The number of cars on Irish roads has hit pre-pandemic levels, but there are fewer people travelling on public transport. This comes as ESRI behavioural research shows that while public levels of worry over contracting Covid-19 are decreasing, people consider public transport as a "high risk" activity when it comes to catching the virus.
Data from Transport Infrastructure Ireland's network of national traffic counters and cameras show cars levels on the Irish road network are as high as before the pandemic.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Sean O'Neill, Transport Infrastructure Ireland’s Head of Communications said: "We are seeing that we are back at pre-pandemic levels. "Regionally, for example, when we compare last Friday to the same day last year, we see in Galway on the N6 our traffic levels are up 31%. "In Limerick on the M7 they are up 85%.
In Waterford on the M9, they are up 76%. In Cork on the N40 car traffic volumes are up 60% on the N40." Comparisons between last Friday, 4 November and the same day last year show +65% on the M1 at the M50 to Dublin Airport, +60% on the N7 at Citywest, +84% on the M11 at Bray and +63% on the M4 at Celbridge, Maynooth.