Are UK roads busier than other Euro countries?

[turboLP]

I've heard people say that roads are too busy in the UK (I can relate to that). Does that mean that the situation is different in other Euro countries?
Which UK areas have less traffic in general?

Sorry, this is a spin-off off the other thread I created. I feel these are different subjects, though related.

[cptsideways]

Scotland is rather empty and free from Jams, m8 and A83 on bank holidays excepted. My nearest set of traffic lights are 40 mins away.

[Tickle]

Quite a broad area is the UK!. I've never had the pleasure of driving within the M25 but I expect it's busier than the Highlands. Same will apply for other European countries and differing regions.

[Krikkit]

We have a higher population density than every large European nation than Belgium and the Netherlands, but we have a high concentration of population around the South East, with quieter roads up north.

So long story short, depends where you are in the UK

[SAS Tom]

I don’t think it’s necessarily that the roads are busier but the design of the roads causes a lot more stopping and starting.

Driving in Italy was a revelation for me. Once I got my head around the mentality I realised that there was a lot less stopping for traffic lights/roundabouts/junctions and it was much more pleasant. Coming home felt like a bit of a step backwards in that respect.

[GT03ROB]

I drove to southern Spain & back via the tunnel earlier this year. For the most part the roads seemed deserted.

It was only as you approached Rouen, Bordeaux, San Sebastien & Seville that it seemed anything like the UK. I spent literally hours on cruise control, without adjustment.

[Riley Blue]

turboLP said:

Which UK areas have less traffic in general?

In general, the less populated areas, obvs.

[Kawasicki]

I‘ve lived in a few European countries and I would say that British (and Irish) roads are still busier than the norm, even when you take population density into account.

I think there are also cultural and infrastructure reasons that this is the case.

I live in a small town in southern Germany. The road network is extensive, the autobahns are fast, public transport in the cities is fairly cheap and efficient. What’s most interesting is that the country roads, even in reasonably highly populated areas, are fairly empty outside of commuting times. Why? I think that there is a stronger village based lifestyle… when people arrive home after work, they usually don’t feel the need to drive anywhere else as they have everything they need in their village. It’s not only that the villages are well catered for in that respect, it is also cultural, they just don’t drive again until the morning commute.

The upside is fast flowing, fairly empty country roads, outside of commuting times.

[Petrolhead67]

Kawasicki said:

I‘ve lived in a few European countries and I would say that British (and Irish) roads are still busier than the norm, even when you take population density into account.

I think there are also cultural and infrastructure reasons that this is the case.

I live in a small town in southern Germany. The road network is extensive, the autobahns are fast, public transport in the cities is fairly cheap and efficient. What’s most interesting is that the country roads, even in reasonably highly populated areas, are fairly empty outside of commuting times. Why? I think that there is a stronger village based lifestyle… when people arrive home after work, they usually don’t feel the need to drive anywhere else as they have everything they need in their village. It’s not only that the villages are well catered for in that respect, it is also cultural, they just don’t drive again until the morning commute.

The upside is fast flowing, fairly empty country roads, outside of commuting times.

I would agree with Kawasicki
Regualy traveling to inland southern Spain , the rds are so so quiet everywhere ( as well as super smooth and fantastic condition ) the villages there is always parking anywhere and the village based lifestyle means mostly there vehicles and purly functional , they only drive when needed to . You also insure the car so a lot of families use the same car if needed so not as many cars per houshold .

I always find the traffic here southern UK so congested everywhere every time of the day and getting worse every yr , plus so many traffic lights and measures to slow everyone down even more .

[Evolved]

What is for sure. The standard of driving on UK roads is shocking. Motorway lane usage being the worst. If people knew how lanes and overtaking worked, I’m convinced things would run smoother and reduce tailbacks and clogging.

Edited by Evolved on Friday 24th May 07:18

[LRDefender]

Yes.

I’ve have driven from Tbilisi to the U.K. this week and U.K. roads do appear much busier in the U.K. Lane discipline is appalling in the U.K. and this adds to the problem. Driving standards are pretty good in the U.K. compared with many European countries.

