There has been a fall in the amount of traffic using Britain’s roads.

According to the latest figures from the Department for Transport, there has been a decrease of 0.5% in overall traffic levels between the first half of 2007 and 2008.

The statistics also show that the number of journeys taken by car decreased by 2%, suggesting that the massive increase in the cost of fuel over the past 12 months has forced private and company car drivers to find alternatives to getting behind the wheel.

However, while the number of people using their cars has fallen, light van traffic has increased by 4% during the first half of the year.

The fall in car use backs a recent AA poll, which revealed that 55% of drivers have cut back on car trips.

The AA also found that 39% of its members now regularly use public transport.

The survey found that a typical daily public transport user is most likely to be a professional male, aged between 25 and 34, living in the London area.

The person least likely to be using public transport on a daily basis is a manual worker aged between 45 and 54 living in the northeast of England or Northern Ireland.

Commenting on the findings Edmund King, AA President, said: "Despite what we hear about people being wedded to their cars, 40% of motorists also use public transport on a fairly regular basis – it's not so much an unwillingness to use public transport, but is more a question of whether suitable networks exist and if it's practical in terms of journey time.

"The high fuel prices have had a significant effect on reducing traffic as 55% of members tell us they have cut out some journeys."