Transport: traffic

Transport Scotland publish annually the report Scottish Transport Statistics, which provides information on traffic and transport in Scotland, including traffic volumes and trends by local authority.

The most recent report, Scottish Transport Statistics 2023, states that in 2022 an estimated 47.4 billion vehicle kilometres were driven in Scotland. This is 9% more than in 2021, but 3% less than in 2019. There was a sharp fall in traffic volumes in 2020 due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Before the pandemic traffic volumes had been rising steadily year on year as shown in Chart 1 below. The increases in the last two years mean traffic volumes are now approaching their pre-pandemic level. In 2022, cars accounted for 73% of traffic volume, light goods vehicles 20% and heavy goods vehicles 5%.