Advertisement

Denmark’s motorways are getting busier

Ritzau/The Local
Ritzau/The Local - [email protected]
Denmark’s motorways are getting busier
File photo: Henning Bagger / Ritzau Scanpix

Congestion on Danish motorways is increasing, and more people in the Scandinavian country are getting behind the wheel.

Advertisement

Motorway traffic increased by 3.2 percent in 2018, according to latest figures from the Danish Road Directorate (Vejdirektoratet).

“The growth of road traffic continues to increase, and traffic has increased by 36 percent over the last eight years. That is a lot,” traffic director Niels Tørsløv of the Danish Road Directorate said in a press statement.

“That means that in situations where the roads do not have enough capacity, there will be more frequent queuing and delays,” Tørsløv added.

Expansion of Denmark’s motorway network is one cause of the increased highway traffic, according to the agency, with more vehicles making use of larger roads than before.

The road which has seen the biggest increase in traffic volume during the last eight years is the Motorring 3 bypass motorway between exit 19 and the Gladsaxe junction near Copenhagen. Traffic on the section has increased by 42 percent.

“Traffic growth is not evenly distributed, and is greatest where congestion is already highest – during rush hours and near large cities,” Tørsløv said.

The new figures from the Danish Road Directorate also show that the total number of kilometres travelled on motorways has increased by 36 percent since 2010.

Last year, 220,000 new cars were sold, expanding the total number of cars in use in the country by 65,000 and giving a total figure of close to 2.6 million vehicles.

Growth in car numbers and traffic is expected by the agency to continue in the coming years.

“We are preparing for a future with more motorists on the overall road network,” Tørsløv said.

“For that reason, we will continue to aim to get better at helping road users to ensure smooth traffic on the roads,” he added.

READ ALSO: Stop selling new petrol and diesel-fuelled cars by 2030: Danish government

More

Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.

Please log in to leave a comment.

See Also