Trunk A-road

A38 traffic and collisions

The A38 is a trunk A-road of 295.8 miles, from Nottinghamshire to Cornwall. This page covers its traffic at 196 DfT count points since 2000 and the collisions police recorded on it.

Last updated: 15 September 2026
Data source: Department for Transport
Records analysed: 196 count points in 2025
Methodology: View methodology

Traffic in 2025 3.1bn vehicle miles
Average daily traffic 28,641 vehicles a day, both directions
Busiest section 93,228 A379 to A380
HGV share 5.6% of vehicle miles
Traffic since 2019 −0.4% same count points
Collisions, 2021 to 2025 2,947 20.1 per 100m vehicle miles

How busy is the A38?

On an average day in 2025, 28,641 vehicles passed each point on the A38, counting both directions. The busiest section is A379 to A380 (Devon), with 93,228 a day; the quietest listed is B4509 to B4061, with 7,385.

Busiest sections, 2025

A379 to A380 carries 3.3 times the road’s average flow.

Sections of the A38 with the highest average daily flow, 2025
Section	Vehicles a day
A379 to A380 Devon · 1.2 mi · HGVs 4.4%	93,228
C slip south to A380 Midpoint Devon · 0.6 mi · HGVs 4.9%	87,499
M5 to A379 Devon · 1.0 mi · HGVs 5.1%	73,467
A4400 to A38(M) Birmingham · 0.5 mi · HGVs 1.6%	73,124
At A516 Derby · 0.9 mi · HGVs 6.3%	70,126
A41 to A38 Birmingham · 0.5 mi · HGVs 1.5%	69,156
B3416 mid-junction to A374 Devon, Plymouth · 3.3 mi · HGVs 3.3%	68,477
B3413 to A386 Plymouth · 1.9 mi · HGVs 3.0%	66,928
B4100 to Just West of Birmingham New Street Railway Station Birmingham · 0.7 mi · HGVs 1.3%	66,762
A5132 to A5121 Derbyshire, Staffordshire · 1.9 mi · HGVs 9.6%	65,798

Source:DfT,UK Motoring analysis 2000 to 2025 Updated 15 Sept 2026

Route

Nottinghamshire to Cornwall · 295.8 miles in 2 stretches

Schematic route: each line joins the junctions at the ends of a DfT count point link.

A38 traffic and collisions by section

166 sections between junctions, in route order (2 separate stretches). Each is the average of its DfT count points, weighted by length. 16 short link roads and spurs (5.0 miles) count in the road’s totals but are not listed.

