Congestion
by Sarah Ganderton
In a recent survey commissioned by The RAC Foundation (released, a team of academics from Oxford University, Imperial College and University College London investigated how reliant Britons were on their cars. The survey of RAC members showed congestion is a major focus of frustration for motorists.
The number of cars has grown seven times faster than the population: there are now 29.6 million cars in Britain, up 30 per cent from a decade ago.
A people opt for the car even for journeys that could easily be walked or cycled of just two to three miles. Now just over three quarters of homes have a car and government taxation designed to reduce car use could increase social exclusion of poor families the over-70s who are increasingly using cars.
The top-10 most congested roads were voted to be:
1.M25 - Section from Heathrow to M1
2.M6/M42 Interchange - East of Birmingham
3.M6 - Section from Telford to Birmingham
4.M25 - Dartford Crossing
5.M4/A4 - Approach into West London
6.M1 - Section from Nottingham to Sheffield
7.A14 - Section around Cambridge & Huntingdon
8.M62 - Section around Leeds & Huddersfield
9.M1 - Section through the Home Counties
10.A406 (North Circular) - Section from M1 to M11 (N/NE London)
The polled RAC members suggested some effective ways of diffusing congestion on the UK's road network are to introduce more advanced warning signs on the motorways and traffic light phasing.
Active Traffic Management (using hard shoulders) was also considered to be an effective method of reducing congestion which is good news for The Highway Agency which plans “hard shoulder running” for the M1, M6, M4 and M5 motorways.
77% of drivers surveyed suggested improvements of bus, tram, and train services to help to tackle congestion. But more than four out of five people said they would find it difficult to use their cars less. It is a myth to claim public transport is the magic answer.
Despite worries about congestion, many drivers preferred to queue in their cars even when they knew that public transport would be quicker. A recent Department for Transport study concluded: “Sitting in congested traffic conditions was seen as being more comfortable than waiting for a train or bus and drivers felt more in control. Drivers also saw the benefits of time alone, safety and independence.”
There is falling use among those aged 16 to 29 due to their taking longer to obtain driving licences. Once qualified, they become as reliant on cars as older generations.
References:
www.direct.gov.uk/highwaycode
www.aviva.com
www.metoffice.gov.uk
www.environment-agency.gov.uk/floodwarning
www.bbc.co.uk/travelnews
www.highways.gov.uk/trafficinfo
www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/driving/article
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The Coopers Driving School Team
