Behavioural change behind the wheel

I am about to hit the motorway this morning to return home for a new school year - so the front page of the Independent made for interesting reading. Trafficmaster has released figures which seem to indicate that congestion on Britain’s major roads is easing for the first time in over a decade. It offers firm evidence that motorists are responding to the effects of higher fuel prices when making their travel decisions.

Trafficmaster Higher fuel prices are leading to

Less social driving - fewer day trips by road
More car sharing
Lower speeds on the road as motorists look to improve fuel efficiency - the rise of eco-driving!
Increased demand for rail transport where a close substitute exists for a particular journey

In the joint report with the RAC - figures show that congestion on Britain’s motorways and major trunk roads fell by 12% in the first six months of 2008 compared with the first half of 2007 even though average speeds have also dipped. It seems that the economic intelligence of the representative British motorist may have been underestimated!