ROAD RESEARCH LABORATORY

Min is t ry of Transport

RRL REPORT NO. 5

LONDON TRAFFIC SURVEY N0.11, 1964

by

J. E. Eaton

HARMONDSWORTH

ROAD RESEARCH LABORATORY

1966

Abstract

i.

Z.

3.

4.

5.

6.

CONTENTS

Introduction

Survey routes

Programme and method of tests

Results

Comparison with previous surveys

References

Page

1

1

I

2

2

4

5

© CROWN COPYRIGHT 1966 Extracts from the text may be reproduced provided the source is acknowledged

Ownership of the Transport Research Laboratory was transferred from the Department of Transport to a subsidiary of the Transport Research Foundation on I st April 1996.

This report has been reproduced by permission of the Controller of HMSO. Extracts from the text may be reproduced, except for commercial purposes, provided the source is acknowledged.

LONDON TRAFFIC SURVEY N0.11, 1964

ABSTRACT

The e l e v e n t h R o a d R e s e a r c h L a b o r a t o r y s u r v e y of t r a f f i c c o n d i t i o n s in C e n t r a l L o n d o n w a s m a d e in O c t o b e r , 1964 . The p r i n c i p a l r e s u l t s f r o m t h i s s u r v e y a r e g i v e n in the R e p o r t .

T o t a l f tow in the e v e n i n g p e a k - h o u r p e r i o d ( 5 . 0 p . m . to 6 . 0 p . m . ) w a s Z6 p e r c e n t g r e a t e r t h a n in the o f f - p e a k p e r i o d ( 9 . 3 0 a . m . to 5 . 0 p . m . ) . The f low of p r i v a t e v e h i c l e s i n c r e a s e d b y 84 p e r c e n t in the p e a k h o u r bu t the f low of c o m m e r c i a l v e h i c l e s w a s 40 p e r c e n t l o w e r . S t o p p e d t i m e i n c r e a s e d f r o m two m i n u t e s p e r m i l e in the o f f - p e a k p e r i o d to t h r e e m i n u t e s p e r m i l e in the p e a k - h o u r p e r i o d .

B e t w e e n 196Z and 1964 the t o t a l f low of t r a f f i c i n c r e a s e d b y e i g h t p e r c e n t in the o f f - p e a k p e r i o d and b y f i v e p e r c e n t in the p e a k - h o u r p e r i o d . O f f - p e a k j o u r n e y s p e e d in 1964 w a s 0 . 3 m i l e / h f a s t e r t h a n in 196Z, bu t t h e p e a k - h o u r j o u r n e y s p e e d d r o p p e d b y 0 . 8 m i l e / h d u r i n g t h i s t w o - y e a r p e r i o d . T h i s r e d u c t i o n , w h i c h i s b a s e d on a c o m p a r a t i v e l y s m a l l n u m b e r of r u n s , m a y h a v e b e e n p a r t l y d u e to c h a n c e .

i . INTRODUCTION

In October, 1964, the Road Research Laboratory made another survey of traffic conditions on about 44 miles of main roads in Central London. This

was the eleventh survey in a series started by the Laboratory in 1947. The previous survey, in 1967, I,Z was made jointly by the Laboratory and the

London Traffic Management Unit (L. T.M.U.) of the Ministry of Transport.

Z. SURVEY ROUTES

T h e r e w e r e a n u m b e r o f a l t e r a t i o n s t o t h e s u r v e y r o u t e s r e s u l t i n g f r o m n e w

t r a f f i c s c h e m e s i n t r o d u c e d s i n c e t h e 196Z s u r v e y . T h e u n d e r p a s s e s a t H y d e

P a r k C o r n e r and" a t A l d w y c h w e r e in u s e ; d i v e r s i o n s w e r e i n o p e r a t i o n in t h e a r e a o f O x f o r d C i r c u s b e c a u s e o f t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n w o r k o n t h e n e w u n d e r g r o u n d

l i n e ; t h r e e l o c a l o n e - w a y s c h e m e s w e r e in o p e r a t i o n a t C i t y R o a d - W a l d e y S t r e e t - G o s w e l l R o a d , C a n n o n S t r e e t - Q u e e n V i c t o r i a S t r e e t - B r e a d S t r e e t ,

a n d St . B r i d e S t r e e t . T h e r e w e r e a l s o a n u m b e r o f n o n - r i g h t t u r n s w h i c h h a d s o m e e f f e c t on t h e s u r v e y , p a r t i c u l a r l y a t t h e E d g w a r e R o a d - M a r y l e b o n e

R o a d i n t e r s e c t i o n w h e r e a d i v e r s i o n v i a S u s s e x G a r d e n s , S a l e P l a c e , P r a e d

S t r e e t a n d C h a p e l S t r e e t w a s in o p e r a t i o n . F i g u r e 1 s h o w s t h e s u r v e y n e t - w o r k a n d t h e a l t e r a t i o n s s i n c e t h e 1962 s u r v e y .

