Traffic levels are expected to rise significantly from today (Monday 15 June), as the opening of non-essential shops heralds a further unlocking of COVID-19 restrictions, and garages could see demand increase as a result.

Shops across England reopened this morning, with long queues outside shops showing the pent-up demand for a return to something like normal life. The re-opening will also mean many retail workers will be travelling to and from work again.

Other attractions including zoos are also able to reopen from today.

With government recommending that people avoid public transport, both workers and shoppers are likely to lean on their cars for their transport needs.

Across the world, cities that emerged from lockdown saw traffic levels quickly reach and sometimes breach pre-pandemic levels, as people shunned trains, trams and buses in favour of their own vehicles.

The Guardian has reported that warnings on congestion have been made by UK city mayors. Patterns are expected to be similar to what has been seen in Stockholm, Sweden and Wuhan, China, with car use exceeding pre-Coronavirus levels. City mayors warned that increases in traffic congestion are already under way and likely to follow the path set by Stockholm and Wuhan, where car use is already above previous peak levels.

Other cities, such as Berlin and Paris saw  a sudden surge in road traffic back up to pre-COVVID-19 levels once restrictions there eased.

Many vehicles in the UK have seen little or no use since late March. Apart from battery issues, there are a host of potential problems that garage might see on vehicles coming through the door, ranging from DPF issues on diesels to lubrication problems across all types.