Car journeys on West Midlands's roads fall by a quarter during pandemic

Last year saw the fewest miles driven on the area's roads by motorists since 1993, when records began.

But any respite in traffic levels will soon be over, says the RAC, which predicts a busy summer on the roads as restrictions are eased.

Data from the Department for Transport shows cars and taxis covered an estimated 7.3 billion miles on West Midlands's roads during 2020.

That was 23 per cent fewer than in 2019 when 9.5 billion miles were covered.

Meanwhile in Staffordshire, last year cars and taxis covered an estimated 3.5 billion miles, 28 per cent fewer than in 2019 when 4.8 billion miles were covered.

It was a similar picture across Great Britain with the number of miles of car journeys down 25 per cent.

The DfT said the figures were heavily impacted by the effects of the coronavirus, with restrictions on travel in place through many months of last year.

Yet early indications from the Government show traffic could return to 2019 levels as lockdown is eased.

And the RAC has said it has already noticed an increase in vehicles on the road this year, adding it expected a busy summer.

Nicholas Lyes, head of policy, said: “With traffic now creeping back up to near-normal levels and restrictions due to ease further in the next few weeks, we expect it to be a busy summer on the roads.”

But the Confederation of Passenger Transport UK, a group which represents the bus and coach industry, says it hopes people do not return to their cars.

The group wants the country to avoid a “car-based recovery”. Instead, it hopes to encourage people to use public transport.

Alison Edwards, head of policy at the group, said: "This means ensuring that public transport is not left behind other areas of the economy in the ongoing social distancing review and ministers overtly encouraging people back onto buses and coaches.

“Without this we will see greater congestion slowing our economic recovery along with worsening air quality and increased carbon emissions.”

However, the RAC said its research had showed lockdown had strengthened the importance people place in owning a car.

The figures from the DfT also show car travel made up 78 per cent of all road miles in West Midlands in 2020, with lorries and commercial vans making up the rest.

The total milage for all traffic was 9.4 billion miles, down 20 per cent from 11.8 billion miles in 2019.

And in Staffordshire car travel made up 72 per cent of all road miles in 2020, and the total milage for all traffic was 4.8 billion miles, down 24 per cent from 6.3 billion miles in 2019.

The DfT said a fall in the number of miles driven on the country's roads had conincided with fewer accidents and faster journey times on major roads.

A spokesperson said work was being done with transport operators to ensure “good levels of service” as the pandemic eases.