LORRY TRAFFIC IS now higher on Irish roads than it was at the same time last year, according to Central Statistics Office.

In its latest Transport Bulletin, the CSO has noted that heavy goods vehicle (HGV) traffic has been above last year in Dublin since June, but that it has now overtaken 2019 figures in other locations too. 

The analysis notes the continuing trend whereby road traffic is recovering from a Covid-19 slump faster than public transport. While traffic is still down overall on last year, it is down by far less than the peak of the Covid-19 lockdown.

At the peak of Covid-19 restrictions in April, traffic was down by about 78% based on the previous year. The latest figures indicate traffic is currently down by 15.7% in regional locations and 18.9% lower in Dublin. 

The latest figures are for the first week in September, as most children return to school. 

But while car traffic may be on a gradual recovery, public transport numbers are still way down compared to 2019. For example, the number of journeys by rail is still down by 61.2%  on pre-Covid-19 levels.

Cycling has increased however, particularly in the capital. Cycle counter data for Dublin city shows an increase of 9.4% in the volume of cyclists during off-peak hours in August 2020 compared to August 2019.