3. PROGRAMME AND METHOD OF TESTS

It was decided to shorten the survey on this occasion from four to three weeks

by reducing the number of complete journeys in each direction from twenty

to fifteen. Of these fifteen journeys, twelve were made in the off-peak period

between 9. 30 a.m. and 5. 0 p.m., excluding the lunch period from IZ. 30 p.m.

to Z. 0 p.m. , and three were made in the evening peak period between 5.0 p.m.

and 6.0 p.m. The survey network was divided into four separate routes,

forming closed circuits, of approximately equal lengths. Two cars, travelling in opposite directions and starting from roughly diametrically-

opposed points on each route, covered all four routes once each day during

the survey.

The programme was planned to cover fifteen days (Mondays to Fridays

only) from 30th September to Z0th October but a threatened rail strike caused

abnormal traffic conditions on 13th, 14th and 15th October and three extra days

were allocated in the following week to replace the affected days' results.

For the section of route between Lancaster Place and Kingsway, in the

northbound direction only, half of the off-peak journeys were made via the new

underpass and half via Aldwych. In the peak hour three additional journeys,

on this section only, were made via the underpass so that these three journeys

were made using each of the alternative routes.

Classified flows were obtained at approximately 600 points, throughout

the survey network, the counts being arranged, as far as possible, to coincide

with the test cars' journeys. Two three-minute counts were made at each

point in the off-peak periods and one count in the peak hour.

4. RESULTS

The main results of this survey for the network as a whole are given in Table

i, for both the off-peak and the evening peak periods. The mean total flow is

the flow on the whole street averaged over the network, i.e. the total vehicle

mileage divided by the length of the network.

There was an overall increase of Z6 per cent in the total traffic flow in the

peak-hour period,compared with the off-p~ak period. The flow of private

vehicles increased by 84 per cent and the flow of commercial vehicles decreased

by 40 per cent. The percentage changes between the flows in the off-peak and

peak periods and the percentage compositions of the traffic in both periods are

very similar to those obtained in 196Z. 2, 3

The similarity in the flow comparisons for the two surveys does not apply,

however, to the journey times and speeds. The differences between the off-

peak and peak times in 1964 were from two to two and a half times as great as

those in 1962. This marked difference in the off-peak to peak-time comparisons for the two surveys may be, to some degree at least, attributable

to the small sample of three peak-hour journeys which is insufficient to give

statistically reliable results. It is shown later in the Report that the peak-

2

T A B L E 1

(a) Comparison of mean flows and traffic composition in peak and off-peak hours (mean total flow in both directions combined)

C l a s s of v e h i c l e

Private

Commercial

Taxis and miscellaneous

Buses and coaches

Total

Off-peak hours Peak hour (9.30 a.m.-5. 0 p.m.) (5.0 p.m-6. 0 p.m.)

Flow Per cent Flow Per cent (vehicle/h) of total (vehicle/h) of total

850 48 1560 70

Percentage -change in

flow in the peak

hour

+ 84

580 3Z. 5

Z45 I4

i00 5. 5

350

190

/30

1 5 . 5

8.5

6

- 40

- ZZ

+ 30

1775 i00 ZZ30 I00 + Z6

(b) Comparison of journey speeds, ,ourney times and stopped times in peak and off- ~eak hours

Mean journey speed (mile/h)

Mean running speed (mile/h)

J o u r n e y t i m e ( m i n / m i l e )

Stopped time (min/mile)

Running time ( m i n / m i l e )

S t o p p e d t i m e a s p e r c e n t a g e of journey time

Off- peak (9. 30 a. m. - 5.0 p.m.)

10.7

16.6

5.60

1.98

3.6Z

35

Peak hour (5.0 p.m. -6.0 p.m.)

