At Webfleet, we’re all about helping you get around. That’s why we use cookies to improve our sites, to offer information based on your interests and to interact with social media.
To improve your webfleet.com site experience at any time click here.
You will be redirected in ...
Redirecting.
About cookies
What are cookies?
A cookie is a text file placed on your computer, mobile device or device connected to your computer.
What kind of cookies are there?
There are different types of cookies. Functional cookies are placed to ensure that the website is functionating properly.
Aside from the functional cookies, there are cookies to give you a more relevant web experience and serve relevant advertisements. In the cookiesetting above you can switch on/off cookies and settings which we use to make our content or advertisement more relevant for you. More information on these cookies and settings can find below.
Functional cookies
Webfleet websites and services need to be able to store and retrieve information to provide you with the service or information you asked for. For example your language setting and username for login in. This is done through functional cookies. This storage and retrieval of information only happens when you use such a service. As these cookies are needed for a well functionating website and to deliver the service they will placed on your device. Further we use site analytic cookies. We use Google Analytics, Google Optimize, Hotjar and Google Tag Manager to collect site analytics to constantly improve our website.
Personalization & advertisement cookies and settings
When you are visiting our website or see our advertisements, we would like to give you a more relevant, personalized experience. In order to do this, we use personalization & advertisement cookies and settings. With these cookies we collect information about your interest and use this information to give you a more personalized experience. We use the following cookies and settings:
If you do not want these cookies or settings to be placed, just simply untick the cookie setting above and save your settings.
Does Webfleet use any other technologies than cookies?
Cookies are the main method used but sometimes information is stored and retrieved using other technologies, such as file transfer and Web API’s (Web Application Programming Interfaces) e.g. when you attach a Webfleet device to your computer.
London, 12 December 2017
The cost of traffic congestion to UK business has risen by almost £150 million in the past year, according to research conducted by TomTom.
Latest figures revealed as part of the TomTom Traffic Index reveal congestion is costing UK businesses approximately £915 million a year in lost productivity, up from £767 million in last year’s study.
Traffic across the UK’s 25 most congested cities and towns increases the time each vehicle spends on the road by an average of 129 hours a year (up from 127), which means an average commercial vehicle driver wastes more than 16 working days while sat in traffic.1 This translates to an approximate loss of £915,239,5202 for businesses across the country.3
To compound the situation, traffic has been getting continuously worse since 2010, with an average journey now taking 30%4 longer than it would in free-flowing conditions, up from 25%.
“Traffic remains a serious issue for business and the resulting delays have potential implications for productivity, customer service standards and even employee wellbeing,” said Beverley Wise, Director UK & Ireland for TomTom Telematics. “Unfortunately, congestion levels continue to rise and the UK economy is paying the price for this at a time when the landscape is already challenging enough, with the growth rate now expected to be just 1.5% this year.”5
“But, although solutions to the wider traffic problem are incredibly complex, businesses can take action now to mitigate its effect by using data to develop smarter working schedules and shift patterns that help employees avoid driving at peak times. Technology such as telematics can help in the move towards a more dynamic model of routing and scheduling that uses data on traffic and journey times to develop plans that minimise time on the road and can be quickly adapted in reaction to delays or changing circumstances.”
The biggest financial hit was felt in London, where £264 million is lost to traffic each year, followed by Manchester (£169,256,880) and the Birmingham area, including Wolverhampton (£144,184,320).
