Recession equals a 30 percent reduction in traffic congestion

A new report, by the AA and travel data firm Trafficmaster, shows there has been a reduction in traffic congestion of almost a third, which is the first fall in congestion on UK motorways and trunk roads for 20 years. It says the dramatic drop has been caused by rising unemployment and more people working from home.

But congestion on Fridays has risen as more people take holidays in the UK and bank holiday traffic has increased.

The report, based on a poll of 75,000 drivers and five years of Trafficmaster's data, warns that congestion will inevitably rise as the economy recovers.

It says a quarter of commuters who lost jobs did so in the last year, contributing to a 15 per cent fall in rush-hour congestion. A further 20 per cent of commuters said they were working from home to cut costs while 14 per cent opted for public transport and 12 per cent were sharing cars.

Edmund King, president of the AA, said: "The report only strengthens our need to keep investing in road infrastructure, so when the recession ends we have a network that can support a thriving economy."