Traffic ahead of other modes in post-Covid recovery

Road traffic and bus and rail passenger levels over the past year

Local Road traffic levels have recovered to near pre-Covid levels, but public transport usage is still notably lower despite improving this year, reveals new data from the DfT.

Among all the modes, road traffic figures are closest to pre-Covid usage, with figures consistently above 90%, the analysis shows. On 13 February 2023 traffic volumes were 96% of the levels during the first week of February 2020. This is 2% higher compared with the equivalent day in the previous year (94% on 14 February 2022.

Weekday usage in the current publishing period (10 January 2023 to 13 February) has been between 92% to 96% of the pre-Covid baseline, compared with 73% to 96% in the last publishing period (6 December 2022 to 2 January 2023).

Meanwhile, rail passenger journeys in the week ending 6 February 2023 were 73% of those observed in the equivalent week in 2019. Weekly average usage figures have been between 58% to 97%, compared with 50% to 91% in the last period.

Bus boardings outside of London on 13 February 2023 were 81% of those on the equivalent day in the third week of January 2020. This is 8% higher compared with the equivalent day in the previous year (73% on 14 February 2022). Weekday bus usage has been between 81% to 93% of the pre-Covid baseline, in comparison with between 46% to

87% in the last period. In the capital, TfL bus boardings on 13 February 2023 were 85% of the equivalent day in 2019. In the current publishing period usage has ranged between 77% to 85%, while usage in the last period was between 74% to 106% of the pre-Covid baseline.

Tube entries and exits on 13 February 2023 were 74% of the equivalent day in 2019. In the current publishing period usage has ranged between 66% to 83% while usage in the last publishing period was between 60% to 101% of the pre-Covid baseline.

New data for cycling shows levels ranging between 78% to 99% of the equivalent day in the first week of March 2020. In the current publishing period, weekday usage has ranged between 54% to 99% while usage in the last period was between 38% to 99% of the pre-Covid baseline.

Domestic Transport Usage by Mode