Measured by National Highways roadside sensors
What is the worst day of the week to drive?
Tuesday
Tuesday is the slowest day to drive on England’s motorways and major A roads. Between 06:00 and 22:00 the typical road runs 7.3% below its normal speed on a Tuesday, against 1.5% on a Sunday, the quietest day. Measured between 1 May 2026 and 15 June 2026, not estimated.
The evidence
Every road in the comparison| Day | Below normal speed (06:00 to 22:00) | Vehicles an hour per sensor |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday | 7.3% | 2,010 |
| Wednesday | 7.2% | 2,040 |
| Thursday | 7.1% | 2,060 |
| Friday | 6.3% | 2,010 |
| Monday | 5.7% | 1,810 |
| Saturday | 2.0% | 1,670 |
| Sunday | 1.5% | 1,610 |
How this is worked out
Measured by National Highways roadside sensors between 1 May 2026 and 15 June 2026 on 35 roads with at least 5 sensors each. Each figure is the typical (median) road, so one unusual road cannot decide it. Typical patterns from the archive, not live traffic. The full method.