Transport Bulletin May 2021

Source: Transport Infrastructure Ireland

Following the re-introduction of Level 5 restrictions on 27 December 2020, car traffic volumes dropped significantly, but have been growing slowly over the first months of this year, and more rapidly recently when travel restrictions changed in week 15 (on the 12 April).

The data, which is illustrated in figures 1.1 and 1.2, shows the impact of COVID-19 on traffic volumes comparing 2019, 2020 and 2021 data. Last year in the weeks when restrictions were most stringent, between week 13 to week 19, the volume of cars on the roads in regional locations was more than 72.1% lower than between week 13 and week 19 in 2019. Figure 1.1 illustrates how car traffic volume has been increasing in 2021. Latest available data for week 17 (week beginning 26 April) show that the car traffic volumes were 52.4% higher in Dublin and 61.1% higher in regional sites compared with week 1 of this year. In week 17 of 2021 the volume of private cars was 166.1% higher in Dublin sites than in week 17 of 2020, however, compared to the same week in 2019 car traffic volumes were still 26.5% lower. A similar trend is shown when looking at the regional sites. The volume of private cars in the regional locations was 163.5% higher in week 17 of 2021 than it was in week 17 of 2020, however volumes were still 30.4% lower than in week 17 of 2019. See table 1.1 and figure 1.1.

Looking at weekly change, in the week commencing 17 April (week 17), there was a slight increase in car traffic volumes compared to the previous week for both Dublin and regional sites of 0.9% and 1.6% respectively. Most striking, however, was the weekly change between week 14 and 15 when volumes increased by 25.5% in Dublin and by 21.2% in the selected regional sites. This most likely reflects the change in travel restrictions. On the 12 April (beginning of week 15) the country-wide travel restrictions changed from a 5 km radius to 20 km or anywhere within own county. See figure 1.2.

The impact on HGV traffic of COVID-19 restrictions has not been as pronounced as for cars. In general, from June 2020 onwards HGV traffic volumes exceeded 2019 levels, particularly in the lead-up to Christmas. Since the beginning of the year HGV traffic volumes in both regional and Dublin locations have remained below January, February and beginning of March 2020 levels. However, in recent weeks this pattern changed. The latest data available, for week beginning 26 April, shows HGV traffic volumes are 69.6% higher in Dublin and 48.6% higher in regional sites compared to the same week in 2020. See table 1.2, figure 1.4 and figure 1.5.

In our last release we added an additional table and graph (see table 1.3 and figure 1.6) on the articulated HGV traffic in and around Irish ports. At the start of the year there was a decline in the volume of HGV traffic around Dublin port, however, in April 2021 HGV traffic around Dublin port has been higher than in April 2020. Since the start of the year HGV traffic around Cork and Rosslare ports has also been higher when compared with its level in 2020. For the latest week commencing 25 April 2021, HGV traffic around Dublin, Cork and Rosslare ports increased by 29.0%, 97.3% and 60.7% respectively when compared to the same week in 2020. It’s important to note that this data does not correspond directly with container traffic through the ports nor with the volume of goods being transported on cargo ships.