This is how Edinburgh’s lockdown traffic drop compares to other major UK cities

Traffic in Scotland’s capital has dropped significantly since lockdown restrictions were introduced.

Traffic in Edinburgh has dropped by more than 75 per cent since the beginning of the lockdown on March 23, according to live traffic data.

Research by car hire firm Leasing Options shows a huge fall in the amount of traffic in cities across the UK.

It comes as the UK struggles through its sixth week of lockdown, with rare exceptions for some key workers.

Traffic in Edinburgh has fallen by more than 75 per cent.

The study shows that 8am traffic in Scotland’s capital last week had fallen by 77.27 per cent compared with the same period in 2019, as businesses remain shut and traditional commuters continue to work from home.

1.96 billion vehicles travel through the City of Edinburgh in a single year, according to the Department for Transport.

The biggest drop in vehicle traffic was seen in Belfast, where 83.52 per cent of drivers appear to have stayed home.

Similarly, Cardiff recorded a fall of 83.07 per cent in traffic.

Edinburgh appears to have had a smaller decline than all other major cities in the UK, including London, where traffic fell by 77.61 per cent.

Birmingham, Newcastle, Liverpool and Manchester all saw slightly larger reductions in traffic compared to Edinburgh too.

“Our investigation into UK and ROI roads before and after lockdown clearly show how we’re taking the lockdown seriously,” a spokesperson for Leasing Options said, “Traffic levels are much lower than usual as we all do our best to decrease the risk of COVID-19.”

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