Traffic volumes in Clare this week have been higher than during the first COVID-19 lockdown, despite the imposition of similar measures now
A Clare FM analysis of traffic data from Transport Infrastructure Ireland shows that the number of cars on the roads on Monday was between 11 and 23 per cent higher than during the first wave of the virus.
This data compares last Monday, January 11th, with another Monday, May 11th 2020.
Then, like now, schools, construction sites and non-essential retail outlets were closed, while travel and exercise was limited to within 5km of your home.
But now, traffic levels are consistently higher than last Spring.
Figures covering eight of the traffic monitors across Clare show traffic up by nearly a quarter on the N85 between Ennistymon and Inagh, and on the motorway between Barefield and Crusheen.
Similarly high levels of growth have been recorded at other points on the M- and N-18 road, and on the N19 into Shannon and the Free Zone.
Traffic has been up over 13% between Ennistymon and Lisdoonvarna, and by nearly 12% on both the N68 Ennis-Kilrush Road and the road from Kilrush to the ferry in Killimer.
Across all of those sites, traffic levels are back by over a quarter when compared with the last lockdown in November.