8.6

15.1

7.00

3.0Z

3.98

43

Percentage change in the

peak hour

-Z0

-9

+Z5

+5Z

+i0

hour journey speed in 196Z showed a considerable improvement in comparison with the 1960 figure and this was thought to be largely accounted for by various traffic engineering schemes introduced in the interim. If, however, this improvement was partly due to chance the true effects of these schemes would

have been smaller.

The results obtained from the latest survey showed a marked increase in stopped time from two minutes per mile in the off-peak period to three minutes

3

per mile in the peak-hour period. The latter figure is 43 per cent of the

total journey time which is almost as great as the highest figure reached in

the eleven surveys made (45 per cent in 1958).

T h e w o r s t d e l a y s in the p e a k - h o u r p e r i o d w e r e e n c o u n t e r e d s o u t h o f t he R i v e r T h a m e s , p a r t i c u l a r l y a t t h e E l e p h a n t a n d C a s t l e a n d a t V a u x h a l l C r o s s . O n o n e o f t h e p e a k - h o u r j o u r n e y s it t o o k 34 m i n u t e s to t r a v e l 0. Z7 m i l e s a l o n g N e w i n g t o n C a u s e w a y f r o m t h e j u n c t i o n w i t h H a r p e r R o a d to t h e E l e p h a n t a n d C a s t l e e n t r y p o i n t . T h e r e w a s no e v i d e n c e o f a n a c c i d e n t o r o t h e r e x c e p t i o n a l

o c c u r r e n c e to e x p l a i n t h i s p a r t i c u l a r l y s l o w s p e e d .

T h e m e a n f l o w s a n d j o u r n e y s p e e d s , in t he o f f - p e a k p e r i o d s , i n e a c h s e c t i o n o f r o u t e a r e s h o w n in F i g s . Z a n d 3, r e s p e c t i v e l y , a n d F i g . 4 s h o w s the s t o p p e d t i m e a t e a c h c o n t r o l l e d i n t e r s e c t i o n . B e c a u s e o n l y t h r e e j o u r n e y s w e r e m a d e in t h e p e a k - h o u r p e r i o d , t h e f l o w s a n d s p e e d s f o r t h e i n d i v i d u a l s e c t i o n s a r e n o t s u f f i c i e n t l y r e l i a b l e to p r e s e n t t h e m in t h e s a m e w a y a s t he

o f f - p e a k r e s u l t s .

5. COMPARISON WITH PREVIOUS SURVEYS

F o r t h e f i r s t n i n e s u r v e y s f r o m 1947 to 1960 it w a s p o s s i b l e to m a k e a d i r e c t c o m p a r i s o n o f t h e f l o w s a n d s p e e d s on t h e f o u r o r i g i n a l b a s i c r o u t e s . S u b - s e q u e n t e x t e n s i v e a l t e r a t i o n s , w h i c h a f f e c t e d c o n s i d e r a b l e p o r t i o n s o f t h e s e r o u t e s , m a d e f u r t h e r u s e o f t h i s m e t h o d o f c o m p a r i s o n i m p r a c t i c a b l e . In the 1962 s u r v e y r e p o r t I e a c h s u r v e y w a s c o m p a r e d w i t h t he p r e c e d i n g one f o r a l l u n c h a n g e d s e c t i o n s o f r o u t e a n d t h e p e r c e n t a g e c h a n g e t h u s o b t a i n e d w a s a p p l i e d t o t h e l o n g - t e r m t r e n d s f r o m t h e f o u r b a s i c r o u t e s . In s u b s e q u e n t r e p o r t s 2, 3, 4 a m o r e c o m p r e h e n s i v e l o n g - t e r m c o m p a r i s o n h a s b e e n m a d e by including a fifth route, namely, Oxford Street, which was added to the

survey in 1949.

To retain 1947 as the 'base-year' for the comparison the '5-routes' results were extrapolated back from 1949 to 1947 using the '4-routes' comparison as a factor. In this Report the comparison relates to the five

i routes and differs slightly from the results in the previous survey report.