Show all 166 sections Tap a column heading to sort

Sections of the A38 in route order, 2025 traffic
#
1	A6009 to A617Nottinghamshire · stretch 1	1.7	18,852	1.1%	+2.5%	40	75.6
2	A617 to B6023Nottinghamshire · stretch 1	0.3	30,909	2.0%	–	3	–
3	B6023 to A617Nottinghamshire · stretch 1	2.7	30,739	5.2%	−6.2%	31	20.8
4	B6023 to M1Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire · stretch 1	1.9	44,545	8.7%	–	30	29.7
5	M1 to B600Derbyshire · stretch 1	2.5	51,616	11.3%	−3.3%	27	11.5
6	B600 to A61Derbyshire · stretch 1	1.0	59,320	8.9%	+0.3%	18	17.3
7	A61 to A610Derbyshire · stretch 1	2.5	59,019	8.5%	−0.4%	15	5.8
8	A610 to A38(T)Derbyshire · stretch 1	4.7	51,096	9.0%	–	29	7.0
9	At A38(T)Derbyshire · stretch 1	0.5	45,095	3.3%	–	0	–
10	A38(T) to A61Derbyshire · stretch 1	2.7	54,127	8.7%	–	24	9.5
11	B6179 to A6Derbyshire, Derby · stretch 1	1.1	52,076	9.6%	+3.3%	20	20.2
12	A6 to A52Derby · stretch 1	1.8	47,126	8.7%	−0.8%	26	17.5
13	A52 to A5111Derby · stretch 1	0.7	61,520	7.3%	+1.5%	25	33.4
14	A5111 to A516Derby · stretch 1	0.9	51,192	9.4%	+1.5%	18	23.2
15	At A516Derby · stretch 1	0.9	70,126	6.3%	+5.3%	8	–
16	A516 to Rykneld Rd/Staker Lane roundaboutDerby, Derbyshire · stretch 1	1.5	51,891	7.3%	−2.8%	7	–
17	Rykneld Rd/Staker Lane roundabout to A50(T)Derbyshire · stretch 1	2.0	61,876	6.9%	+5.6%	20	9.6
18	A50(T) to A5132Derbyshire · stretch 1	1.1	62,634	10.5%	+13.7%	13	10.8
19	A5132 to A5121Derbyshire, Staffordshire · stretch 1	1.9	65,798	9.6%	−0.3%	19	8.6
20	At A5121Staffordshire · stretch 1	4.3	43,166	12.0%	−10.7%	19	5.5
21	A521 to B5016Staffordshire · stretch 1	2.1	55,166	10.2%	−7.6%	14	6.9
22	B5016 to A513Staffordshire · stretch 1	3.2	51,188	10.7%	−5.2%	12	4.1
23	A513 to A5127Staffordshire · stretch 1	2.9	53,963	10.8%	−20.5%	17	6.2
24	A5127 to A5192Staffordshire · stretch 1	0.9	40,249	12.2%	−21.9%	4	–
25	A5192 to A5148Staffordshire · stretch 1	1.7	59,691	11.2%	+1.7%	6	–
26	A5148 to A5Staffordshire · stretch 1	2.2	41,125	10.0%	−0.6%	7	–
27	A5 to A453Staffordshire · stretch 1	3.9	34,193	11.5%	−3.7%	9	–
28	A453 to M6 TollWarwickshire · stretch 1	0.9	23,678	6.1%	+5.8%	fewer than 3	–
29	M6 Toll to M6 Toll slip roadWarwickshire, Birmingham · stretch 1	0.6	22,739	5.8%	−4.2%	4	–
30	M6 Toll slip road to LA (Warwickshire)Birmingham · stretch 1	0.2	20,006	7.7%	−17.4%	0	–
31	At M6 TollWarwickshire · stretch 1	0.3	18,053	7.8%	−7.6%	3	–
32	M6 Toll to A4097Birmingham · stretch 1	2.5	21,345	7.9%	−0.7%	19	20.5
33	A4097 to A452Birmingham · stretch 1	1.6	32,375	6.1%	+29.1%	27	33.5
34	A452 to B4148Birmingham · stretch 1	1.0	28,043	4.0%	+18.4%	24	53.3
35	B4148 to A4040Birmingham · stretch 1	0.8	28,311	4.4%	+1.6%	25	66.4
