Studies from 2018 data published by INRIX have revealed that on average, drivers in the UK lose £1,317 every year from sitting in congested traffic. The top offenders being London with 227 hours lost, and Birmingham with 134 hours lost due to congestion, per driver, each year.
London drivers lost up to £1,860 per year due to this congestion, followed by Edinburgh (£1,219), Manchester (£1,157) and Leicester (£1,145). Liverpool had the lowest cost of congestion among the UK cities studied at £878 per driver.
The average congestion time across the UK came out as 178 hours a year, totalling a cost of £7.9 billion to drivers. This shocking data has brought attention to the issue, which if left “unaddressed, it will continue to have serious consequences for national and local economies, businesses and citizens in the years to come,” said Trevor Reed, transportation analyst at INRIX.
Trevor Reed continued “In order to avoid traffic congestion becoming a further drain on our economy, it is increasingly obvious that authorities need to adapt. With the help of new and innovative intelligent transportation solutions, we can begin to tackle the mobility issues we face today.”
Glynn Barton, director of network management at Transport for London (TfL), said: “We are taking bold action to reduce congestion and improve London’s poor air quality. This includes removing the Congestion Charge exemption for private hire vehicles and reducing the time taken to clear up unplanned incidents, ensuring that roadworks by utility companies and others are better coordinated. We are also working with the freight industry to encourage more efficient deliveries across the capital.”
“To directly tackle poor air quality, we are ensuring that buses, taxis and private hire vehicles are as green as possible, alongside the introduction of the Ultra-Low Emission Zone this April.
“In delivering the Mayor’s ambitious plans for 80% of all journeys to be made by public transport, walking or cycling by 2041, our plans will further help tackle congestion across London.”
With London Ranking in the top 10 worst cities for congestion out of the 38 countries assessed, it is clear that this is a cause of concern. We can expect to see large pushes on public transport, improvements to the implementation of road works, and more in order to reduce congestion time across the UK as a whole, helping to save drivers more money. £1,317 can pay for a lot of miles!
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