- INRIX 2017 Global Traffic Scorecard analysed and ranked the impact of traffic congestion in 1,360 cities – 296 more than last year – across 38 countries worldwide; the largest ever study of its kind.
- The UK ranked in the top ten most congested countries in the world, the third most congested in Europe behind Russia and Turkey.
- 111 cities and towns were analysed across the UK, with the direct and indirect costs of congestion for all drivers totaling more than £37.7 billion in 2017, an average of £1,168 per driver.
- For the 10th year running, London was the UK’s most congested city with motorists spending approximately 74 hours a year in congestion during peak times, costing each of them £2,430 per annum, or £9.5 billion across the city as a whole (up from £3.3bn in 2016).
- The UK’s most congested road was the A406 Northbound from Chiswick roundabout to Hangar Lane, where each driver spent 56 hours in congestion last year.
- Scottish cities have made significant improvements from 2016 with Aberdeen, Glasgow and Edinburgh reducing peak hours in congestion by 20%, 15% and 10% respectively.
London – February 6, 2018 – INRIX today published the INRIX 2017 Global Traffic Scorecard, an analysis of 1,360 cities across 38 countries – the largest ever study of congestion. The UK ranked as the 10th most congested country in the world and the 3rd most congested in Europe, with drivers spending an average of 31 hours a year in congestion during peak hours. The direct and indirect costs of congestion to all UK motorists amounted to over £37.7 billion in 2017, an average of £1,168 per driver1.
In the UK, the INRIX 2017 Global Traffic Scorecard analysed congestion in 111 cities and towns. London remained the UK’s most congested major city for the 10th year in a row, ranked 2nd in Europe after Moscow and 7th in the world overall. Drivers in London spent an average of 74 hours in gridlock during peak hours, an increase of one hour since last year. This contributed to congestion costing London drivers £2,430 a year each and the capital as a whole £9.5 billion from direct and indirect costs. Direct costs relate to the value of fuel and time wasted, while indirect costs relate to freighting and business fees from company vehicles idling in traffic that are passed on to the household bills through higher prices.
Along with the capital, Manchester, Birmingham, Luton and Edinburgh made up the UK’s five most major congested cities. Drivers in Manchester spent 39 hours in congestion during peak hours, and 10% of their total drive time (peak and non-peak hours) in gridlock. This in turn cost each driver £1,403, and the city £345 million. Motorists in Birmingham spent over 9% of their total drive time in congestion last year, costing the city £632 million.
“Combined with the rising price of motoring, the cost of congestion is astonishing – it takes billions out of the economy and impacts businesses and individuals alike,” said Dr. Graham Cookson, Chief Economist, INRIX. “With the Office of National Statistics showing more cars on the road than ever before, we need to consider innovative new approaches to solving the issue. Increased flexible working or road charges have potential, however, transport authorities should be looking to exciting developments in data analytics and AI which promise to reinvent our approach to traffic management.”
Table 1: INRIX 2017 Traffic Scorecard – UK’s 10 Most Congested Major Cities / Large Urban Areas
| Rank | City | Peak Hours Spent in Congestion | INRIX Congestion Index | Average Congestion Rate | Total Cost per Driver | Total Cost to the City |
| 1 | London | 74 | 14.1 | 13% | £2,430 | £9.5bn |
| 2 | Manchester | 39 | 6.8 | 10% | £1,403 | £345m |
| 3 | Birmingham | 36 | 6.3 | 9% | £1,281 | £632m |
| 4 | Luton | 29 | 5.2 | 11% | £1,143 | £102m |
| 5 | Edinburgh | 28 | 5 | 9% | £1,155 | £309m |
| 6= | Bournemouth | 27 | 5.6 | 11% | £1,225 | £121m |
| 6= | Bristol | 27 | 4.7 | 9% | £1,028 | £225m |
| 8 | Newcastle | 24 | 4.2 | 7% | £991 | £139m |
| 9 | Coventry | 23 | 3.9 | 7% | £905 | £140m |
| 10 | Liverpool | 20 | 4.1 | 9% | £1,101 | £273m |
INRIX 2017 Traffic Scorecard Provides In-Depth City Congestion Analysis
Collected from 300 million connected cars and devices, data included in the 2017 INRIX Global Traffic Scorecard reveals congestion at different times of the day and across different parts of the road network. For example, the report shows traffic in city centres compared to vehicles coming in and out of a city, as well as the differences in congestion experienced across peak and off-peak hours, and at weekends. Insights for the UK include:
Peak Congestion Insights
- London was the worst city for congestion in the UK in peak hours, with drivers spending an average of 13% of their total drive time in congestion.
- Manchester was the second worst city for time spent in congestion during peak hours, with drivers spending 39 peak hours in gridlock and an average of 10% of their total drive time stuck in traffic.
City Centre Insights
- Peak hours in Central London were the worst time and place for drivers in the capital, where they spent an average of 23% of their time in congestion at an average speed of just under 5 mph.