36	A4040 Bromford Lane to A4040 Wheelwright RoadBirmingham · stretch 1	0.1	28,517	4.6%	+4.7%	13	–
37	A4040 Wheelwright Road to A38(M) mid-junctionBirmingham · stretch 1	0.9	42,755	4.3%	+4.3%	33	48.3
38	A5127 to A38MBirmingham · stretch 1	0.2	8,551	4.3%	+4.3%	6	–
39	A38M to A4540Birmingham · stretch 1	0.2	14,625	1.6%	−6.5%	6	–
40	A4400 to A38(M)Birmingham · stretch 1	0.5	73,124	1.6%	−6.5%	23	35.4
41	A41 to A38Birmingham · stretch 1	0.5	69,156	1.5%	−4.6%	7	–
42	B4100 to Just West of Birmingham New Street Railway StationBirmingham · stretch 1	0.7	66,762	1.3%	–	15	44.0
43	Just West of Birmingham New Street Railway Station to A4540 Belgrave MiddlewayBirmingham · stretch 1	1.2	49,151	1.5%	–	63	292.6
44	A4540 to B4217Birmingham · stretch 1	0.9	26,130	2.2%	+2.6%	36	87.9
45	B4217 to A4029Birmingham · stretch 1	0.3	28,040	2.2%	−6.3%	7	–
46	A4029 to A4040Birmingham · stretch 1	1.5	27,943	1.9%	−2.1%	41	55.7
47	A38 to A38 Aston WebbBirmingham · stretch 1	0.4	37,166	1.3%	–	15	–
48	A38 Aston WebbBirmingham · stretch 1	5.3	21,129	1.1%	–	128	64.1
49	A38 Birmingham RdWorcestershire · stretch 1	1.9	22,539	2.6%	–	15	20.4
50	A38 Birmingham Rd to M5Worcestershire · stretch 1	0.7	27,767	2.5%	+1.4%	11	33.2
51	A38 Halesowen Rd to M42Worcestershire · stretch 1	1.1	30,821	2.5%	+1.4%	13	22.5
52	M42 to Birmingham Road non-A38Worcestershire · stretch 1	0.7	35,053	3.0%	+7.8%	8	–
53	Birmingham Rd to A448Worcestershire · stretch 1	0.9	23,123	3.5%	−5.4%	4	–
54	A448 to Stoke Rd/ Charford RdWorcestershire · stretch 1	1.1	19,668	3.0%	−7.2%	11	28.7
55	Stoke Rd/ Charford Rd to B4094Worcestershire · stretch 1	1.4	15,812	2.7%	−5.4%	17	43.4
56	B4094 to M5Worcestershire · stretch 1	2.5	19,200	3.0%	−12.5%	18	21.1
57	M5 northbound roundabout to M5 southbound roundaboutWorcestershire · stretch 1	0.2	28,041	3.5%	+2.6%	fewer than 3	–
58	A38 principal to M5 jn5Worcestershire · stretch 1	1.2	27,863	5.3%	+5.1%	8	–
59	B4065 to A442Worcestershire · stretch 1	1.0	19,608	7.2%	−5.1%	10	29.1
60	A442 to A4133Worcestershire · stretch 1	1.4	19,352	4.3%	−8.3%	4	–
61	A4133 to B4090Worcestershire · stretch 1	1.6	16,412	2.6%	+0.8%	fewer than 3	–
62	B4090 to A38(T)/Copcut LaneWorcestershire · stretch 1	0.3	23,834	2.0%	−7.5%	3	–
63	A38 principal/Copcut Lane to A4538Worcestershire · stretch 1	0.8	23,834	2.0%	−7.5%	10	30.7
64	A4538 to Sling Lane, WorcesterWorcestershire · stretch 1	0.9	11,576	1.9%	−16.1%	fewer than 3	–
65	Sling Lane to A4536Worcestershire · stretch 1	0.3	12,850	1.9%	−16.1%	3	–
66	A4536 to A38 principalWorcestershire · stretch 1	1.6	13,632	1.5%	+1.7%	4	–
67	CHECKETTS LANE to A449Worcestershire · stretch 1	0.6	12,627	1.0%	−5.8%	8	–
68	At A449Worcestershire · stretch 1	0.7	18,393	1.6%	−5.8%	16	70.3
