Trunk A-road

A470 traffic and collisions

The A470 is a trunk A-road of 182.5 miles in England and Wales, from South Gloucestershire to Conwy. This page covers its traffic at 58 DfT count points since 2000 and the collisions police recorded on it.

Last updated: 15 September 2026
Data source: Department for Transport
Records analysed: 58 count points in 2025
Methodology: View methodology

Traffic in 2025 718m vehicle miles
Average daily traffic 10,779 vehicles a day, both directions
Busiest section 75,873 M4 to A4054
HGV share 3.8% of vehicle miles
Traffic since 2019 +1.5% same count points
Collisions, 2021 to 2025 462 13.8 per 100m vehicle miles

How busy is the A470?

On an average day in 2025, 10,779 vehicles passed each point on the A470, counting both directions. The busiest section is M4 to A4054 (Cardiff), with 75,873 a day; the quietest listed is A487 to B4391, with 1,051.

Busiest sections, 2025

M4 to A4054 carries 7.0 times the road’s average flow.

Sections of the A470 with the highest average daily flow, 2025
Section	Vehicles a day
M4 to A4054 Cardiff · 1.6 mi · HGVs 3.0%	75,873
A4054 to A468/A4054 Cardiff, Rhondda Cynon Taf · 1.7 mi · HGVs 3.4%	69,921
A4054 Upper Boat to A4054 Glyntaff Rhondda Cynon Taf · 2.1 mi · HGVs 3.2%	66,223
A468/A4054 to A4054 Rhondda Cynon Taf · 1.6 mi · HGVs 3.2%	65,113
A4054 roundabout to A4058 Rhondda Cynon Taf · 0.6 mi · HGVs 3.3%	56,297
A4223/A4054 to A4054 Rhondda Cynon Taf · 3.0 mi · HGVs 2.7%	50,854
A4054 spur to A4059/A472 Rhondda Cynon Taf · 0.8 mi · HGVs 3.3%	46,381
A4059 to A4060 Rhondda Cynon Taf, Merthyr Tydfil · 5.3 mi · HGVs 4.1%	35,715
Colum Rd to A48 Eastern Avenue/A469 Whitchurch Rd Cardiff · 0.9 mi · HGVs 1.1%	27,266
A48 overpass to Pantmawr Rd Cardiff · 2.1 mi · HGVs 1.7%	26,652

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

Route

South Gloucestershire to Conwy · 182.5 miles in 2 stretches

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

A470 traffic and collisions by section

50 sections between junctions, in route order (2 separate stretches). Each is the average of its DfT count points, weighted by length. 1 short link roads and spurs (0.2 miles) count in the road’s totals but are not listed.