Overall ranking of most congested cities in UK, according to TomTom Traffic Index:
Rank (previous year) | City | Average congestion (previous year) | Delay per vehicle per year in hours (previous year) | Working days lost per vehicle per year | No of commercial vehicles | Cost of congestion |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 (1) | Belfast | 43% (40%) | 200 (195) | 25 | 9,900 | £14,256,000 |
2 (4) | Edinburgh | 40% (37%) | 165 (158) | 21 | 13,000 | £15,444,000 |
3 (2) | London | 40% (38%) | 152 (149) | 19 | 241,700 | £264,516,480 |
4 (3) | Manchester | 38% (37%) | 169 (169) | 21 | 139,100 | £169,256,880 |
5 (5) | Brighton and Hove | 36% (34%) | 135 (129) | 17 | 10,900 | £10,594,800 |
6 (7) | Bournemouth | 36% (32%) | 140 (135) | 17 | 9,200 | £9,273,600 |
7 (10) | Sheffield | 35% (30%) | 137 (129) | 17 | 24,100 | £23,772,240 |
8 (6) | Hull | 35% (33%) | 152 (152) | 19 | 14,600 | £15,978,240 |
9 (9) | Bristol | 34% (31%) | 148 (138) | 18 | 50,900 | £54,239,040 |
10 (8) | Newcastle & Sunderland | 32% (31%) | 130 (129) | 16 | 42,800 | £40,060,800 |
11 (11) | Leicester | 32% (29%) | 140 (137) | 17 | 17,100 | £17,236,800 |
12 (12) | Liverpool | 30% (29%) | 111 (110) | 14 | 12,600 | £10,069,920 |
13 (13) | Swansea | 29 % (28%) | 113 (114) | 14 | 19,200 | £15,621,120 |
14 (17) | Glasgow | 29% (26%) | 129 (122) | 16 | 24,500 | £22,755,600 |
15 (18) | Cardiff | 27% (26%) | 119 (115) | 15 | 12,600 | £10,795,680 |
16 (16) | Nottingham | 27% (27%) | 120 (119) | 15 | 10,600 | £9,158,400 |
17 (14) | Birmingham & Wolverhampton | 26% (27%) | 112 (120) | 14 | 178,800 | £144,184,320 |
18 (15) | Leeds-Bradford | 26% (27%) | 118 (125) | 15 | 68,600 | £58,282,560 |
19 (22) | Portsmouth | 25% (23%) | 102 (97) | 13 | 17,000 | £12,484,800 |
20 (20) | Southampton | 25% (24%) | 117 (117) | 14 | 12,300 | £10,361,520 |
21 (21) | Reading | 24% (24%) | 118 (120) | 15 | 6,300 | £5,352,480 |
22 (19) | Coventry | 23% (25%) | 116 (122) | 14 | 21,400 | £17,873,280 |
23 (24) | Stoke-on-Trent | 22% (20%) | 110 (104) | 14 | 16,500 | £13,068,000 |
24 (23) | Middlesbrough | 22% (21%) | 90 (89) | 11 | 4,500 | £2,916,000 |
25 (25) | Preston | 20% (19%) | 90 (82) | 11 | 7,200 | £4,665,600 |
TOTAL | UK | 30% | 129 | 16 | 985,400 | £915,239,520 |
1 Based on an average working day of 7.82 hours. According to the ONS the mean average number of total paid hours per week for full-time employees in the UK was 39.1 in the year to April 2017.
2 This figure was calculated as follows:
UK average of 129 hours lost in traffic x £7.20 (National Minimum Wage, 2015 for workers 21 and over according to UK government statistics) x 985,400 light goods and heavy goods vehicles operating in the 25 cities identified by the TomTom Traffic Index as the UK’s most congested (according to vehicle licensing stats from the DVLA) = £915,239,520.
3 According to vehicle licencing stats from the DVLA/DfT, by the end of 2016 there were 985,400 light goods vehicles registered for use on the roads in the 25 cities and towns identified by the TomTom Traffic Index as the UK’s most congested in 2016.
4 An overall congestion level of 30% means that an average trip takes 30% longer than it would under uncongested conditions, for example at night.
5 http://budgetresponsibility.org.uk/chairmans-presentation-latest-forecast-evaluation-report/
Want to boost your business?
Subscribe to our newsletter and get valuable fleet insights: free guides, advice, how-tos and more.
Get valuable fleet insights that boost your business
Free monthly guides, advice, how-tos and research on running a commercial fleet.
Want to boost your business?
Subscribe to our newsletter and get valuable fleet insights: free guides, advice, how-tos and more.
Get valuable fleet insights that boost your business
Free monthly guides, advice, how-tos and research on running a commercial fleet.
You will be redirected in ...
Redirecting.
Select your country