The traffic on Britain’s roads has started creeping back up during the past couple of weeks, but – as you may have noticed when out shopping, exercising or going to work – they’re still a lot quieter than before the lockdown.

The government says road trips in motorised vehicles, recorded at 275 automated sites, are now at around 35% to 45% of the usual level.

AA president Edmund King has told the BBC that – based on analysis of the official figures and his organisation’s own monitoring – traffic volumes in Britain are now “akin to those in the early 1970s”.

Transport usage ‘will change after lockdown’

It was a time the Morris Marina and Ford Cortina were among the UK’s best-selling cars.

Edward Heath was prime minister, the UK joined the European Economic Community, money went fully decimal, David Bowie rebranded himself as Ziggy Stardust and almost half of all adults smoked – many while at the wheel.