UK road traffic surges as nationwide train strike begins

Road traffic was heavier than normal Tuesday morning in several of the UK’s biggest cities as train services were halted by the biggest nationwide strike in three decades.

The congestion level on London roads at 8 a.m. was 98%, according to TomTom NV, meaning that a 1-hour journey on empty roads is taking almost 2 hours. That’s up from Monday’s reading of 70% at the same time and is also significantly higher than than the 2019 average of 67% for an equivalent journey on Tuesday mornings.

The UK is experiencing record petrol prices and a switch to more road usage will probably boost demand. The vast majority of the train network is down, as is most of the London Underground. That means some people need to find alternative means to get get to work.

“I think we’ll see a busier day on the roads as a result of the trains being out of action in many places,” said Simon Williams, a spokesman for the RAC motoring services company.

The TomTom data also showed higher than normal congestion levels in Manchester and Cardiff this morning.

Commuters turning to cars still face the burden of expensive fuel, with the average UK price of petrol having risen to 188.74 pence a liter on Monday, bringing the cost of filling a 55-liter family car to almost £104 ($128).

The strike by the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers is halting trains across England, Scotland and Wales. The chaos will be repeated again with two more days of industrial action on Thursday and Saturday.