The number of cars spotted in Sunderland has increased in the last two weeks of the coronavirus lockdown, the council has revealed.
In the last two weeks, a daily average of 180 more vehicles crossed the Wearmouth Bridge, in Sunderland - an increase of nearly 1%.
Traffic on the bridge had dropped by two thirds during the first full week after the Government urged people to stay at home on Monday, March 30.
It had fallen from a daily average of 25,566 vehicles in the week before the Government's advice to a daily average of 9,675 by Monday, April 6.
An increase of nearly 2% was also recorded on St Mary's Boulevard with a daily average of 10,346 vehicles compared to 10,032 in the first full week of lockdown.
Sunderland City Council's cabinet member for Environment and Transport, Coun Amy Wilson said: "These increases are in line with some of the figures nationally that have seen slight rises in the numbers of vehicles.
"It could be that with less public transport, key workers could be using their vehicles, or after several weeks of lockdown, some people are now having to get out and get more food.
"We can record the number of vehicles but we cannot record the reasons why vehicles are out.
"The advice has not changed - stay at home, save lives, and protect the NHS."
