Congestion in cities worsened in last year, says TomTom
Date:
31 March 2015
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Author: Daniel Puddicombe
Traffic congestion in cities in the UK has worsened over the last year, according to a report by telematics firm TomTom.
The fifth Traffic Index from TomTom showed that average journeys in 2014 took 29% longer than they would in free-flowing traffic, up from a 27% delay in 2013.
In 2014, the average city commuter with a half-hour drive home spent an extra 66 hours stuck in traffic than they would have done on a free-flowing road on top of the 63 hours spent in traffic in the morning.
Belfast is the most congested city in the UK with journey times 39% slower than in free-flowing traffic. According to TomTom, this peaks at 82% in both the morning and evening rush hours.
London is in second place with journey times 37% slower, which rises to 67% in the evening peak and Edinburgh is the third most congested city with travel taking 36% longer on average and 71% longer in the evening rush hour.
"Road authorities and local governments can use traffic data to better manage traffic flow and businesses can plan smarter working hours, so their employees avoid travelling during rush hour," said Ralf-Peter Schaefer, vice-president, TomTom Traffic.
Top 10 most congested UK cities and how many hours you'll spend in traffic during your evening commute each year.
Belfast |
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94 hours |
London |
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77 hours |
Edinburgh |
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82 hours |
Brighton and Hove |
68 hours |
Manchester |
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83 hours |
Bristol 64 hours |
Nottingham |
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66 hours |
Liverpool |
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56 hours |
Newcastle |
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59 hours |
Leicester |
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60 hours |
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