Will new housebuilding plans have knock-on effect on traffic congestion?UK Traffic Inches Up in 2024 – Data Underscores Growing Demand for Robust Survey InsightsWill new housebuilding plans have knock-on effect on traffic congestion?
New national data show that traffic volumes on Britain’s roads increased in 2024, reaffirming the need for accurate, high-quality data collection in the transport sector. According to the Department for Transport (DfT), vehicle miles travelled rose to 336.2 billion in Great Britain in 2024 — up 1.6 % on 2023 — though still about 0.7 % below pre-pandemic levels. GOV.UK+2Road Traffic+2
Cars and taxis remain the dominant category, with 256.1 billion vehicle miles in 2024, up 1.9 % on the previous year. GOV.UK+1 Meanwhile, light commercial vehicles (vans) grew by 1.3 %, reaching 58.5 billion vehicle miles — and crucially, this category now sits above pre-pandemic levels (+9.5 % vs 2019). GOV.UK+1
In contrast, heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) declined by 2.0 % in 2024 and remain 3.5 % below 2019 levels. GOV.UK+1
Traffic on ‘A’ roads rose by 2.2 % to 148.7 billion vehicle miles, while minor roads increased by 1.6 % to 117.2 billion vehicle miles. Motorway traffic was largely stable (+0.5 %) at 70.2 billion vehicle miles. GOV.UK+1
In addition, independent data from TomTom show that 97 % of UK cities recorded increases in traffic congestion in 2024. Their index reports average congestion of 20.4 %—up from 18.7 % in 2023—and a drop in average driving speeds, from 37.3 mph down to 36.7 mph. Highways News+1
What this means for survey and data providers
For a specialist traffic survey company like Road Data Services, this rising activity and shifting vehicle mix underline the importance of rigorous, timely data collection. With van traffic now above 2019 levels, and congestion rising across nearly all cities, the need for accurate counts, speed-profiles, queue assessments and pedestrian/active-travel surveys is more pronounced than ever.
The diversifying traffic mix (increased LGVs, stable HGVs, decreasing cycle travel) calls for refined methodologies, especially when planning for infrastructure changes, parking/loading review surveys, or active travel schemes where field teams must capture multiple user-types and vehicle categories.
RDS in Focus
Based in Leeds and operating nationally, Road Data Services is ideally positioned to respond to this backdrop. With experience across manual counts, video surveys, automatic traffic counts (ATCs), and van/HGV category breakdowns, RDS can provide clients with the detailed breakdowns that the latest statistics show are increasingly needed.
Looking ahead
As traffic volumes edge upwards and congestion becomes more pervasive, local authorities, developers and transport planners will increasingly rely on robust data to underpin decisions on new developments, loading/unloading infrastructure, road-works planning and active-travel strategies. With traffic conditions no longer just returning to pre-pandemic norms but evolving in complexity, the role of specialist data providers has never been more critical.