U.K. Road Traffic Tops Pre-Covid Levels as Reopening Accelerates

  • Car use jumped as U.K. drivers hit the road over long weekend
  • Data follows similar trend in U.S. as driving season begins

Traffic builds up on the M3 highway heading towards the coast, at Winchester, U.K., on May 28.

Photographer: Steve Parsons/PA/Getty Images

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Drivers in the U.K. celebrated a sunny long weekend by hitting the roads in larger numbers than at any time since the coronavirus pandemic began.

Total vehicle use was 1% higher than pre-pandemic levels in the week through May 30, according to government data. That was driven by a surge on Friday, Saturday and Sunday with a national holiday on the Monday that followed.