Low traffic neighbourhoods, so called “clean air zones” and new, underused cycle lanes are all deeply unpopular. So much so that a new petition has recently appeared on the UK Parliament website (https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/633504) demanding a revision to the statutory guidance that brought them in. Within days of posting, it has attracted over … [Read more...]
19.6M trips expected on UK roads this week
Drivers will make an estimated 19.6m separate trips by car to see friends and family this week, with 40% of all getaway journeys crammed into just two days, according to new predictions by the RAC and INRIX. Leisure traffic is expected to build steadily through the course of the week, peaking on both ‘frantic’ Friday 23rd and Saturday 24th December with a … [Read more...]
Menai Bridge defects seen in 1990s
Defects which led to the closure of the Menai Bridge last month were identified nearly 30 years ago but not remedied. Commenting on the defect which led to the closure of the Menai Bridge in October was first identified in the 1990s, and will not be partly reopened until next year at the earlierst, Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for Transport, Natasha … [Read more...]
Traffic volumes still below pre-pandemic peak
Traffic volumes appear to still be below pre-pandemic levels with flexible working patterns that have become commonplace across the UK likely to be a major factor, said RAC head of roads policy Nicholas Lyes. "Nonetheless, the trend is upwards, especially so for vans and HGVs – both of which show higher traffic volumes than prior to the pandemic. Therefore … [Read more...]
Holiday crawl begins this week
Huge jams are possible on UK roads at the end of this week as the summer getaway begins in unprecedented heat, says the RAC. Parts of the M4 in South Wales, the M5 in the West Country, M25 around London and the main roads to North Wales, the Lake District and popular coastal spots are expected to be the worst. The RAC is urging every driver to check their … [Read more...]
‘Smart motorway’ revisions welcomed by IAM RoadSmart
One death on a smart motorway is one too many, so IAM RoadSmart has welcomed today’s update from National Highways on the Smart Motorway Stocktake and Action Plan, outlining their progress on delivering safer smart motorways. Neil Greig, Director of Policy and Research said, "We are now seeing the delivery of safety technology that was promised when the … [Read more...]
Newslines 22 October
The arrival of the October half term will spark an ‘autumn rush’ on the roads with drivers taking an estimated 19.4m separate leisure trips between Friday and Sunday, according to RAC Breakdown. The survey of 1,400 drivers suggests that Saturday will be the most popular day on the roads with drivers planning an estimated 5.6m ‘getaway’ journeys, followed … [Read more...]
RAC Breakdown predict huge jams this weekend
Drivers will make the most of the fine weather expected this final bank holiday weekend of the year with an estimated 16.7m leisure trips planned, a similar number to 2019, say RAC Breakdown. The figures suggest today, Friday, could see the largest numbers of cars on the roads with 4.3m leisure journeys by car planned and, according to transport analytics … [Read more...]
Wales’s new road schemes closed in rethink
Planned new roads in Wales will be frozen while the Welsh government reviews schemes. Projects that already have diggers in the ground, such as the Heads of the Valleys Road, will continue althought they are seriously behind schedule and costing millions more than expected Ministers want to shift money from new roads to maintaining … [Read more...]
Tradelines 26 May
The next bank holiday weekend will see an estimated 10.8m leisure trips taken by car, suggests new RAC research, but if the sun shines there’s likely to be even more trips which will inevitably cause jams. While the figures indicate drivers have firm plans to take around 7.2m trips to see friends and family between Friday and bank holiday Monday – with … [Read more...]