69	A449 to A38 The TythingWorcestershire · stretch 1	0.4	6,047	1.3%	−5.5%	14	–
70	A38 St Nicholas St to A44Worcestershire · stretch 1	0.5	21,263	1.4%	−4.3%	10	53.2
71	A44 to A4440Worcestershire · stretch 1	1.9	14,750	0.6%	−0.6%	14	29.1
72	A4440 to A38 Trunk/Taylors LaneWorcestershire · stretch 1	0.2	8,878	3.3%	−6.5%	fewer than 3	–
73	A4104 to A38 principalWorcestershire · stretch 1	6.8	8,878	3.3%	−6.5%	19	17.9
74	Junction A38/A4104 to M50Worcestershire, Gloucestershire · stretch 1	3.1	10,204	3.8%	–	11	28.3
75	1 to M50Gloucestershire · stretch 1	0.2	8,897	3.1%	−12.4%	0	–
76	M50 to A438Gloucestershire · stretch 1	2.3	8,300	1.8%	+2.9%	6	–
77	A438 to B4080 High StreetGloucestershire · stretch 1	0.4	10,981	1.0%	−18.1%	4	–
78	B4080 to A46Gloucestershire · stretch 1	0.3	11,786	0.6%	−5.7%	3	–
79	A46 to B4213Gloucestershire · stretch 1	3.0	15,484	1.0%	+5.9%	11	13.5
80	B4213 to A4019Gloucestershire · stretch 1	1.1	12,448	1.9%	−10.1%	9	–
81	A4019 to Longford LaneGloucestershire · stretch 1	5.2	9,939	1.9%	−6.7%	31	34.2
82	Longford Lane to A40Gloucestershire · stretch 1	0.2	11,032	1.9%	−6.7%	fewer than 3	–
83	A40(T) to A417Gloucestershire · stretch 1	0.5	17,102	1.7%	−3.2%	6	–
84	A417 to A417/A430Gloucestershire · stretch 1	1.6	14,980	1.2%	−3.0%	20	48.2
85	A417 to A4302Gloucestershire · stretch 1	0.6	36,206	1.2%	−0.3%	11	28.8
86	A4302 to A4173Gloucestershire · stretch 1	1.7	22,893	1.2%	+5.6%	49	71.3
87	A430 to B4173Gloucestershire · stretch 1	1.4	15,574	2.5%	−25.3%	27	70.1
88	A340 to B4008Gloucestershire · stretch 1	2.5	24,594	4.3%	−4.0%	44	40.5
89	B4008 to A419Gloucestershire · stretch 1	3.6	14,093	5.2%	+9.6%	20	23.1
90	A419 to A4135Gloucestershire · stretch 1	3.5	15,743	3.9%	+4.7%	20	20.7
91	A4135 to B4509Gloucestershire, South Gloucestershire · stretch 1	7.4	8,019	5.5%	−6.3%	25	24.0
92	B4509 to B4061South Gloucestershire · stretch 1	4.8	7,385	6.5%	+7.9%	10	17.4
93	B4061 to B4427South Gloucestershire · stretch 1	1.1	21,498	3.0%	+0.3%	7	–
94	B4427 to Old Aust RdSouth Gloucestershire · stretch 1	1.7	24,156	3.1%	+6.4%	13	18.2
95	Old Aust Rd to M5South Gloucestershire · stretch 1	0.9	23,265	3.4%	+3.1%	11	30.2
96	B4056 Southmead Road to M5 J16South Gloucestershire · stretch 1	3.1	29,972	2.4%	–	35	25.1
97	A4174 to Muller RdSouth Gloucestershire, City of Bristol · stretch 1	1.5	16,885	0.9%	−5.8%	48	107.2
98	St James Barton to Muller RoadCity of Bristol · stretch 1	2.2	11,368	0.9%	−3.9%	213	487.9
99	A4440 to A38 St Johns BridgeCity of Bristol · stretch 1	0.4	20,070	2.7%	+9.7%	32	–
100	A38 St Johns Bridge to A38 Colston Street roundaboutCity of Bristol · stretch 1	0.2	14,792	2.6%	−9.4%	11	–
