THE M4 motorway, which runs to the south of Swindon, is among the busiest roads in the UK, figures released by the Department for Transport have revealed. Up to 146,000 vehicles a day use the main route, which runs across the country linking London with Wales.

Although the volumes are high, the M4 lags far behind those seen on the grid-locked M25.

This motorway, which circles the capital, carries up to 194,000 vehicles a day 31 per cent more than the M4.

The national statistics showed a 2.6 per cent rise in car traffic levels, a 0.9 per cent increase in goods vehicle traffic and a 5.5 per cent rise in motorcycle traffic.

Motorway traffic rose by 1.9 per cent and on minor roads rose by four per cent.

Rural traffic on all road types grew faster in 2002 than for urban roads.