In 2024, Southampton's transportation landscape is dominated by cars, with over half of the population commuting by car. Walking and cycling are also popular modes of transport, reflecting the city's commitment to sustainable commuting options.

Average Commute Times

The average commute involves 23.13 minutes of driving and 6.67 minutes of walking, covering a distance of 18.71 km.
  • Car - Car commuters spend an average of 42.38 minutes driving, with a total distance of 32.44 km.
  • Walking - Walking commuters spend approximately 20.75 minutes on foot, covering a distance of 2.11 km.
Traffic Breakdown
Car
53%
Walking
27%
Bicycle
20%
Seasonal Trends

Traffic tends to increase during the summer months due to tourism, leading to longer commute times. Winter months see a slight decrease in bicycle usage, with more reliance on cars.

Commuter Pain Points

Congestion during peak hours remains a significant issue for car commuters. Limited public transport options can make commuting challenging for those without access to a car.

Best Travel Times

Traveling outside of peak hours, such as mid-morning or early afternoon, can significantly reduce commute times. Weekend mornings are generally less congested, offering smoother travel experiences.

Event Impacts

Major events at St. Mary's Stadium can cause significant traffic disruptions, particularly on match days. The annual Southampton Boat Show attracts large crowds, impacting traffic flow in the city center.

Sustainability Efforts

Southampton is investing in expanding its cycling infrastructure to promote eco-friendly commuting. The city is exploring electric bus options to reduce public transport emissions.

Ride-Sharing Impact

Ride-sharing services have helped reduce the number of cars on the road, particularly during peak hours. These services offer a flexible alternative to traditional public transport, especially for short-distance travel.

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 15 user contributions.
Overall average travel
Distance
11.6 miles
Walking
6.7 mins
Driving Car
23.1 mins
Bicycle
3.3 mins
Motorcycle
0.0 mins
Total:
33.1 mins
Average when primarily using Car
Distance
20.2 miles
Walking
2.1 mins
Driving Car
42.4 mins
Total:
44.5 mins
Average when primarily using Walking
Distance
1.3 miles
Walking
20.8 mins
Driving Car
2.0 mins
Total:
22.8 mins
Southampton Traffic

"Key Takeaways"

Encouraging cycling and walking can further reduce CO2 emissions and improve public health.

Investing in public transport infrastructure could alleviate car dependency and reduce traffic inefficiencies.

Key Indexes

Emissions

The CO2 emissions index stands at 6153.47, indicating a significant environmental impact from transportation.

Efforts to reduce emissions could focus on increasing the use of bicycles and public transport.

Time

The time index is 33.13, reflecting moderate traffic delays.

Improving traffic flow could reduce commute times significantly.

Inefficiency

The inefficiency index is 270.46, suggesting room for improvement in traffic management.

Optimizing traffic signals and encouraging off-peak travel could alleviate inefficiencies.