Collection

Road congestion and travel times

• From: Department for Transport
• Part of: Road network and traffic
• Published: 8 August 2013
• Last updated: 18 May 2017, see all updates

Information and statistics on road congestion and travel times.

Average speed, average delay and the reliability of travel times on Highways England’s motorways and ‘A’ roads are brought together in the ‘Travel time measures on the strategic road network’ release. These statistics are currently presented at a national level only.

Average speed and average delay on local ‘A’ roads are presented in the ‘Travel time measures on local ‘A’ roads’ release. These statistics are currently presented at national, regional and local highway authority level. In addition, national splits by urban, rural roads, peak and off-peak periods are also presented.

Statistical releases for both sets of statistics are published on a quarterly basis (in February, May, August and November). The supporting statistical tables for the local ‘A’ road statistics, by region and local highway authority are updated on an annual basis (in February). All other datasets are updated on a quarterly basis.

• DfT: single departmental plan 2015 to 2020
• Highways England
• all statistics published by DfT

Technical information

These statistics used to monitor road congestion and journey time reliability are compiled from journey time data from in-vehicle global positioning systems (GPS) and flows estimated using automatic traffic counters and the department’s manual traffic count data.

The road congestion and travel times statistics guidance contains a brief introduction into these statistics, including what they measure, how they are published and how they are used. The guidance also includes technical information relating to the reliability of journeys on the Highways England’s network and on locally managed ‘A’ roads, plus information on public attitudes and research and development.

The road congestion table index lists all the tables, including archived statistics.

National statistics

All of the statistics published are National Statistics. Road congestion and reliability statistics were assessed by the UK Statistics Authority and confirmed as National Statistics in July 2012.

Raw data available for download

• Highways Agency network journey time and flow data for 15-minute time periods

Pre-release access list

The post holders given access to these statistics up to 24 hours prior to release are available in the pre-release access list.

