In 2024, Plymouth's transportation landscape is dominated by car usage, with over half of the population relying on this mode for commuting. Public transport, particularly buses, and eco-friendly options like walking and cycling are also significant contributors to the city's commute dynamics.

Average Commute Times

The average commute involves around 12.56 minutes of driving and 3.67 minutes of walking, covering a distance of approximately 6.68 km.
  • Bus - Bus commuters spend about 21 minutes on the bus and 6.5 minutes walking, with a total distance of 6.84 km.
  • Car - Car users experience a driving time of 20.6 minutes over a distance of 6.08 km.
  • Walking - Walking commutes average 20 minutes, covering a distance of 3.22 km.
Traffic Breakdown
Car
56%
Bus
22%
Walking
11%
Bicycle
11%
Seasonal Trends

Traffic congestion tends to increase during the summer months due to tourism. Winter months see a slight decrease in cycling and walking due to weather conditions.

Commuter Pain Points

Heavy reliance on cars leads to congestion during peak hours. Limited public transport options can result in longer commute times for bus users.

Best Travel Times

Traveling outside of peak hours, such as mid-morning or early afternoon, can reduce commute times. Weekends generally see less traffic, making them ideal for longer trips.

Event Impacts

Public events, especially in the city center, can cause significant traffic disruptions. Planning alternative routes during events can help avoid delays.

Sustainability Efforts

Plymouth is investing in cycling infrastructure to promote eco-friendly commuting. Initiatives to increase electric vehicle charging stations are underway to support sustainable transport.

Ride-Sharing Impact

Ride-sharing services are helping to reduce the number of cars on the road. These services offer a flexible alternative to public transport, especially during off-peak hours.

Worldwide
United Kingdom

Traffic Rankings

The Traffic Index for United Kingdom combines user-contributed data on commute times, traffic dissatisfaction, CO2 emissions, and traffic system inefficiencies in United Kingdom, to provide insights into overall traffic conditions.

Worst to BestUpdated: Dec, 2024
Full Traffic Rankings

Traffic Data

The following traffic data has been gathered from 9 user contributions.
Overall average travel
Distance
4.2 miles
Walking
3.7 mins
Waiting
1.1 mins
Driving Car
12.6 mins
Bus / Trolley
4.7 mins
Bicycle
2.8 mins
Motorcycle
0.0 mins
Other
1.1 mins
Total:
25.9 mins
Average when primarily using Bus
Distance
4.2 miles
Walking
6.5 mins
Waiting
5.0 mins
Bus / Trolley
21.0 mins
Total:
32.5 mins
Average when primarily using Car
Distance
3.8 miles
Driving Car
20.6 mins
Total:
20.6 mins
Average when primarily using Walking
Distance
2.0 miles
Walking
20.0 mins
Driving Car
10.0 mins
Total:
30.0 mins
Plymouth Traffic

"Key Takeaways"

Increasing the use of public transport and cycling could significantly reduce CO2 emissions and traffic inefficiencies.

Investments in public transport infrastructure could improve overall commute times and reduce reliance on cars.

Key Indexes

Emissions

Plymouth's CO2 emissions index is 3548.67, indicating a moderate level of emissions.

Efforts to reduce emissions could focus on increasing public transport and cycling usage.

Time

The average time index is 25.89, reflecting typical commute delays.

Improving traffic flow could reduce time spent in transit.

Inefficiency

The inefficiency index stands at 70.86, suggesting room for improvement in traffic management.

Enhancing public transport infrastructure may alleviate inefficiencies.