Trafficmaster/ RAC Foundation Journey Time Index Summer 2008 In partnership with Contents Foreword PAGE 01 Summer sunshine, blue skies and balmy nights draw us out of our homes to visit attractions, attend Foreword by Tony Eales, Chief Executive, events, festivals or go on holiday, but all this activity has unforeseen consequences for the nation’s Trafficmaster Plc and Stephen Glaister, road network. Director, RAC Foundation This report assesses the impact summer sporting highlights. These include The Congestion remains a frustrating reality for PAGE 02 events have on our journeys, and which Glastonbury Festival, the Silverstone many motorists – hardly surprising when Report Highlights events have the worst effect on UK roads. Formula 1 Grand Prix, Cowes Week and the you consider that nearly 34 million We also provide an analysis of how road Epsom Derby. Unfortunately these produce UK-registered vehicles, 1.7 million foreign traffic speeds change on key holiday routes, heavy localised traffic on roads that are not heavy goods vehicles, and thousands of PAGE 03 when additional motorists take to the roads often suitable for high volumes. Theme other visiting vehicles are fighting for space Introduction at certain times of the day. parks and other places of local interest will on just 245,000 miles of roads. While the also entice crowds, causing bottlenecks and volume of traffic is a key factor in causing Principally this report analyses the change Index Methodology jams around these local honey-pots. congestion on Britain’s roads, driver in journey times across some of the UK’s behaviour, road works, incidents and major routes as well as providing information This report highlights the events that weather also play their part. PAGE 04 on the observed variations in congestion generate the worst congestion and 2008 Journey Time Index and traffic hotspots over the past three identifies the holiday routes that suffer the This Journey Time Index from Trafficmaster years. Motorways are used regularly by the most from an increase in summer traffic. and the RAC Foundation analyses trends in majority of drivers, and therefore the report traffic flow and congestion over the last PAGE 06 also presents information on average 2008 has seen no overall increase in three years and this data will be used to traffic volumes, according to the latest Congestion Hotspots motorway speeds, whilst highlighting the ascertain new trends in the future. slowest and fastest highways. Department for Transport figures – the first time this has happened since 2000. PAGE 08 Summer congestion is strongly influenced While car traffic has fallen 2% between the by large events such as music festivals, first quarters of 2007 and 2008, light van Motorway Speeds sporting occasions, county shows and traffic has continued its rise, with an holiday getaways. The UK is fortunate increase of 4%, now making up 14% of the PAGE 10 enough to enjoy over 340 large, vehicles on our roads. Meanwhile HGV professionally organised music and family traffic has seen little change with only a The Impact of Summer Events entertainment events as well as numerous 1 per cent increase. PAGE 13 Holiday Journeys PAGE 15 Conclusions and Recommendations Tony Eales, Chief Executive Stephen Glaister, Director PAGE 16 Trafficmaster Plc RAC Foundation Appendix FOREWORD PAGE 01 Report Highlights Introduction Journey Time Index Britain’s roads are notorious for traffic Trafficmaster has been monitoring traffic For further information or to arrange an › Journey times on average have increased by 2.6% across key routes in jams, but a smart motorist can take steps for over 20 years and is now one of the interview please contact: the UK at peak times compared to 2005 to avoid them. leading providers of in-vehicle telematics. RAC Foundation It has strategic alliances with motor The route between Heathrow and junction 16 on the M1 has seen the › The first step to avoiding congestion is manufacturers, media and communication Sheila Rainger, Head of Campaigns biggest increase in journey times compared to the base taken in 2005. knowing more about when and why it organisations and local government. Tel: 0207 747 3486 develops. Measuring trends in congestion Email: [email protected] The route with the greatest decrease in journey times is the M6 Toll road The Congestion Report is produced in › can help us understand how demand in both directions partnership with the RAC Foundation, an Trafficmaster Plc for travel in the UK is changing. Avoiding independent charity founded in 1991 to congestion can help save fuel, cut Georgina Read, PR Manager promote the environmental, economic, Tel: 01234 759 315 Top Congestion Hotspots emissions, and make journeys more mobility and safety issues relating to the