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Road traffic statistics

Roadside traffic counts of Heavy Goods Vehicles are changing from 2028, your feedback will help us improve this.

South East

In 2025, 54.5 billion vehicle miles of traffic were travelled across the 30.3 thousand miles of roads in the South East.

Time period 1993 - 2025
Count points 6,640
Local authorities 19
ONS code E12000008

Road traffic by vehicle type from 1993 to 2025

Billion vehicle miles travelled each year in the South East, split by vehicle type

Road traffic by vehicle type table

Billion vehicle miles travelled each year in the South East, split by vehicle type

Year All motor vehicles Cars & taxis LGVs HGVs Pedal cycles Motorcycles Buses & coaches
2025 54.5 42.4 9.2 2.3 0.6 0.4 0.2
2024 53.6 41.3 9.3 2.3 0.6 0.4 0.2
2023 52.8 40.6 9.2 2.4 0.6 0.4 0.2
2022 51.6 39.3 9.2 2.5 0.7 0.4 0.2
2021 46.9 35.3 8.6 2.4 0.7 0.4 0.2
2020 42.4 31.9 7.8 2.3 1.0 0.3 0.2
2019 54.9 43.2 8.5 2.4 0.6 0.4 0.3
2018 54.5 42.9 8.4 2.5 0.6 0.4 0.3
2017 54.6 43.2 8.3 2.5 0.6 0.4 0.3
2016 54.3 42.9 8.2 2.4 0.6 0.5 0.3
2015 53.3 42.4 7.8 2.4 0.6 0.5 0.3
2014 51.9 41.4 7.4 2.3 0.6 0.5 0.3
2013 50.5 40.5 7.0 2.2 0.6 0.4 0.3
2012 50.5 40.6 6.9 2.2 0.6 0.4 0.3
2011 50.4 40.7 6.7 2.3 0.5 0.5 0.3
2010 50.1 40.3 6.7 2.3 0.5 0.5 0.3
2009 50.7 41.0 6.5 2.3 0.5 0.5 0.3
2008 51.4 41.4 6.7 2.5 0.5 0.5 0.4
2007 52.3 42.0 6.7 2.6 0.4 0.6 0.4
2006 52.1 42.1 6.4 2.6 0.5 0.5 0.4
2005 51.8 42.0 6.3 2.6 0.5 0.6 0.4
2004 52.1 42.4 6.1 2.6 0.4 0.5 0.4
2003 51.9 42.4 5.9 2.6 0.5 0.6 0.4
2002 52.0 42.9 5.6 2.6 0.5 0.5 0.4
2001 51.3 42.2 5.6 2.6 0.5 0.5 0.4
2000 50.7 41.8 5.5 2.5 0.4 0.5 0.4
1999 50.7 41.9 5.3 2.5 0.4 0.5 0.4
1998 49.6 41.0 5.3 2.4 0.4 0.5 0.4
1997 48.5 40.3 5.1 2.3 0.4 0.4 0.4
1996 47.3 39.5 4.8 2.2 0.4 0.4 0.4
1995 45.9 38.3 4.6 2.2 0.4 0.4 0.4
1994 44.9 37.6 4.4 2.1 0.4 0.4 0.4
1993 43.8 36.7 4.3 2.0 0.4 0.4 0.4

Road traffic by road type from 1993 to 2025

Billion vehicle miles travelled each year in the South East, split by road type

Road traffic by road type table

Billion vehicle miles travelled each year in the South East, split by road type

Year A-roads Minor roads Motorways
2025 23.2 16.8 14.5
2024 22.8 16.4 14.4
2023 22.4 16.1 14.3
2022 21.8 15.9 14.0
2021 20.0 14.8 12.1
2020 17.7 13.9 10.8
2019 23.2 17.0 14.7
2018 23.1 16.6 14.8
2017 22.7 17.1 14.8
2016 22.6 16.9 14.7
2015 22.1 16.7 14.6
2014 21.4 16.4 14.1
2013 21.0 15.6 13.9
2012 21.0 15.5 13.9
2011 21.2 15.4 13.8
2010 21.0 15.4 13.7
2009 21.3 15.5 13.9
2008 21.5 16.0 13.9
2007 21.8 16.5 14.1
2006 21.9 16.2 14.0
2005 21.8 16.3 13.7
2004 21.9 16.4 13.8
2003 21.7 16.7 13.5
2002 21.5 16.9 13.6
2001 21.3 16.5 13.5
2000 20.9 16.7 13.1
1999 20.8 16.9 12.9
1998 20.6 16.5 12.5
1997 20.2 16.3 11.9
1996 19.8 16.1 11.4
1995 19.2 15.9 10.7
1994 18.8 15.8 10.3
1993 18.4 15.6 9.8

Local authorities in the South East

Download data

Data disclaimer

Traffic figures at the regional and national level are robust, and are reported as accredited official statistics. However, DfT’s traffic estimates for individual road links and small areas are less robust, as they are not always based on up-to-date counts made at these locations. Where other more up-to-date sources of traffic data are available (e.g. from local highways authorities), this may provide a more accurate estimate of traffic at these locations.

It is the responsibility of the user to decide which data are most appropriate for their purpose, and if DfT road link level traffic estimates are used, to make a note of the limitations in any published material.

Quality flags in data downloads

DfT’s road link level traffic estimates are calculated using a variety of methods, with some methods likely to produce more accurate estimates than others.

The data tables available to download here contain a column - estimation_method – showing the method used to estimate traffic for each location and year. Figures having an estimation method of “Counted” are likely to be more accurate than those marked as “Estimated”, and the latter should be used with caution.

Metadata

The road traffic statistics metadata PDF document provides guidance on the different datasets available to download for DfT traffic estimates.

Downloads

Count points
Details of each count point in the South East.
Traffic by vehicle type
The total volume of traffic across the South East each year, split by vehicle type.
Traffic by road type
The total volume of traffic across the South East each year, split by road type.
Annual average daily flow
The number of vehicles that travel (in all directions) past each count point in the South East on an average day of the year.
Annual average daily flow by direction
The number of vehicles that travel past each count point in the South East on an average day of the year, split by direction of travel.
Raw counts
The vehicle counts recorded at each count point in the South East.
Data Description Records Download
Count points Details of each count point in the South East. 6,640
Traffic by vehicle type The total volume of traffic across the South East each year, split by vehicle type. 33
Traffic by road type The total volume of traffic across the South East each year, split by road type. 165
Annual average daily flow The number of vehicles that travel (in all directions) past each count point in the South East on an average day of the year. 82,247
Annual average daily flow by direction The number of vehicles that travel past each count point in the South East on an average day of the year, split by direction of travel. 154,959
Raw counts The vehicle counts recorded at each count point in the South East. 837,528

To apply more filters to downloads, or retrieve data split into pages you can use our API.