Contact us

Road congestion and travel times

Email congestion.stats@dft.gsi.gov.uk

SRN travel time measures 020 7944 2028

Local congestion and speeds 020 7944 6579

Publications 2017

1. Travel time measures for the Strategic Road Network: April 2016 to March 2017

   • 18 May 2017
   • National Statistics

2. Travel time measures for local ‘A’ roads, England: April 2016 to March 2017

   • 18 May 2017
   • National Statistics

3. Travel time measures for the strategic road network: January 2016 to December 2016

   • 23 February 2017
   • National Statistics

4. Travel time measures for local ‘A’ roads, England: January 2016 to December 2016

   • 23 February 2017
   • National Statistics

Publications 2016

1. Travel time measures for the Strategic Road Network: October 2015 to September 2016

   • 24 November 2016
   • National Statistics

2. Travel time measures for local ‘A’ roads, England: October 2015 to September 2016

   • 24 November 2016
   • National Statistics

3. Travel time measures for the strategic road network: July 2015 to June 2016

   • 25 August 2016
   • National Statistics

4. Travel time measures for local 'A' roads, England: July 2015 to June 2016

   • 25 August 2016
   • National Statistics

5. Travel time measures for the strategic road network: January to March 2016

   • 19 May 2016
   • National Statistics

6. Travel time measures for local 'A' roads, England: April 2015 to March 2016

   • 19 May 2016
   • National Statistics

7. Analysis of travel times on local ‘A’ roads, England: 2014

   • 17 March 2016
   • Official Statistics

8. Congestion on local 'A' roads, England: October to December 2015

   • 11 February 2016
   • National Statistics

9. Travel time measures for the strategic road network: October to December 2015

   • 11 February 2016
   • National Statistics

Publications 2015

1. Travel time measures for the strategic road network: April to September 2015

   • 17 December 2015
   • National Statistics

2. Congestion on local 'A' roads, England: July to September 2015

   • 12 November 2015
   • National Statistics

3. Congestion on local 'A' roads, England: April to June 2015

   • 13 August 2015
   • National Statistics

4. Analysis of travel times on the strategic road network, England: 2014

   • 30 July 2015
   • Official Statistics

5. Reliability of journeys on Highways Agency roads, England: January to March 2015

   • 21 May 2015
   • National Statistics

6. Congestion on local 'A' roads, England: January to March 2015

   • 21 May 2015
   • National Statistics

7. Reliability of journeys on Highways Agency roads, England: October to December 2014

   • 12 February 2015
   • National Statistics

8. Congestion on local ‘A’ roads, England: October to December 2014

   • 12 February 2015
   • National Statistics

Publications 2014

1. Reliability of journeys on Highways Agency roads: July to September 2014

   • 13 November 2014
   • National Statistics

2. Congestion on local ‘A’ roads, England: July to September 2014

   • 13 November 2014
   • National Statistics

3. Congestion on local ‘A’ roads, England: April to June 2014

   • 14 August 2014
   • National Statistics

4. Reliability of journeys on Highways Agency roads, England: April to June 2014

   • 14 August 2014
   • National Statistics

5. Congestion on local ‘A’ roads, England: January to March 2014

   • 8 May 2014
   • National Statistics

6. Reliability of journeys on Highways Agency roads, England: January to March 2014

   • 8 May 2014
   • National Statistics

7. Reliability of journeys on Highways Agency roads, England: October to December 2013

   • 13 February 2014
   • National Statistics

8. Congestion on local ‘A’ roads, England: October to December 2013

   • 13 February 2014
   • National Statistics

Publications 2013

1. Reliability of journeys on the Highways Agency's motorway and A road network: November 2012

   • 10 January 2013
   • National Statistics

2. Congestion on local authority managed 'A' roads: October to December 2012

   • 14 February 2013
   • National Statistics

3. Reliability of journeys on the Highways Agency's motorway and A road network: December 2012

   • 14 February 2013
   • Official Statistics

4. Reliability of journeys on the Highways Agency's motorway and A road network: January 2013

   • 14 March 2013
   • Official Statistics

5. Reliability of journeys on the Highways Agency's motorway and A road network: February 2013

   • 11 April 2013
   • National Statistics

6. Congestion on local authority managed 'A' roads: January to March 2013

   • 9 May 2013
   • National Statistics

7. Reliability of journeys on the Highways Agency's motorway and A road network: March 2013

   • 9 May 2013
   • National Statistics

8. Reliability of journeys on the Highways Agency's motorway and A road network: April 2013

   • 13 June 2013
   • National Statistics

9. Reliability of journeys on Highways Agency’s motorway and ‘A’ road network: April to June 2013

   • 8 August 2013
   • National Statistics

10. Congestion on local authority managed 'A' roads: April to June 2013

    • 8 August 2013
    • National Statistics

11. Congestion on local ‘A’ roads, England: July to September 2013

    • 14 November 2013
    • National Statistics

12. Reliability of journeys on Highways Agency roads, England: July to September 2013

    • 14 November 2013
    • National Statistics

Publications 2012

1. Congestion on local authority managed 'A' roads: April to June 2012

   • 9 August 2012
   • National Statistics

2. Reliability of journeys on Highways Agency's motorway and 'A' road network: August 2012

   • 11 October 2012
   • National Statistics

3. Reliability of journeys on Highways Agency's motorway and 'A' road network: July 2012

   • 13 September 2012
   • National Statistics

4. Congestion on local authority managed 'A' roads: 2011 to 2012

   • 8 November 2012
   • Official Statistics

5. Reliability of journeys on the Highways Agency's motorway and A road network: September 2012

   • 8 November 2012
   • National Statistics

6. Reliability of journeys on the Highways Agency's motorway and A road network: October 2012

   • 13 December 2012
   • National Statistics

Data tables

1. Average speed, delay and reliability of travel times on the SRN (CGN04)

   • 18 May 2017
   • Statistical data set

2. Average speed and delay on local ‘A’ roads (CGN05)

   • 18 May 2017
   • Statistical data set

3. Highway Agency motorways and 'A' roads: ‘on time’ journeys (CGN01)

   • 23 February 2017
   • Statistical data set

4. Flow weighted vehicle speeds (CGN02)

   • 11 February 2016
   • Statistical data set

5. Flow weighted vehicle speeds, by region (CGN09)

   • 8 August 2013
   • Statistical data set

Document information

Published: 8 August 2013

Updated: 18 May 2017

+ full page history

1. 18 May 2017 New releases published.
2. 23 February 2017 New releases published and summary text updated.
3. 24 November 2016 New releases published.
4. 25 August 2016 New releases published.
5. 17 March 2016 New release published.
6. 11 February 2016 New releases published.
7. 8 August 2013 First published.

From: Department for Transport

Part of: Road network and traffic