Transport Bulletin November 2021

Source: Transport Infrastructure Ireland

Following the re-introduction of Level 5 restrictions on 27 December 2020, car traffic volumes dropped significantly at the beginning of this year. However, in line with the gradual lifting of travel restrictions car traffic volumes increased in 2021. Latest available data for week 43 (week beginning 25 October) show that car traffic volumes were 93.0% higher in Dublin and 114.6% higher in selected regional sites compared with week 1 of this year.

Comparing the latest available data for week 43 to the same week in 2020 shows that the traffic volume of private cars was 55.1% higher in the Dublin sites in 2021. This was to be expected as during the same week in 2020 level 5 COVID-19 restrictions were reintroduced. However, 2021 car traffic volumes continue to remain below 2019 levels. Comparing week 43 with the same week in 2019 shows that car traffic volumes in Dublin were still 9.9% lower in 2021.

A similar trend is shown when looking at the selected regional sites. The volume of private cars in the regional locations was 59.5% higher in week 43 of 2021 than it was in week 43 of 2020. Car traffic volumes were still 9.2% lower than in week 43 of 2019. Please note that the October Bank Holiday fell in week 43 in 2021 and not in 2019, which impacts the direct comparison between weeks. However, for all weeks in October 2021 car traffic volumes have been consistently below 2019 figures. See table 1.1, figure 1.1 and figure 1.2.

The impact on HGV traffic of COVID-19 restrictions has not been as pronounced as for cars and HGV traffic volumes in 2020 even exceeded 2019 volumes for the second half of the year. The latest data available (for week beginning 25 October 2021) show that HGV traffic volumes were 12.5% lower in Dublin and 11.7% lower in regional sites compared with the same week in 2020. See table 1.2, figure 1.3 and figure 1.4.