101	A4018 to A38 Colston Avenue roundaboutCity of Bristol · stretch 1	0.2	21,320	2.4%	−28.8%	17	–
102	Parson StCity of Bristol · stretch 1	0.4	17,565	1.3%	–	21	–
103	Parson St to A370 roundaboutCity of Bristol · stretch 1	1.5	9,244	1.0%	−12.1%	48	190.0
104	A38 West street to A3029City of Bristol · stretch 1	0.1	20,896	1.7%	+2.3%	fewer than 3	–
105	A3029 to Bedminster RdCity of Bristol · stretch 1	0.1	15,265	2.6%	−4.6%	3	–
106	Bedminster Rd to Kings Head Lane roundaboutCity of Bristol · stretch 1	1.1	9,124	1.5%	−21.9%	12	57.9
107	Cemetery roundabout to B3130 Barrow LaneCity of Bristol, North Somerset · stretch 1	0.4	10,105	1.1%	−11.8%	3	–
108	B3130 Barrow Lane to A368North Somerset · stretch 1	10.0	16,257	2.7%	–	68	23.9
109	A368 to A38 StarNorth Somerset, Somerset · stretch 1	1.7	11,086	4.1%	−1.6%	9	–
110	A38 Star to A371 Sidcot LaneNorth Somerset · stretch 1	0.7	9,899	4.5%	−6.4%	fewer than 3	–
111	A371 Sidcot Lane to Winscombe HillNorth Somerset · stretch 1	0.8	13,919	4.1%	+2.4%	fewer than 3	–
112	Winscombe Hill to A371Somerset · stretch 1	0.2	16,014	2.6%	+10.6%	fewer than 3	–
113	At A371Somerset · stretch 1	0.6	9,306	3.0%	−5.7%	7	–
114	A371 to A370Somerset · stretch 1	5.0	14,455	5.4%	+1.4%	24	18.9
115	A370 to M5 spurSomerset · stretch 1	1.7	27,137	4.1%	+3.5%	12	14.8
116	M5 spur to Bennett RdSomerset · stretch 1	0.9	17,302	5.5%	+23.0%	14	56.2
117	Bennett Rd to B3139Somerset · stretch 1	0.9	15,281	1.3%	+11.8%	14	57.6
118	B3139E (Highbridge) to A39Somerset · stretch 1	4.3	9,702	1.9%	−6.3%	18	24.6
119	trading estate roundabout north of Bridgwater to A39 spur to M5Somerset · stretch 1	1.5	30,282	6.6%	−0.2%	16	19.8
120	A39 Northern Distributor of Bridgwater to A39 Bath RdSomerset · stretch 1	0.8	14,133	7.6%	−4.9%	15	74.9
121	A39 Bath Rd to A39 Northern DistributorSomerset · stretch 1	0.2	17,438	3.6%	+0.9%	5	–
122	A372 to A39Somerset · stretch 1	0.2	20,701	2.7%	+3.8%	5	–
123	A39 to A372Somerset · stretch 1	0.3	17,438	5.0%	−8.5%	7	–
124	A39 to Showground RdSomerset · stretch 1	1.1	22,460	2.0%	+3.9%	24	52.7
125	Showground Rd to A38 spur to M5Somerset · stretch 1	0.7	24,527	4.8%	+10.6%	12	40.9
126	A38 spur to M5 to A361Somerset · stretch 1	4.7	17,663	4.9%	+5.2%	29	19.9
127	Junction A38/A361 to Roundabout A38/A3259Somerset · stretch 1	2.4	8,763	4.6%	–	6	–
128	Roundabout A38/A3259 to Junction A38/A358Somerset · stretch 1	0.6	14,875	1.6%	–	6	–
129	At A358Somerset · stretch 1	0.9	36,655	1.9%	−2.3%	12	20.4
130	A358 to A3027Somerset · stretch 1	0.7	20,018	1.1%	−10.4%	17	68.0
131	A3027 to Park St/Compass Hill roundaboutSomerset · stretch 1	0.6	12,804	2.8%	−31.5%	11	80.9
132	Park St/Compass Hill roundabout to A38/Castle Street junctionSomerset · stretch 1	0.2	13,830	1.2%	−7.4%	fewer than 3	–
