Largest fall in motor traffic since records began in 1994 - RAC comment

Commenting on the new road traffic estimate statistics that have been released this morning, RAC head of policy Nicholas Lyes said:

“There is little doubt that 2020 is having a profound impact on our travel habits. Incredibly, 52 billion fewer vehicle miles were travelled in the year to the end of June than was to be expected if the pandemic hadn’t hit. The biggest fall in traffic volumes was on motorways as drivers tended to stay local during the lockdown periods in the Spring, with the sight of empty highways surely one of the enduring images of that stage of the pandemic.

“The million pound question now is what happens next. With the introduction of local lockdowns in several parts of the UK, we’re already seeing traffic volumes start to dip again after rising through the summer. Nonetheless, the RAC’s own analysis suggests that drivers are attaching greater importance to having access to a vehicle in light of the pandemic, which they see as a reliable and safe form of transport in these continuously uncertain times.”

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About the RAC

The RAC provides complete peace of mind to 12m UK private and business drivers, whatever their motoring needs. Its services include:

Breakdown assistance. Its highly-skilled, 1,600-strong branded patrol workforce attends more than two million breakdowns every year, fixing on average four out of five vehicles at the roadside. The RAC’s patrol fleet is one of the most advanced in the UK, and was the first to roll out both an All-Wheels-Up recovery system, allowing the vast majority of vehicles to be recovered from a single patrol van, and EV Boost mobile electric vehicle charging units
Insurance. The RAC is a top-five car insurance broker having surpassed the 500,000 policies-in-force milestone in 2018. It also offers ‘black box’ telematics policies, as well as home and travel insurance
Other motoring services. The RAC leads in the development of new solutions for business, fleets, electric vehicles and future car technology. Its additional products and services include a personal loans offering, a used car buying website, vehicle inspections and checks, legal services or up-to-the-minute traffic and travel information. It also has a network of Approved Dealers and Approved Garages which combine the trust of RAC brand with local service and convenience

The RAC also works to support the interests of its members and UK drivers on the most important motoring issues which it identifies via the annual RAC Report on Motoring and the RAC Opinion Panel. The Report on Motoring is the longest running analysis of driver opinion in the UK having been published every year since 1989.

For more information about the RAC, visit the RAC website.