RAC Report on Motoring 2016

RAC Report on Motoring 2016

1.0 What’s on motorists’ minds?

1.4 Congestion and parking Motorists have reported a sharp rise in concern about congestion and journey times this year. More than a quarter of drivers (27%) say these issues are among their top four concerns – this represents a very substantial rise on the 18% recorded in 2015. Meanwhile, 7% named high levels of traffic and resulting delays as their number-one concern compared with 5% last year. These views reflected Department for Transport (DfT) estimates of traffic volumes in 2015, which showed a 1.6% increase on the previous year to a total of 317bn vehicle miles 12 . The DfT also found

that typical traffic speeds were down, with average delays up by 5.5% on 2014. It is highly likely that road traffic volumes are up as a result of a number of factors including the ongoing falls in the price of fuel, increases in wages making motoring more affordable, and general economic prosperity increasing commercial vehicle traffic. Given the rising level of concern about congestion, it comes as little surprise to learn that motorists report they are also facing greater difficulties in parking. One in seven

12. www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/524267/road-traffic-estimates-gb-2015- summary-factsheet.pdf

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