Back to Top

 Skip navigation

Press Statement

Preasráiteas

09 March 2021

Press Statement Transport Bulletin Transport Bulletin 01 March 2020 to 27 February 2021

Car traffic volumes increasing slowly throughout February
  • Latest traffic counter data shows that the volume of cars on Irish roads for the week commencing 21 February 2021 was 48.7% lower in regional locations and 46.1% lower in Dublin than the same week in 2020
  • The volume of heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) on Irish roads in the week commencing 21 February 2021 was 11.0% lower in Dublin and 2.8% lower in regional locations than the comparable week last year
  • The number of journeys by bus and rail are a quarter (25.2%) of pre-COVID-19 levels
  • In the first two months of 2021, there were 11 fatalities on Irish roads compared with 28 in the same period in 2020, a fall of 60.7%
  • Fuel excise clearances of unleaded petrol were 51.4% lower in January 2021 compared with same month in 2020
  • There was a decrease of 12.4% in the volume of bicycle journeys in Dublin City during off-peak hours in February 2021 compared to February 2020

Go to release: Transport Bulletin 01 March 2020 to 27 February 2021

The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has today (09 March 2021) published its latest Transport Bulletin. The bulletin captures the impact of the latest COVID-19 restrictions on traffic volumes and the number of journeys taken on public transport. This bulletin is compiled using data collected by the Transport Infrastructure Ireland, the Road Safety Authority, the National Transport Authority, Dublin City Council, the Office of the Revenue Commissioners and the Department of Transport.

The volume of cars on Irish roads rose in the early weeks of December. However, over the holiday period and following the return to Level 5 restrictions on 24 December, car traffic volumes have fallen once again. The volume of HGVs has fallen since week beginning 27 December on Irish roads than for the same periods in the previous year in both Dublin and in the regional locations measured.

Commenting on this latest bulletin, Noreen Dorgan, Assistant Principal, said: “The COVID-19 restrictions continue to have a significant influence on traffic volumes, the number of journeys on public transport and travel through Irish airports, which all remain at significantly lower levels than the same period in 2019 and early 2020.

Car traffic volumes increased in the week beginning 14 February compared with the previous week in regional locations by 6.9%. For the latest week beginning 21 February, car traffic volumes were 3.9% higher than the previous week at regional locations and 4.7% higher in Dublin. In the week beginning 21 February, car traffic volumes are 48.7% lower in regional locations and 46.1% lower in Dublin when compared with the same week last year. There were 11 fatalities on Irish roads in the first two months of 2021, a fall of 60.7% compared to the same period in 2020.

HGV traffic volumes have been affected by the changes in latest restrictions. For the latest week available 21 February, HGV traffic volumes in regional locations were 2.8% lower in regional locations and 11.0% lower in Dublin locations when compared with the same period in 2020."

Further commenting on the Transport Bulletin, Noreen Dorgan said: “The number of passenger journeys on public transport has dropped dramatically since the start of the COVID-19 crisis with journeys by rail most severely affected. Despite some recovery in the lead-up to Christmas, the end of the holiday period and the return to Level 5 restrictions has seen public transport volumes fall back to just over a quarter (25.2%) of volumes seen in early March. The volume of bicycles during off-peak hours was 12.4% lower in February 2021 compared to February 2020."

This bulletin will be updated on a regular basis to measure the ongoing impact of COVID-19 on transport. Future editions will be located in the CSO COVID-19 Information Hub.

For further information contact:

Noreen Dorgan (+353) 21 453 5260

or email transport@cso.ie

-- ENDS --