Travel time measures for the Strategic Road Network, England and local 鈥楢鈥� roads, Great Britain: April 2025 to March 2026
Congestion on the Strategic Road Network (motorways and 鈥楢鈥� roads managed by National Highways), and on locally managed 鈥楢鈥� roads for April 2025 to March 2026. This is the first local 鈥楢鈥� roads congestion publication to cover Great Britain and not just England.
Applies to England, Scotland and Wales
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Details
Our statistical practice is regulated by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR).听OSR听sets the standards of trustworthiness,听quality听and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics that all producers of official statistics should adhere to. You are welcome to contact us directly by emailing congestion statistics with any comments about how we meet these standards.听
There has been a step change in congestion statistics due to changes in the underlying vehicle sample for the local 鈥楢鈥� roads data from April 2025. It is therefore not possible to compare this new data over a longer听time period. The change in the sample is not consistent across the country. The areas with the largest changes in sample have shown the largest changes in average speed and delay.听听
Data up to June 2026 for the Strategic Road Network (SRN) will be published in the next quarterly release. Following this, there will then be a pause in the regular publication schedule for the SRN as National Highways make changes to the methodology. Updates on when SRN publication will resume will be announced in advance with the publication schedule.
On the Strategic Road Network (SRN)听for听the听year ending听March 2026, the average delay is estimated to be听10.9听seconds per vehicle per mile (spvpm), compared to free flow, a听7.6%听decrease听on听year听ending听March 2025.听
The average speed听is estimated to be听56.6听mph听for the year ending听December听2025,听up听1.4%听from听March 2026.听
On local 鈥楢鈥� roads in Great Britain听for听the year ending听March 2026, the average delay is estimated to be听43.4 seconds per vehicle per mile (spvpm) compared to free flow.听听
The average speed is estimated to be听24.6听mph听for the year ending听March 2026.听
On local 鈥楢鈥� roads in England听for听the year ending听March 2026, the average delay is estimated to be听44.5 seconds per vehicle per mile (spvpm) compared to free flow.听听
The average speed is estimated to be听24.3 mph听for the year ending听听March 2026.听
Scotland and Wales data from January 2025 to March 2026 is also available for the first time in this release.
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Road congestion and travel times
Email congestion.stats@dft.gov.uk
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