Show all 50 sections Tap a column heading to sort

Sections of the A470 in route order, 2025 traffic
#
1	A4017 to A4174South Gloucestershire · stretch 1	0.5	6,572	1.5%	−5.3%	0	–
2	Hemingway Rd/Heol Hemingway to Bute StCardiff · stretch 2	0.9	1,639	1.3%	−43.5%	5	–
3	A4161 Boulevard de Nantes to Colum RdCardiff · stretch 2	0.8	15,388	1.1%	−18.0%	9	–
4	Colum Rd to A48 Eastern Avenue/A469 Whitchurch RdCardiff · stretch 2	0.9	27,266	1.1%	−25.9%	4	–
5	A48 overpass to Pantmawr RdCardiff · stretch 2	2.1	26,652	1.7%	−19.4%	12	12.1
6	Pantmawr Rd to M4Cardiff · stretch 2	0.7	25,586	1.7%	−19.4%	9	–
7	M4 to A4054Cardiff · stretch 2	1.6	75,873	3.0%	+0.2%	7	–
8	A4054 to A468/A4054Cardiff, Rhondda Cynon Taf · stretch 2	1.7	69,921	3.4%	−2.4%	12	5.6
9	A468/A4054 to A4054Rhondda Cynon Taf · stretch 2	1.6	65,113	3.2%	−0.6%	6	–
10	A4054 Upper Boat to A4054 GlyntaffRhondda Cynon Taf · stretch 2	2.1	66,223	3.2%	+2.3%	4	–
11	A4054 roundabout to A4058Rhondda Cynon Taf · stretch 2	0.6	56,297	3.3%	−5.3%	fewer than 3	–
12	A4058 to A4054/A4223Rhondda Cynon Taf · stretch 2	0.4	54,005	3.2%	+3.0%	fewer than 3	–
13	A4223/A4054 to A4054Rhondda Cynon Taf · stretch 2	3.0	50,854	2.7%	−1.1%	11	4.4
14	A4054 spur to A4059/A472Rhondda Cynon Taf · stretch 2	0.8	46,381	3.3%	+3.5%	7	–
15	A4059 to A4060Rhondda Cynon Taf, Merthyr Tydfil · stretch 2	5.3	35,715	4.1%	+41.7%	31	9.6
16	Pentrebach to A4102SMerthyr Tydfil · stretch 2	1.7	21,825	3.3%	+4.5%	6	–
17	A4102 to A4102 Swansea RdMerthyr Tydfil · stretch 2	1.2	24,670	2.5%	−9.0%	4	–
18	A4102 N to A465Merthyr Tydfil · stretch 2	0.9	21,274	3.3%	−9.1%	fewer than 3	–
19	A465 to A4054Merthyr Tydfil, Rhondda Cynon Taf · stretch 2	1.0	9,209	3.3%	+30.2%	3	–
20	A4054 to A4059Merthyr Tydfil, Powys · stretch 2	6.2	6,455	4.1%	−8.7%	19	26.8
21	A4059 to A4215Powys · stretch 2	5.1	7,177	4.6%	−10.7%	35	54.2
22	A4215 to A40Powys · stretch 2	3.8	8,963	3.4%	+12.7%	6	–
23	A40 to B4602Powys · stretch 2	1.9	9,144	4.5%	+21.1%	4	–
24	B4602 to A438Powys · stretch 2	4.2	10,599	4.9%	+10.3%	10	13.2
25	A438 to A479Powys · stretch 2	2.9	4,203	5.4%	−4.7%	11	51.8
26	A479 to B4594Powys · stretch 2	4.7	6,355	5.3%	−4.6%	17	32.6
27	B4594 to A483 Station Rd/Broad St Bulith WellsPowys · stretch 2	6.6	3,514	12.4%	−31.8%	13	32.2
28	A483 to A4081Powys · stretch 2	6.5	5,911	6.3%	+28.9%	18	33.7
29	A4081 to A44Powys · stretch 2	6.4	4,021	8.7%	−2.1%	17	37.8
30	A44 Rhayader (Rhaeadr Gwy) to A44 LlangurigPowys · stretch 2	8.9	3,604	7.7%	−3.7%	15	26.8
31	A44 to B4518Powys · stretch 2	5.0	5,175	9.8%	+6.9%	11	26.4
32	B4518 to A489Powys · stretch 2	7.2	6,718	8.2%	+1.8%	20	24.4
33	A489 to C-road Plas LlysynPowys · stretch 2	6.6	3,676	4.8%	−4.6%	18	42.6
34	C road at Sarn to A489Powys · stretch 2	10.7	2,423	5.6%	+4.3%	13	28.8
35	A489 to A458Powys, Gwynedd · stretch 2	5.9	1,555	8.4%	−41.7%	4	–
36	At A487Gwynedd · stretch 2	7.9	4,019	1.9%	−6.3%	5	–
37	A487 to A494Gwynedd · stretch 2	2.7	6,371	3.8%	−5.3%	fewer than 3	–
38	A494 to A493Gwynedd · stretch 2	1.3	2,738	8.8%	−39.6%	0	–
39	A493 to A496Gwynedd · stretch 2	0.7	7,043	3.3%	−4.1%	fewer than 3	–
40	A496 to A4212Gwynedd · stretch 2	10.8	4,647	3.7%	+4.4%	6	–
41	A4212 to A487Gwynedd · stretch 2	2.9	7,787	3.5%	+7.1%	4	–
42	A487 to B4391Gwynedd · stretch 2	2.9	1,051	2.3%	−38.1%	fewer than 3	–
43	B4391 to A496Gwynedd · stretch 2	3.2	3,672	1.4%	−4.6%	fewer than 3	–
44	A496 to A5Gwynedd, Conwy · stretch 2	10.6	2,987	5.3%	−3.9%	7	–
45	A5 to A548 Heol Ddinbych (Denbigh St)Conwy · stretch 2	4.0	6,712	2.9%	−6.3%	11	23.4
46	A548 Heol Ddinbych (Denbigh St) to B5279Conwy · stretch 2	6.7	6,893	3.2%	−4.9%	8	–
47	B5279 to A547/B5381Conwy · stretch 2	4.2	9,363	2.8%	+17.8%	15	21.9
48	A547/B5381 to A55/A547Conwy · stretch 2	0.2	20,435	3.2%	+13.7%	3	–
49	A547/A55 to B5115Conwy · stretch 2	2.7	20,091	1.2%	+26.8%	15	19.9
50	B5115 to A470Conwy · stretch 2	1.1	20,307	0.9%	+32.3%	8	–

Vehicles a day is the average daily flow in 2025. “Since 2019” compares the same count points. Collisions are those with the A470 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.

