UK Road Traffic and Speed Charts

When is traffic heavier morning or evening rush hour?

Distribution of traffic flows by time of the day and day of the week in Great Britain, 2011
250

Source: Automatic Traffic Counters, Department for Transport

Monday
200 Index: Average hour of the day = 100

Midweek Friday

Saturday
Sunday
150

100

50

Majority of driving est times

0 00:00

03:00

06:00

09:00

12:00 Time (hour beginning)

15:00

18:00

21:00

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Does it seem like there are more cyclists than ever?

Road traffic by vehicle type (private vehicles) in Great Britain: 2001 - 2011
Source: National Road Traffic Survey, Department for Transport

135
Cars and taxis Motorcycles Pedal cycles All motor vehicles

130

125 Traffic volume index: 2001 = 100

120

115

110

105

100
Cycling boom begins?

95

90 2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006 Year

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

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Has the recession affected traffic levels?

Thoughts : What was the best time to be a driving instructor? When vehicles were on the increase or decrease? Are the majority of drivers on the roads those who passed in the 50s and 60s?

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What type of roads (ie A- Roads,Motorways, Urban) used the most?

Chart TRA0102: Road traffic by road class, Great Britain: 2001 - 2011
Source: National Road Traffic Survey, Department for Transport Motorway Rural minor roads Motorway Rural 'A' roads Urban minor roads Rural 'A' roads Urban 'A' roads All roads Urban 'A' roads

120

115 Traffic volume index: 2001 = 100

110

105

100

95 2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006 Year

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

Thoughts : Is motorway usage on the increase or decrease? How relevant is the current learner driver test in the face of this data? (Do learners have experience of motorways? Since the start of the recession 2008 have traffic levels increased or decreased? 4 Mr Alexis Martin. All rights reserved | www.mralexismartin.com

Which motorways are the busiest in the UK?

Chart TRA0303: Average vehicle flows for major sections of the motorway network in Great Britain, 2006 and 2010
Source: National Road Traffic Survey, Department for Transport 2011 2007

M25 - Western links from A1(M) to M23 M60 M25 - Eastern links from A1(M) to M23 M6 - South of M62 junction M27 M1 - North of M6 junction M62 - East of The Pennines (junction M42 M1 - South of M6 junction M56 M4 - England M3 M23 M40 M5 M62 - West of The Pennines (junction M8 - Scotland M4 - Wales M11 M2 M6 - North of M62 junction A1M M20 M73 - Scotland M77 - Scotland M74 - Scotland M9 - Scotland 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 Average flow (thousand vehicles per day)
Thoughts: Eyeballing the data would you say traffic was more or less in 2007 than 2011?

Mr Alexis Martin. All rights reserved | www.mralexismartin.com

On what type of roads do cars exceed the speed limit the most?

Percentage of cars exceeding the speed limit by road category in Great Britain, 2001-2011 Source: Automatic Traffic Counters, Department for Transport

100
30 mph roads

Percentage of cars exceeding the speed limit

90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 2001

40 mph roads Single Carriageways (60 mph) Dual Carriageways (70 mph) Motorways (70 mph)

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006 Year

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

Thoughts: Are the number of cars speeding droppig due to eco safe driving, higher fuel costs or better enforcement? 6 Mr Alexis Martin. All rights reserved | www.mralexismartin.com

At what time of the day do cars exceed the speed limits the most on fast roads?
Percentage of cars exceeding the speed limit by time of day on non-built up roads in Great Britain, 2011
Source: Automatic Traffic Counters, Department for Transport
Motorways (70 mph) Dual carriageways (70 mph) Single carriageways (60 mph)

60

50

Percentage of cars exceeding the speed limit (hourly average)

40

30

20

10

0
00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

Time (hour beginning)

Thoughts: The morning and evening rush brings more cars in line with the law on motorways?! Less enforcement leads to higher speeds on country lanes during unsocial hours?! 7 Mr Alexis Martin. All rights reserved | www.mralexismartin.com

At what time of the day do cars exceed the speed limits on urban roads?
Percentage of cars exceeding the speed limit by time of day on built-up roads in Great Britain, 2011
Source: Automatic Traffic Counters, Department for Transport
80 30 mph roads

40 mph roads
70
Percentage of cars exceeding the speed limit (hourly average)

60

50

40

30

20

10

0
00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00 Time (hour beginning)

Thoughts: Late night revellers, insomniac taxi drivers and the shadow economy move fast!

Mr Alexis Martin. All rights reserved | www.mralexismartin.com

What is the average free flow speed on built up roads?

Chart SPE0102: Average free flow speeds on built-up roads in Great Britain, 2011
Source: Automatic Traffic Counters, Department for Transport

40
37 35 34 30 30 29 30 27 35 34 35 34 30 35

40 mph road 34 30 30

30 mph road

35

30

Average speed (mph)

29

20

0 Motorcycles Cars Cars towing Light vans Buses & coaches 2 3 Rigid (number of axles) 4 3 or 4 5+ Articulated (number of axles)

Heavy goods vehicles

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END.

10

Mr Alexis Martin. All rights reserved | www.mralexismartin.com