predictable and less stressful. Email: [email protected] › Congestion has fallen by 12% across the UK over the past 6 months use of motor vehicles. The Trafficmaster/RAC Foundation Journey The M25 Western sector remains the busiest section on the UK’s roads This and further reports will be available on › Time Index measures congestion in two and has continued to see an increase in congestion both the Trafficmaster and RAC Foundation different ways – an indexed measure of key websites. Both partners are available to › The M6 in the West Midlands has experienced the most significant rise journey times across the country, and an provide commentary, analysis and opinion in congestion over the last year analysis of UK congestion hotspots. on the impact of congestion for businesses, the environment and the community. › The M25 Northern sector has seen the smallest increase in congestion alerts but still maintains its place in the top 8 motorway hotspots Motorway Speeds › Motorway Speeds have decreased on average 1 mph per year over the last three years Index Methodology › The fastest motorway is the M50 with an average speed of 75 mph The analysts at Trafficmaster measure An alert is sent to Trafficmaster when traffic levels of congestion using its network of flow falls below 30mph on motorways, The Top 20 Summer Events for Driver Meltdown 7,500 road side sensors across 8,000 miles below 20 mph on trunk roads and below › The V Festival (Staffordshire and Chelmsford), The Carling Weekender of the UK’s motorways and trunk roads. 15 mph on urban roads. By comparing the (Leeds), Glastonbury and The Royal Show in Warwickshire hit top spot number of alerts received over time and Journey Times have been measured between regions, trends can be calculated. for having the worst impact on the roads in 2007 and 2008 across 26 different points on the UK’s main commuter and commercial routes. Journeys Top Congested Holiday Routes have been measured every four minutes. The congestion information uses data taken › The M5 and the A303 prove to be popular for holiday makers and are the from the congestion hotspots – areas that UK’s worst summer getaway routes receive the most congestion alerts. › The A55 is the slowest holiday route in the UK PAGE 02 REPORT HIGHLIGHTS INTRODuctiON PAGE 03 2008 Journey Time Index Congestion is a localised phenomenon. Table of Journeys and Roads monitored Journey Time Index (continued) With the right information and good forward Journey Roads used planning, smart motorists can avoid it. % change Cambridge to Ipswich A14 Journey Journey time between 2008 Index Index Index The routes monitored for this report (hours:mins) and 2007 2008/2005 2007/2005 2006/2005 run between large conurbations and Oxford to Southampton Docks M40 (J9),M271, M27, M3, A34 are seen as main commuter and HGV Glasgow to Aberdeen M8, M80, A80, M9, A9, A90 M6 (parallel to Toll) junction 4 to junction 11a (Northbound) 00:23 2.5% 105 103 100 roads, providing us with a true picture of Birmingham to Bristol M6, M5, M4, M32 M6 (parallel to Toll) junction 11a to junction 4 (Southbound) 00:28 -9.9% 104 115 104 congestion and traffic flow in the UK. London to Leeds Staples Corner on M1, M621 M6 Toll, junction 4 (M6) to junction 11a (M6) (Northbound) 00:21 0.6% 93 93 94 The Index measures the length of time M1 junction 16 to Heathrow M1, M25, M4 taken to complete the journey and M6 Toll, junction 11a to junction 4 (M6) (Southbound) 00:21 0.2% 97 97 98 Manchester M6 junction 11a to M62 junction 11 M62, M6 includes weekend days. The period of time Liverpool (East) to Manchester (West) (Eastbound) 00:27 -3.5% 108 108 102 monitored and compared in this Index is M6 – (parallel to Toll) junction 4 to junction 11a M6 Manchester (West) to Liverpool (East) to (Westbound) 00:26 0.7% 102 102 102 over an annual 12 month period running M6 Toll – junction 4 (M6) to junction 11a (M6) M6 Toll, M42 from June 2007 to June 2008. Liverpool (East) to Manchester (West) M62, M602 Nottingham to Sheffield (Northbound) 00:55 -1.8% 103 105 99 Nottingham to Sheffield A52, M1 Sheffield to Nottingham (Southbound) 00:52 -2.2% 97 101 101 M6 at junction 11a to Manchester M6, M56 M6, junction 11a to Manchester South M56/Junction 3 (Northbound) 01:07 -4.2% 103 107 105 Glasgow to Edinburgh M8/A8, A720 Manchester South M56/Junction 3 to M6, junction 11a (Southbound) 01:08 -1.6% 103 105 105 Journey Time Index Glasgow West to Edinburgh East (Eastbound) 00:56 1.9% 103 101 100 % change Edinburgh East to Glasgow West (Westbound) 01:01 1.1% 105 104 100 Journey Journey time between 2008 Index Index Index (hours:mins) and 2007 2008/2005 2007/2005 2006/2005 Journeys measured between 9am and 4 pm each day (including weekends) average over 30 consecutive days with journey departures every 4 minutes.