133	A38/Castle Street junction to A3065Somerset · stretch 1	0.9	17,671	1.3%	−5.8%	13	46.2
134	A3065 to Jeffrey's WaySomerset · stretch 1	0.7	15,684	2.6%	−15.9%	7	–
135	A38 spur to M5 to Jeffrey's Way, TauntonSomerset · stretch 1	3.2	20,517	2.5%	+9.5%	29	26.6
136	C road roundabout SW of Wellington to B3187Somerset · stretch 1	2.8	11,494	3.3%	+11.8%	6	–
137	C-road towards Rockwell Green, Wellington to M5Somerset, Devon · stretch 1	6.5	8,978	5.9%	+4.0%	23	23.7
138	M5 to A379Devon · stretch 2	1.0	73,467	5.1%	−4.3%	fewer than 3	–
139	A379 to A380Devon · stretch 2	1.2	93,228	4.4%	−0.1%	9	–
140	C slip south to A380 MidpointDevon · stretch 2	0.6	87,499	4.9%	+30.0%	4	–
141	A380 Midpoint to B3344 Chudleigh Rocks turn-offDevon · stretch 2	5.5	46,207	4.9%	+9.8%	46	11.0
142	B3344 Chudleigh Rocks turn-off to B3344Devon · stretch 2	1.9	44,119	5.7%	−0.3%	10	6.9
143	B3334 to A382 Newton RoadDevon · stretch 2	1.0	53,648	5.5%	−1.0%	5	–
144	A382 Newton Road to A383Devon · stretch 2	3.5	44,346	5.5%	+12.6%	10	4.1
145	A383 to B3352 slip roadDevon · stretch 2	2.8	49,507	4.9%	−2.0%	14	5.9
146	B3352 slip road to B3352 North turn-offDevon · stretch 2	0.4	45,659	5.7%	−2.3%	fewer than 3	–
147	B3380 Cave Inn Rndbt to B3352Devon · stretch 2	1.4	46,125	5.3%	−4.3%	4	–
148	B3380 Cave In Turn-off to A385 South of Syon AbbeyDevon · stretch 2	4.2	38,192	6.0%	+4.0%	24	9.0
149	A385 South of Syon Abbey to B3372 Turn-offDevon · stretch 2	0.2	39,050	5.7%	+3.1%	fewer than 3	–
150	A385 S of Sion Abbey to B3372Devon · stretch 2	2.2	38,582	5.9%	−0.6%	4	–
151	B3372 to A3121Devon · stretch 2	0.7	52,572	4.8%	−4.4%	3	–
152	A3121 to B3416 mid-junctionDevon · stretch 2	8.0	52,308	4.4%	−3.1%	52	7.2
153	B3416 mid-junction to A374Devon, Plymouth · stretch 2	3.3	68,477	3.3%	+25.6%	44	11.6
154	A374 to B3413Plymouth · stretch 2	0.7	35,991	3.5%	+3.9%	16	37.3
155	B3413 to A386Plymouth · stretch 2	1.9	66,928	3.0%	−4.9%	36	16.1
156	A386 to A3064Plymouth · stretch 2	1.4	58,275	3.4%	−1.1%	15	11.4
157	A3064 to B3271Plymouth, Cornwall · stretch 2	3.3	45,374	3.6%	–	47	20.7
158	B3271 to A388Cornwall · stretch 2	1.5	34,243	4.8%	−5.8%	10	11.4
159	A388 to A374Cornwall · stretch 2	6.0	27,439	3.6%	+26.0%	48	19.8
160	A374 to A390Cornwall · stretch 2	5.7	22,080	5.3%	−7.8%	38	17.0
161	At A390Cornwall · stretch 2	3.3	21,264	5.7%	−15.2%	15	12.5
162	A390 to A30Cornwall · stretch 2	8.6	17,318	5.9%	+0.2%	60	24.8
163	A30 to A389Cornwall · stretch 2	0.6	17,602	3.6%	+8.4%	8	–
164	A389 to Barnpark LaneCornwall · stretch 2	0.4	7,051	4.8%	−1.3%	0	–
165	Barnpark Lane to A389Cornwall · stretch 2	0.3	7,748	4.8%	−1.3%	fewer than 3	–
166	A389 to A30 spurCornwall · stretch 2	0.2	7,345	4.6%	−4.9%	5	–