A470 traffic by vehicle type

Cars and taxis make up 77.8% of the vehicle miles on the A470. HGVs account for 3.8%, rising to 12.4% on B4594 to A483 Station Rd/Broad St Bulith Wells.

Vehicle mix, 2025

Share of vehicle miles on the A470 by vehicle type
Category	Share
Cars and taxis	77.8%
Vans (LGVs)	17.1%
HGVs	3.8%
Motorcycles	0.8%
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 A470, by year
Year	HGV share
2000	5.3%
2001	5.2%
2002	5.1%
2003	4.8%
2004	5.2%
2005	5.1%
2006	5.1%
2007	5.2%
2008	5.3%
2009	4.9%
2010	4.9%
2011	4.8%
2012	4.8%
2013	4.8%
2014	4.9%
2015	4.4%
2016	4.4%
2017	4.3%
2018	4.3%
2019	4.0%
2020	4.7%
2021	4.7%
2022	4.2%
2023	4.0%
2024	3.9%
2025	3.8%

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

A470 traffic trend

Traffic on the A470 came to 718 million vehicle miles in 2025. At the count points present in both years, it is up 1.5% on 2019, before the pandemic, and up 4.8% on 2015.

Vehicle miles a year

Like for like, traffic is up 21.3% on 2000.

Vehicle miles on the A470 each year, the whole road as it was that year
Year	Vehicle miles
2000	584m
2001	601m
2002	613m
2003	623m
2004	639m
2005	646m
2006	682m
2007	683m
2008	661m
2009	664m
2010	649m
2011	651m
2012	642m
2013	647m
2014	654m
2015	674m
2016	699m
2017	685m
2018	701m
2019	709m
2020	501m
2021	593m
2022	660m
2023	680m
2024	693m
2025	718m

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

Average daily flow

Average daily flow along the A470, weighted by link length, by year
Year	Vehicles a day
2000	8,737
2001	8,997
2002	9,239
2003	9,382
2004	9,636
2005	9,722
2006	10,257
2007	10,275
2008	9,949
2009	9,991
2010	9,758
2011	9,795
2012	9,652
2013	9,752
2014	9,860
2015	10,164
2016	10,546
2017	10,298
2018	10,500
2019	10,607
2020	7,512
2021	8,898
2022	9,901
2023	10,191
2024	10,393
2025	10,779

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. In 2025, 15 of the 58 count points were counted; DfT estimated the rest from earlier counts and local trends.

A470 collisions

Police recorded 462 collisions with the A470 as the first road from 2021 to 2025, 177 of them fatal or serious. That is 13.8 per 100 million vehicle miles, lower than the 31.5 for all A-roads in Great Britain. On average there were 0.5 a year for each mile of road.

Reported collisions by year

Down 15.1% 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 A470, 2021 to 2025
Section	Per 100m vehicle miles
A4059 to A4215 Powys · 35 collisions	54.2
A438 to A479 Powys · 11 collisions	51.8
A489 to C-road Plas Llysyn Powys · 18 collisions	42.6
A4081 to A44 Powys · 17 collisions	37.8
A483 to A4081 Powys · 18 collisions	33.7
A479 to B4594 Powys · 17 collisions	32.6
B4594 to A483 Station Rd/Broad St Bulith Wells Powys · 13 collisions	32.2
C road at Sarn to A489 Powys · 13 collisions	28.8

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

A further 54 collisions were recorded at junctions where the A470 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 A470

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

South Gloucestershire
Cardiff
Rhondda Cynon Taf
Merthyr Tydfil
Powys
Gwynedd
Conwy

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	58 count points in 2025	15 September 2026
Reported collisions	Road safety open data (STATS19) Department for Transport Derived statistics UK Motoring	2021 to 2025	462 reported collisions	15 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 A470?

Route

A470 traffic and collisions by section

A470 traffic by vehicle type

A470 traffic trend

A470 collisions

Council areas on the A470

Roads that meet the A470

Data sources and methodology

Related statistics