Mileage above 2007 pre-recession peak
Traffic on Britain’s roads reached a record level in 2015.
Department for Transport provisional statistics show that last year 317.8 billion vehicle miles were travelled.
This was a 2.2% rise on the 2014 figure and 1.1% above the pre-recession peak recorded in in the 12 months to the end of September 2007.
According to the DfT, “van traffic continued to rise faster than any other vehicle type, increasing by 6.1% to a new peak of 47.7 billion vehicle miles.”
Steve Gooding, director of motoring research charity the RAC Foundation, said: “The economy is doing well, the population is rising and the number of cars on Britain’s roads has risen to a record 30 million.
“It is van traffic which is growing fastest, reflecting business recovery and probably the growing shift towards online shopping and home delivery.
“There is more of the same on the horizon with the Department for Transport predicting further traffic growth on the motorways of anywhere between 30% and 60% over the next 25 years depending on what happens to fuel prices and Britain plc.”
ENDS
Contact:
Philip Gomm – Head of External Communications – RAC Foundation
[email protected] | 020 7747 3445 | 07711 776448 | 020 7389 0601 (ISDN)
Notes to editors:
The RAC Foundation is a transport policy and research organisation that explores the economic, mobility, safety and environmental issues relating to roads and their users.
The Foundation publishes independent and authoritative research with which it promotes informed debate and advocates policy in the interest of the responsible motorist. All the Foundation’s work is available at: www.racfoundation.org