The Department for Transport has published National Statistics on Traffic in Great Britain, including analyses by vehicle type and road class, for the second quarter of 2005.

These provisional figures indicate that estimated traffic levels (a measure of vehicle kilometres) rose by 1.0% between Q2 2004 and Q2 2005. This continues the estimated underlying growth rate of between 1% and 2% per annum since 1999.

However, car traffic was virtually unchanged while light van traffic was 6% higher and goods vehicle traffic was 3% higher.

Interestingly the number of vehicle kilometres travelled by buses and two-wheeled motor vehicles fell by 6%. Somehow this doesn’t quite fit the picture of a shift toward more sustainable transport.