April to June 2013 traffic increases

Department for Transport provisional statistics show a rise in road traffic for April to June 2013 with traffic increasing by 2.9% to 76.8bn vehicle miles compared to the previous year. Motorway traffic showed a 4.9% rise – the biggest increase of all road types. RAC spokesman Simon Williams said: “This is proof of the significance of the road network and vehicles to the economy as it corresponds with GDP growth estimates* in the same period. Lower fuel prices from April to June no doubt contributed to this increase, but forecourt prices have been on the rise in the third quarter so we are hopeful this will not have too negative an effect on business. “Motorists in general were clearly taking the opportunity to make greater use of the roads without their pockets being so harshly punished.”

*ONS Gross Domestic Product Preliminary Estimate, Q2 2013 http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171778_319698.pdf