T h e r e s u l t s f o r t h e f i v e r o u t e s , u s i n g the a b o v e m e t h o d a r e g i v e n in T a b l e Z a n d F i g . 5. T h e f l o w s a r e g i v e n a s a n i n d e x , t a k i n g the 1947 o f f - p e a k f l o w a s 100. F i g u r e 5 a l s o i n c l u d e s t h e r e s u l t s o f a s u r v e y on t he s a m e r o u t e s m a d e b y t h e L o n d o n T r a f f i c M a n a g e m e n t U n i t in A p r i l , 1964. T h i s s h o w s h i g h e r v a l u e s o f s p e e d t h a n in t h e A u t u m n s u r v e y , p o s s i b l y b e c a u s e of s l i g h t d i f f e r e n c e s in t h e m e t h o d of m e a s u r e m e n t a n d s e a s o n a l v a r i a t i o n s .

T h e f l o w h a s , in g e n e r a l , i n c r e a s e d a t a f a i r l y u n i f o r m r a t e t h r o u g h o u t t h e s e r i e s o f s u r v e y s b u t t h e r a t e o f i n c r e a s e h a s b e e n g r e a t e r in t he p e a k - h o u r p e r i o d t h a n in t h e o f f - p e a k p e r i o d . In t h e 1 0 - y e a r p e r i o d f r o m 1954 to 1 9 6 4 t h e f l o w in t h e o f f - p e a k p e r i o d i n c r e a s e d b y 26 p e r c e n t a t a n a v e r a g e c o m p o u n d r a t e o f 2 . 3 p e r c e n t p e r a n n u m ; in t h e p e a k - h o u r p e r i o d t h e i n c r e a s e w a s 41 p e r c e n t a t a n a v e r a g e r a t e o f 3 . 5 p e r c e n t p e r a n n u m .

T h e j o u r n e y - s p e e d p a t t e r n h a s b e e n m o r e i r r e g u l a r t h a n the f l o w p a t t e r n .

4

TABLE Z

Comparison of results from 1947 to 1964, from i949 to 1960

for the five routes used

Year

1947 1947(Dec)

1949 1950 1952 1954

1956 1958

1960 196111 : 196Z l

1964

Flow i n d e x ".- "~

O f f - p e a k ÷ Peak ÷

118 128 135

1 4 6 .162

173 182

J o u r n e y . s p e e d ( m i l e / h )

Off- peak P e a k

7 4 0 5 1 10.9

8 9.9 3 9.1 0 8.3

7 8.6

6 3 9.5

8.7

Off- peak

Stopped time as percentage of

j o u r n e y t i m e P e a k

10. 11. 11. 10. 11. 10. 10. 10.

9. 1 0 . 1 0 . 10.6

i00

95 98

103

108 114 116 124 IZ8 134 134 144

* 1947 off-peak flow = i00

~' Off-peak 9. 30 a.m. to 5. 0 p.m. Peak 5.0 p.m. to 6. 0 p.m.

- No peak-hour survey

Z7 ZZ

25

31

?-7 3?-

36 37

39 36 33 35

Z7

36

39 45

4?-

35 43

After some fluctuations in the early surveys, due to changes in the petrol rationing for private vehicles and the withdrawal of trams from south London, the journey speed fell fairly steadily until about 1960. The introduction of

various traffic engineering schemes by the London Traffic Management Unit and several large-scale improvement schemes by the London County Council

checked this decline in speed and resulted in an improvement in both the peak

and off-peak periods. This latest survey showed that although the improve- ment in journey speed was maintained in the off-peak period it dropped rather

sharply in the peak-hour period. This reduction in journey speed may have

been caused, in part, by a chance effect but the large increase in stopped

time, mentioned earlier, also contributed.

6. R E F E R E N C E S

i .

Z.

E A T O N , J . E . , a n d P . W. M U N T . L o n d o n t r a f f i c s u r v e y N o . 10, 1 9 6 Z . D e p a r t m e n t of S c i e n t i f i c a n d I n d u s t r i a l R e s e a r c h , R o a d R e s e a r c h Laboratory, Research Note No. LN/4ZZ/JEE. PWM. Harmondsworth,

1963. (Unpublished.)

DEPARTMENT OF SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH. Road research !963. The report of the Road Research Board with the report of the Director of Road Research. London, 1964 (H. M. Stationery

Office).

5

£

.

4.

EATON. J.E. Flows and speeds in Central London 1952-6Z. Engng Control, 1963, 5(8), 468-71. i

T raff.

MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT. Road research 1964. The report of the Road Research Board with the report of the Director of Road Research.

London, i966 (H. M. Stationery Office).

Printed at the Road Research Laboratory, Harmondsworth

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