[Truckosaurus]

Also, there are places within the larger euro countries (middle of France, most of Spain, eastern Germany) that are almost deserted, so it is no wonder that the roads are empty as you drive through them on the way to the coasts etc.

I'm sure there's plenty of traffic around Paris and its suburbs, or the massive Rhine/Ruhr conurbation in Germany.

Those of us who drive home from Le Mans on the Sunday evening will have seen the roads are all nice and quiet until you get to the part of the Autoroute at Rouen that is the road from Normandy back to Paris, that is always slow moving and as busy as the M25.

Another specific issue for south east England is that the road network pretty much forces you to go round the M25 to get anywhere. For journeys like Southampton to Dover, where you should be able to do the trip never losing sight of the sea forces you all the way up to London and back down.

[Zetec-S]

Evolved said:

What is for sure. The standard of driving on UK roads is shocking. Motorway lane usage being the worst. If people knew how lanes and overtaking worked, I’m convinced things would run smoother and reduce tailbacks and clogging.

Edited by Evolved on Friday 24th May 07:18

I think the problem with UK motorways is you have such varying levels of speed. Ignoring HGV's, you'll get people who will bimble along at 55-60mph, all the way up to a fair number of people doing 80-90mph. And more than a few who will be doing more than that. Coupled with people who pull out to overtake without really adjusting their speed, along with people who catch them up who won't adjust their speed until the last minute and tailgate "to make a point", and you end up with a concertina effect.

From my limited experience driving in Europe it didn't really feel like there was as big a speed differential between the fastest and slowest vehicles on the motorway, unlike in the UK where it is easily a 50+ mph difference.

[Truckosaurus]

I suspect that in many continental places the 'bimblers' stick to the parallel A-roads rather than venturing onto the motorways (especially if tolls are involved).

[vikingaero]

I quite like looking at Google Maps at the evening rush hour - sometimes to see the level of traffic on my way home, and sometimes out of general interest. I expand the map to look at rush hour in other countries.

Paris can be much more congested than London, but the place that strikes me as a clusterfk is the Randstad area of the Netherlands.

[8IKERDAVE]

Evolved said:

What is for sure. The standard of driving on UK roads is shocking. Motorway lane usage being the worst. If people knew how lanes and overtaking worked, I’m convinced things would run smoother and reduce tailbacks and clogging.

Edited by Evolved on Friday 24th May 07:18

This is definitely a huge factor. The roads over here are hugely congested. It's very rare to travel on any road at any time without coming across another vehicle and I'm talking 3am on a B-road! However, if they were utilised better (improved lane discipline, removal of silly bus lanes, reduction of road works, etc.) things would flow much better.

[vikingaero]

8IKERDAVE said:

Evolved said:

What is for sure. The standard of driving on UK roads is shocking. Motorway lane usage being the worst. If people knew how lanes and overtaking worked, I’m convinced things would run smoother and reduce tailbacks and clogging.

Edited by Evolved on Friday 24th May 07:18

This is definitely a huge factor. The roads over here are hugely congested. It's very rare to travel on any road at any time without coming across another vehicle and I'm talking 3am on a B-road! However, if they were utilised better (improved lane discipline, removal of silly bus lanes, reduction of road works, etc.) things would flow much better.

Agreed. Last year Vikingette1 booked to attend an event in London with her friends with the intention of attending a Club, going for something to eat around 4-5am, and then getting the first train home. Then they announced further train strikes.

I agreed to collect them at 4am expecting a straight run into London just like when I used to be out and about in my teens and twenties. Only it was far busier than I expected and the 45 minute run to Waterloo turned into 1hr15min.

[POIDH]

Riley Blue said:

turboLP said:

Which UK areas have less traffic in general?

In general, the less populated areas, obvs.

^ This. Simples.

[RazerSauber]

You could drive for hours around Scotland and barely come to a stop. You could drive for hours in London and barely cover a mile. It'll vary massively. The further from London you are, typically the less congested the roads will be.

[Lotobear]

Depends where you live - I can do a 30 mile loop door to door from home and sometimes I will never come across a single car. There's a long tradition on PH of posters thinking the UK stops once you leave the SE

Edited by Lotobear on Friday 24th May 10:50