The Department for Transport has today published National Statistics on Traffic in Great Britain, including analyses by vehicle type and road class, for the first quarter of 2004.
These provisional figures indicate that estimated traffic levels rose by 1.8 per cent between the first quarter of 2003 and the first quarter of 2004. Although this is slightly higher than the rate of growth recorded over the year to the fourth quarter of 2003, it continues the estimated underlying growth rate of between 1 and 2 per cent per annum since 1999. Other key results include:
First quarter 2004
- Car traffic rose by about 2 per cent over the year to the first quarter of 2004.
- Light van traffic was 1 per cent higher in the first quarter of 2004 than in the corresponding period of 2003, whilst goods vehicle traffic fell by 1 per cent.
- Traffic on motorways grew by 1 per cent from the first quarter of 2003 to the first quarter of 2004.
- Minor rural roads recorded a 3 per cent growth in traffic, over the same period, and there were rises of 2 per cent on urban A roads and minor urban roads.
Notes to editors
1. Statistics Bulletin (04)6 Traffic in Great Britain – 1st Quarter 2004 is available from DfT, TSR2, Zone 2/14, Great Minster House, 76 Marsham Street, London, SW1P 4DR (Tel: 020 7944 3095). Quarterly road traffic statistics can be viewed at the following address: http://www.dft.gov.uk/transtat/roadtraff
2. The quarterly estimates are based mainly on data from 188 automatic traffic counters in the road, based at 160 sites, and are subject to revision.
3. Road traffic is one of the Government's headline indicators of sustainable development. These are a 'quality of life barometer' measuring everyday concerns and are intended to focus public attention on what sustainable development means and to give a broad overview of whether we are "achieving a better quality of life for everyone, now and for generations to come".
4. Estimates of road traffic statistics at local authority level, together with corresponding figures for casualties in road accidents, were made available on the DfT website on 19 February. This is the first time that local level estimates of traffic were published. These traffic figures at local level are less robust than the regional and national totals and are not classed as National Statistics. They are being provided to enable the calculation and monitoring of road casualty rates for individual local authorities.
5. The next quarterly bulletin will be published on Thursday 5 August 2004
