DfT publishes traffic speeds data

The DfT has published details of average traffic speeds on trunk roads in England in 2003. The key results are:

• The average speed of traffic on trunk roads in England in 2003 was 49.5mph in the morning peak, 54.6mph in the intervening off-peak and 50.6mph in the evening peak period.
  
• Average traffic speeds in 2003 were lowest in London and highest in the south west.
  

The results show the following changes over time:-

• Average traffic speeds in 2003 were 0.9mph faster than in 2001 in the morning peak period and 1.6 mph faster in the off-peak. In the evening peak average speeds were 0.5 mph slower.
  
• The largest increases in average off-peak and morning peak speeds were on motorways.
  
• Most regions reflected the overall trend of increasing morning peak and off-peak traffic speeds and decreases or smaller increases during the evening peak period. The biggest increases in speed were seen in the eastern region and London and the south east in the morning peak and off-peak periods.
  
• Many of the roads surveyed in 2001 and 2003 were also surveyed in 1995 and 1998 so some basic comparisons can be made. Average traffic speeds decreased between 1995 and 1998 in all time periods and across all road classes but increased between 1998 and 2003.

Traffic Speeds on English Trunk Roads: 2003 is published by the DfT.

Copies are available from: Department for Transport, TSR4, 2/16 Great Minster House, 76 Marsham Street, London SW1P 4DR (Tel: 020 7944 8300 ext. 18724), email: meng.chooi@dft.gsi.gov.uk.