Vehicles a day is the average daily flow in 2025. “Since 2019” compares the same count points. Collisions are those with the A38 as the first road, placed on the nearest section by their recorded position; rates (per 100 million vehicle miles) are shown for sections of half a mile or more with 10 or more.

A38 traffic by vehicle type

Cars and taxis make up 75.5% of the vehicle miles on the A38. HGVs account for 5.6%, rising to 12.2% on A5127 to A5192.

Vehicle mix, 2025

Share of vehicle miles on the A38 by vehicle type
Category	Share
Cars and taxis	75.5%
Vans (LGVs)	17.9%
HGVs	5.6%
Motorcycles	0.7%
Buses and coaches	0.4%

Source:DfT,UK Motoring analysis 2000 to 2025 Updated 15 Sept 2026

HGV share of traffic

HGVs as a share of vehicle miles on the A38, by year
Year	HGV share
2000	7.5%
2001	7.4%
2002	7.4%
2003	7.3%
2004	7.2%
2005	6.8%
2006	6.8%
2007	6.9%
2008	6.8%
2009	6.3%
2010	6.2%
2011	6.3%
2012	6.2%
2013	6.4%
2014	6.3%
2015	6.5%
2016	6.4%
2017	6.3%
2018	6.4%
2019	6.3%
2020	7.4%
2021	7.3%
2022	6.5%
2023	6.3%
2024	5.8%
2025	5.6%

Source:DfT,UK Motoring analysis 2000 to 2025 Updated 15 Sept 2026

A38 traffic trend

Traffic on the A38 came to 3.09 billion vehicle miles in 2025. At the count points present in both years, it is about the same as in 2019, before the pandemic, and up 8.3% on 2015.

Vehicle miles a year

Like for like, traffic is up 23.2% on 2000.

Vehicle miles on the A38 each year, the whole road as it was that year
Year	Vehicle miles
2000	2.5bn
2001	2.6bn
2002	2.6bn
2003	2.7bn
2004	2.7bn
2005	2.7bn
2006	2.7bn
2007	2.7bn
2008	2.8bn
2009	2.8bn
2010	2.7bn
2011	2.7bn
2012	2.7bn
2013	2.7bn
2014	2.7bn
2015	2.8bn
2016	2.9bn
2017	3.0bn
2018	3.0bn
2019	3.1bn
2020	2.3bn
2021	2.6bn
2022	2.9bn
2023	3.0bn
2024	3.1bn
2025	3.1bn

Source:DfT,UK Motoring analysis 2000 to 2025 Updated 15 Sept 2026

Average daily flow

Average daily flow along the A38, weighted by link length, by year
Year	Vehicles a day
2000	24,119
2001	24,962
2002	25,435
2003	25,683
2004	26,160
2005	26,081
2006	26,024
2007	25,879
2008	26,225
2009	26,487
2010	25,941
2011	25,880
2012	25,693
2013	25,518
2014	26,127
2015	26,597
2016	27,514
2017	28,371
2018	28,128
2019	28,728
2020	21,482
2021	24,554
2022	27,053
2023	27,531
2024	28,340
2025	28,641

Source:DfT,UK Motoring analysis 2000 to 2025 Updated 15 Sept 2026

The chart counts the whole road as it was each year, so new or renumbered stretches move it. The percentage changes compare only count points present in both years (87.0% of today’s road for 2019). In 2025, 58 of the 196 count points were counted; DfT estimated the rest from earlier counts and local trends.

A38 collisions

Police recorded 2,947 collisions with the A38 as the first road from 2021 to 2025, 737 of them fatal or serious, including 54 fatal. That is 20.1 per 100 million vehicle miles, lower than the 31.5 for all A-roads in Great Britain. On average there were 2.0 a year for each mile of road.

Reported collisions by year

Down 3.2% from 2021 to 2025.

Source:DfT STATS19,UK Motoring analysis 2021 to 2025 Updated 15 Sept 2026

Sections with the highest collision rates

Per 100 million vehicle miles, 2021 to 2025. Sections of half a mile or more with 10 or more collisions.