- Of all the major UK city centres, London was the busiest to get around during peak hours.
- Speeds fell by 81% (20 mph to 3.9 mph) in the centre of London during daytime hours when congestion was at its worst, and by 83% (22 mph to 3.7 mph) in the evening during the worst periods.
Driving in to and out of City Insights
- Travelling into and out of London at peak hours, drivers spent 16% of their time in congestion with an average speed of 12.8 mph.
- Manchester joins London as the hardest city to get into or out of during peak hours, with drivers also stuck in gridlock for 16% of the time.
Business Impact
- Businesses suffered the most from traffic in London with daytime congestion within the city occurring 17% of the time on average.
- Businesses in the city centres of Luton and Edinburgh also suffered from congestion, with drivers sitting in traffic 12% of the time during the day.
Weekend Insights
- London had the highest weekend congestion rates of 13% of drive time, but drivers cruised at their slowest (5.1 mph) in Liverpool.
Britain’s Most Congested Roads
As part of the 2017 Global Traffic Scorecard, INRIX identified the UK’s most congested roads as well as the worst time to travel. London roads were busiest during the evening rush-hour, with the A406 from Chiswick Roundabout to Hanger Lane identified as the UK’s most congested road. Motorists there spent a total of 56 hours in congestion in 2017. Outside of the capital, the A34 from Robin Hood Lane in Birmingham was the most congested road – the 4th worst congested in the UK – with drivers each spending 44 hours in gridlock last year.
Table 2: INRIX 2017 Global Traffic Scorecard – London’s Top 5 Most Congested Roads in 2017
| Rank | Road | From | To | Worst Peak Period | Total Hours of Delay (p.p.p.a) |
| 1 | A406 | A205 Chiswick Roundabout | A40 Hangar Lane | PM | 56 |
| 2 | A23 | Kennington Park | Norbury Station | PM | 50 |
| 3 | A4200/A4 | Russell Square | New Fetter Lane | AM | 47 |
| 4 | Earls Court Road | Kensington High St | A308 | AM | 42 |
| 5 | A406 | Finchley Road | Colney Hatch Lane | PM | 42 |
Table 3: INRIX 2017 Global Traffic Scorecard –Top 10 UK Most Congested Roads outside of London in 2017
| Rank | City | Road | From | To | Worst Peak Period | Total Hours of Delay (p.p.p.a) |
| 1 | Birmingham | A34 | Robin Hood Lane | A41 | PM | 44 |
| 2 | Birmingham | A34 | A4540 | A41 | PM | 42 |
| 3 | Leeds | A657 | A658 | Victoria Street | PM | 40 |
| 4 | Leeds | A638 | B6117 | A644 | PM | 36 |
| 5 | Manchester | A56 | Northumberland St | A6044 | PM | 33 |
| 6 | Newcastle | A19 | A189 | A191 | PM | 33 |
| 7 | Belfast | A1 | Bruce St | A512 | PM | 32 |
| 8 | Manchester | A6 | A523 | B6171 | PM | 32 |
| 9 | Birmingham | A461 | New Road | A4123 | PM | 32 |
| 10 | Manchester | A580/A6 | Blackfriars Road | Worsley Road | PM | 30 |
UK vs. Europe: How do we Measure Up?
Of the 784 European cities analysed, Moscow topped the list as the most congested in Europe for the second year in a row, where drivers spent 91 hours last year in traffic congestion at peak hours. Drivers in Moscow spent over 26% of their total drive time (peak and non-peak hours) in congestion. London (74 hours) is second on the list of Europe’s most congested major cities, followed by Paris (69 hours), Istanbul (59 hours) with Krasnodar (57 hours) rounding out the top five.
Table 4: INRIX 2017 Global Traffic Scorecard – 10 Most Congested Major Cities in Europe in 2017
| Rank | City | Country | Peak Hours Spent in Congestion | INRIX Congestion Index | Average Congestion Rate |
| 1 | Moscow | Russia | 91 | 20.1 | 32% |
| 2 | London | UK | 74 | 14.1 | 20% |
| 3 | Paris | France | 69 | 13.1 | 21% |
| 4 | Istanbul | Turkey | 59 | 12.2 | 25% |
| 5 | Krasnodar | Russia | 57 | 12.4 | 31% |
| 6 | Saint Petersburg | Russia | 54 | 11.6 | 26% |
| 7 | Zurich | Switzerland | 51 | 9.2 | 29% |
| 8 | Munich | Germany | 51 | 9.1 | 27% |
| 9 | Sochi | Russia | 48 | 10.9 | 28% |
| 10 | Nizhny Novgorod | Russia | 48 | 10.2 | 26% |
How the UK Compares to Cities & Countries Worldwide
At the global city level, Los Angeles topped the list of the world’s most gridlock cities, with drivers spending on average 102 peak hours in congestion in 2017, followed by Moscow (91 hours), New York (91 hours), Sao Paulo (86 hours) and San Francisco (83 hours). London ranked 7th out of the 1,360 cities analysed, after Bogota at 6th where drivers spent 75 peak hours in congestion last year.
