Skip to main content

Survey reveals congestion on UK roads worst for over ten years

A Freight Transport Association (FTA) survey has revealed that congestion on UK roads is at the worst it has been for over ten years. FTA’s Quarterly Transport Activity Survey (QTAS) illustrated the rate of deterioration in reliability on the road network at 55 per cent, which is the lowest it has been since 2002, due to increased traffic in the run-up to Christmas. The results from the survey of over 100 logistics operators are seen as an indication of the impact of the increase in domestic road freight ac
March 17, 2015 Read time: 2 mins
A 6983 Freight Transport Association (FTA) survey has revealed that congestion on UK roads is at the worst it has been for over ten years.   
 
FTA’s Quarterly Transport Activity Survey (QTAS) illustrated the rate of deterioration in reliability on the road network at 55 per cent, which is the lowest it has been since 2002, due to increased traffic in the run-up to Christmas.
 
The results from the survey of over 100 logistics operators are seen as an indication of the impact of the increase in domestic road freight activity levels, and further highlight the rate of decline in the reliability of the UK motorway network.
 
Karen Dee, FTA’s director of Policy, said: “This FTA Survey is a clear indication that congestion on our roads has increased again, and drivers are getting stuck in traffic on a regular basis.  Reliability on the UK road network is crucial for road freight operators. The freight and logistics industry needs road infrastructure that it can rely on to ensure that products are moved efficiently and at reasonable cost.  As the economy grows there will be increasing demands which will mean more pressure to deliver and more vehicles on the roads – so it is only going to get worse.”
 
Previously FTA voiced its support for the Road Investment Strategy (RIS) – which was announced by the Department for Transport in December 2014, stating that it “believed it can only be good news for all road users.”  The RIS outlines plans for US$22 billion to be spent over five years on 1,300 new lane miles on motorways and trunk roads in order to reduce congestion and fix some of the most notorious and longstanding problem areas on the UK road network.

Related Content

  • April 1, 2015
    TomTom traffic index shows increase in UK congestion
    TomTom’s today 5th annual Traffic Index, the barometer of traffic congestion in over 200 cities worldwide, reveals rising congestion levels around the globe In addition, for the first time, the Index took an in-depth look at the true impact of rush hour traffic on the work week, uncovering that evening rush hour nearly doubles the journey time for car commuters. The analysis of 12 trillion pieces of traffic data worldwide revealed that the evening rush hour is the most congested time of day. Traffic co
  • October 16, 2017
    Councils urge UK Government to spend rising fuel and motoring tax income on improving local roads
    Councils urge UK Government to spend rising fuel and motoring tax income on improving local roads
  • March 24, 2023
    How digital navigation is key to managing congestion
    Satnav – not costly civil engineering projects – might point us towards better management of congested road networks, argues David Metz of University College London
  • March 10, 2015
    US public transportation records passenger numbers highest for 58 years
    Americans took 10.8 billion trips on public transportation in 2014, which is the highest annual public transit ridership number in 58 years, according to a report by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA). “In 2014, people took a record 10.8 billion trips on public transportation -- the highest annual ridership number in 58 years,” said Phillip Washington, APTA chair and CEO and general manager of the Regional Transportation District in Denver. “Some public transit systems experienced all-ti