Lifting of lockdown saw traffic volumes soar over Christmas period

Despite the vast reduction in traffic in 2020, there were still eight more deaths on Irish roads than in 2019, or an increase of almost 6%. Picture: Larry Cummins

Traffic built up consistently once restrictions were lifted in the run-up to Christmas, but dropped off dramatically after December 27, official data shows.

According to Central Statistics Office figures, there was an almost 9% increase in Dublin traffic in the week beginning December 6 compared with the previous week, with slightly higher levels in the regions.

Overall traffic volumes in the week of December 20 were about 13% lower than the comparable week the year previously, the data further showed.

After December 27, volumes in Dublin plunged by almost 40% on the previous week, and 45.5% lower than the corresponding week in 2019, with the regions showing similar numbers.

At the height of restrictions in movement between the end of March to the beginning of May, the volume of cars on the roads was more than 70% lower than in 2019, the CSO said.

Traffic volumes increase in lead-up to Christmashttps://t.co/F2ELHxrCCo #CSOIreland #Ireland #IrishTransport #TransportIreland #Transport #TransportBulletin #Logistics #Business #BusinessStatistics pic.twitter.com/B6l3a8Gend

— Central Statistics Office Ireland (@CSOIreland) January 11, 2021

Despite the vast reduction in traffic in 2020, there were still eight more deaths on Irish roads than in 2019, or an increase of almost 6%.

The number of journeys taken by bus and rail, following the return to level 5 restrictions on December 24, is now almost 22% of the journeys taken at the start of the pandemic, according to the data.

However, there has been a small but noticeable increase of 3% in the number of cyclists in Dublin city during off-peak hours in December 2020 compared to the same month a year previously.

There was a 12.4% decrease in the number of new private cars licensed in November compared with the same month last year.

The impact of Covid-19 restrictions has not been as pronounced for HGV traffic as it has been for cars, the CSO said.

In the first three weeks of March, leading up to the severest restrictions, HGV traffic volumes in Dublin and in regional locations were higher than in 2019.

Over the course of April and May, Dublin saw a greater decrease in HGV traffic than the regions.

HGV traffic volumes last year exceeded 2019 volumes since June in Dublin, and for 23 of the 28 weeks since June in the regions. 

Following the lifting of level 5 restrictions in early December, HGV traffic volumes for the week of December 6 were almost 12% higher in Dublin and almost 9% higher in the regions, compared to the same month in 2019.