Table 5: INRIX 2017 Global Traffic Scorecard – 10 Most Congested Cities in the World in 2017
| 2017 Rank
(2016 Rank) |
Global City | Country | Continent | 2017 Peak Hours Spent in Congestion | Percentage of Total Drive Time in Congestion (peak and non-peak hours) |
| 1 (1) | Los Angeles | USA | North America | 102 | 12.2% |
| 2 (2) | Moscow | Russia | Europe | 91 | 25.8% |
| 2 (3) | New York | USA | North America | 91 | 12.5% |
| 4 (5) | Sao Paulo | Brazil | South America | 86 | 21.9% |
| 5 (4) | San Francisco | USA | North America | 79 | 12.0% |
| 6 (6) | Bogota | Colombia | South America | 75 | 30.4% |
| 7 (7) | London | UK | Europe | 74 | 13.1% |
| 8 (8) | Atlanta | USA | North America | 70 | 10.0% |
| 9 (9) | Paris | France | Europe | 79 | 12.9% |
| 10 (11) | Bangkok | Thailand | Asia | 64 | 23% |
Of the 38 countries covered by the INRIX 2017 Global Traffic Scorecard, Thailand lead with the highest average hours spent in peak congestion (56 in 2017), outranking Indonesia (51 hours) and Columbia (49 hours), followed by Venezuela (42) and joint 5th was USA and Russia on 42 hours. The UK was 10th in the global ranking, 3rd amongst developed nations, and the 3rd most congested in Europe behind Russia and Turkey.
Table 6: INRIX 2017 Global Traffic Scorecard – 10 Most Congested Countries in the World in 2017
| 2017 Rank (2016 Rank) |
Country | Continent (Europe Ranking) |
2017 Peak Hours Spent in Congestion |
| 1 (1) | Thailand | Asia | 56 |
| 2 (2) | Indonesia | Asia | 51 |
| 3 (2) | Colombia | South America | 49 |
| 4 (6) | Venezuela | South America | 42 |
| 5 (4) | Russia | Europe (1) | 41 |
| 5 (5) | USA | North America | 41 |
| 7 (8) | Brazil | South America | 36 |
| 8 (7) | South Africa | Africa | 36 |
| 9 (10) | Turkey | Europe (2) | 32 |
| 10 (11) | UK | Europe (3) | 31 |
Good data is the first step in tackling congestion. Applying big data to create intelligent transportation systems will be key to solving urban mobility problems. INRIX data and analytics on traffic, parking and population movement help city planners and engineers make data-based decisions to prioritize spending in order to maximize benefits and reduce costs now and for the future.
The key findings of the INRIX 2017 Traffic Scorecard provide a quantifiable benchmark for governments and cities across the world to measure progress to improve urban mobility and track the impact of spending on smart city initiatives.
Please visit www.inrix.com/scorecard for:
- Full INRIX 2017 Global Traffic Scorecard report including all rankings for the UK, Europe and globally.
- Complete methodology.
- Interactive webpage with data and information for all 1,360 cities and 38 countries.
- UK and global infographics.
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Notes to Editors
Data Sources
INRIX analysed 500 Terabytes of data from 300 million different sources covering over 5 million miles of road. The data used in the 2017 Traffic Scorecard is the congested or uncongested status of every segment of road for every minute of the day, as used by millions of drivers around the world that rely on INRIX-based traffic services.
Research Methodology
The INRIX 2017 Global Traffic Scorecard calculates the percentage of time that drivers spent in congestion at different periods of the day/week and on different parts of a city’s road network. This provides a holistic view of a city’s congestion problem. Cities were ranked by the peak hours that the average driver spent in congestion, the busiest part of the day when the most people are affected. Additional metrics are available online and in the full report.
1An economic analysis was performed to estimate the total cost to the average driver in a city, and a total cost to the city population. This considered both the direct costs (those borne by the driver directly through wasted time and fuel) and the indirect costs (those borne indirectly through the increased costs to businesses which are passed on to households through higher prices). Worst corridors are limited to those that have the highest traffic volume and are ranked by the average hours of delay per driver in 2017.
Direct & Indirect Costs of Congestion for UK Drivers
Average Direct Cost Per Driver/Car £1046.66
Average Indirect Cost Per Driver/Car £121.57
Average Total Cost £1168.23
Number of Cars in the UK 32,302,800
Total Cost for the UK £37,737,255,732.50
The full report provides full details of the economic cost methodology.
About INRIX
INRIX is the global leader in connected car services and transportation analytics. Leveraging big data and the cloud, INRIX delivers comprehensive services and solutions to help move people, cities and businesses forward.
