In 2024, Swindon sees a predominant reliance on cars for commuting, with 75% of residents using this mode of transport. Public transport, including buses, accounts for 12.5% of commutes, while walking is equally popular at 12.5%.

Average Commute Times

The average commute involves 1.25 minutes waiting and 24.63 minutes driving, covering a distance of 25.77 km.
  • Bus - Bus commuters spend 10 minutes waiting and 60 minutes on the bus, with a total walking time of 21 minutes.
  • Car - Car users experience an average driving time of 32.83 minutes, with minimal walking involved.
  • Walking - Walking commutes average 15 minutes, covering a distance of 1 km.
Traffic Breakdown
Car
75%
Walking
13%
Bus
13%
Seasonal Trends

Traffic congestion tends to increase during the winter months due to adverse weather conditions. Summer holidays see a slight reduction in traffic as residents travel out of town.

Commuter Pain Points

Long waiting times for buses can be frustrating for public transport users. Car commuters often face congestion during peak hours, leading to increased travel times.

Best Travel Times

Traveling before 7 AM or after 7 PM can help avoid peak traffic congestion. Midday travel is generally smoother for those using public transport.

Event Impacts

Public events at the County Ground can lead to significant traffic delays in the surrounding areas. Festivals and fairs often cause temporary road closures, impacting usual traffic flow.

Sustainability Efforts

Swindon is investing in electric vehicle charging stations to promote cleaner transport. The city is exploring options to expand its cycling lanes to encourage eco-friendly commuting.

Ride-Sharing Impact

Ride-sharing services have reduced the need for personal car ownership, slightly easing traffic congestion. These services offer flexible commuting options, particularly for those without access to a car.

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: Feb, 2025
Full Traffic Rankings

Traffic Data

The following traffic data has been gathered from 8 user contributions.
Overall average travel
Distance
16.0 miles
Walking
5.8 mins
Waiting
1.3 mins
Driving Car
24.6 mins
Bus / Trolley
7.5 mins
Total:
39.1 mins
Average when primarily using Bus
Distance
20.0 miles
Walking
21.0 mins
Waiting
10.0 mins
Bus / Trolley
60.0 mins
Total:
91.0 mins
Average when primarily using Car
Distance
17.9 miles
Walking
1.7 mins
Driving Car
32.8 mins
Total:
34.5 mins
Average when primarily using Walking
Distance
0.6 miles
Walking
15.0 mins
Total:
15.0 mins
Swindon Traffic

"Key Takeaways"

Encouraging alternative transport modes like cycling could reduce car dependency and emissions.

Investing in public transport infrastructure may improve commute times and reduce inefficiencies.

Key Indexes

Emissions

Swindon's CO2 emissions index is notably high at 6850.25, reflecting the heavy reliance on cars.

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

Time

The average time index is 39.13, indicating moderate commute durations.

Improving public transport efficiency could help reduce overall commute times.

Inefficiency

With an inefficiency index of 212.79, Swindon's traffic system shows room for improvement.

Addressing bottlenecks and enhancing traffic flow could mitigate inefficiencies.