City centre traffic on the rise during lockdown
cars – they are still urging the public to “stay at home, save lives and protect the NHS” during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
New figures released by the authority show that traffic movements in both directions across the city’s Wearmouth Bridge reduced from 25,566 in the week before the March 23 lockdown to 9,675 during the first full week of the restrictions.
In nearby St Mary’s Boulevard, the daily average number of movements fell from 26,74 to 10,032 over the same period.
Both figures indicate a drop of more than 62% in journeys.
Over the last fortnight, however, the council says that a daily average of 180 more vehicles (9,855 in total) crossed the Wearmouth Bridge, an increase of nearly 1% on week one of the lockdown, with more than 300 extra journeys (10,346 in total), a rise of closer to 2% over the same period, recorded on St Mary’s Boulevard.
Sunderland City Council's cabinet member for environment and transport, Coun Amy Wilson said: "These increases are in line with some of the figures nationally that have seen slight rises in the numbers of vehicles.
“It could be that with less public transport, key workers could be using their vehicles, or after several weeks of lockdown, some people are now having to get out and get more food.
"We can record the number of vehicles but we cannot record the reasons why vehicles are out.
"The advice has not changed. Stay at home, save lives, and protect the NHS."
Among the steps the council has already taken to protect the NHS is to close all beach and park car parks to prevent motorists from making unnecessary journeys.
The decision was taken at the start of the Easter bank holiday weekend after “issues with a large number of people driving to parks and the city’s beaches”.