Collisions per 100 million vehicle miles by section of the A38, 2021 to 2025
Section	Per 100m vehicle miles
St James Barton to Muller Road City of Bristol · 213 collisions	487.9
Just West of Birmingham New Street Railway Station to A4540 Belgrave Middleway Birmingham · 63 collisions	292.6
Parson St to A370 roundabout City of Bristol · 48 collisions	190.0
A4174 to Muller Rd South Gloucestershire, City of Bristol · 48 collisions	107.2
A4540 to B4217 Birmingham · 36 collisions	87.9
A3027 to Park St/Compass Hill roundabout Somerset · 11 collisions	80.9
A6009 to A617 Nottinghamshire · 40 collisions	75.6
A39 Northern Distributor of Bridgwater to A39 Bath Rd Somerset · 15 collisions	74.9

Source:DfT STATS19,UK Motoring analysis 2021 to 2025 Updated 15 Sept 2026

A further 395 collisions were recorded at junctions where the A38 was the second road; they are not in the figures above. Fatal or serious uses DfT’s adjusted serious figures. How we count collisions

Council areas on the A38

In route order. Each is the highway authority DfT files the count points under.

Nottinghamshire
Derbyshire
Derby
Staffordshire
Warwickshire
Birmingham
Worcestershire
Gloucestershire
South Gloucestershire
City of Bristol
North Somerset
Somerset
Devon
Plymouth
Cornwall

Planned closures on the A38 in England

National Highways has 54 planned closures on the A38 between 16 September 2026 and 30 September 2026, 50 of them starting in that period. 30 close a carriageway rather than a lane or slip road, and 44 start between 7pm and 6am.

Lane or slip Both directions mobile lane closures

16 Sept 18:00 to 30 Sept 06:00 Road maintenance
Carriageway A38 eastbound Carkeel roundabout to Saltash Tunnel carriageway closed

16 Sept 19:30 to 25 Sept 06:00 Construction work
Carriageway A38 eastbound Carkeel roundabout to Saltash Tunnel carriageway closed

16 Sept 19:30 to 17 Sept 06:00 Construction work
Carriageway A38 westbound Saltash Tunnel to Carkeel Roundabout carriageway closed

16 Sept 19:30 to 22 Sept 06:00 Construction work
Carriageway A38 westbound Saltash Tunnel to Carkeel Roundabout carriageway closed

16 Sept 19:30 to 17 Sept 06:00 Construction work
Carriageway A30 westbound entry slip from A38 carriageway closure

16 Sept 20:00 to 17 Sept 06:00 Construction work Also affects A30
Lane or slip Lane closure northbound including roundabout

16 Sept 20:00 to 19 Sept 06:00 Road maintenance
Lane or slip Lane closure northbound including roundabout

16 Sept 20:00 to 17 Sept 06:00 Road maintenance

46 more planned closures in this period are not shown.

Planned closures only: National Highways can cancel or change them, and closures caused by incidents are not shown. Council roads in England are not covered. Roadworks and closures across the UK

Source:National Highways 2026-09-16 to 2026-09-30 Updated 16 Sept 2026

Data sources and methodology

Datasets used on this page
Figures	Source	Period	Records	Updated
Traffic counts and vehicle mix	Road traffic statistics (AADF by count point) Department for Transport Derived statistics UK Motoring	2000 to 2025	196 count points in 2025	15 September 2026
Reported collisions	Road safety open data (STATS19) Department for Transport Derived statistics UK Motoring	2021 to 2025	2,947 reported collisions	15 September 2026
Planned closures	Transport Data Feeds (DATEX II) National Highways	2026-09-16 to 2026-09-30	2,304 planned closure schemes	16 September 2026

Annual average daily flow (AADF) is the average number of vehicles passing a point on a typical day of the year, both directions combined.
Vehicle miles are AADF multiplied by link length and 365, summed over every count point link on the road.
Sections join count point links between junctions, using the link lines in DfT’s major road database.
STATS19 covers personal injury collisions reported to the police. Damage-only collisions are not included, and not every injury collision is reported.
Serious and slight figures are DfT’s adjusted estimates, which allow for police forces moving to injury-based reporting.
Counts of one or two collisions below Great Britain level are shown as “fewer than 3”.

How we calculate these figures All data sources

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

How busy is the A38?

Route

A38 traffic and collisions by section

A38 traffic by vehicle type

A38 traffic trend

A38 collisions

Council areas on the A38

Roads that meet the A38

Planned closures on the A38 in England

Data sources and methodology

Related statistics