not have to be this manner, because the astonishing success of the park and experience system in Cambridge exhibits: a scheme that converts hundreds of thousands of automobile journeys into bus journeys every year. Why? Because the automobile parks and bus providers are situated in the suitable place, on the proper time and, crucially, on the proper value.
‘Other councils pillory their automobile commuters for a scenario that was created by unhealthy planning, poor funding and lack of creativeness.
‘Worse nonetheless, some have or are considering turning congestion right into a money-spinner via office parking levies – successfully a tax on work.’
A DfT spokesperson informed This is Money: ‘This Government backs drivers, which is why we’re getting on with our plan to take a position over £24billion into our roads to scale back congestion, enhance highway security and develop the financial system.
‘As nicely as investing extra into new and improved roads, now we have a ‘Plan for Drivers’ to slam the brakes on anti-driver measures and assist maintain our nation shifting.’
CARS & MOTORING: ON TEST
