- INRIX Traffic Scorecard Report reveals congestion increased in 77% of German cities
- Cologne leapfrogs Stuttgart as Germany’s most congested city in 2014 followed by Karlsruhe
- Four German cities rank in the top 10 most congested cities in Europe in 2014
- Germany ranks as the third most congested country in Europe, with drivers spending 39 hours in traffic
- A 16 mile stretch of the B2R in Munich was the most congested road, costing drivers 68 hours
MUNICH, Germany – 24 August 2015: INRIX, a leading provider of real-time traffic information and connected driving services, has published its annual Traffic Scorecard Report revealing German drivers wasted 39 hours in congestion during 2014 – up four hours from 2013. Germany ranks third in the list of Europe’s most congested countries, although German motorists spend 12 hours less in traffic than those in Belgium, Europe’s most congested country, where drivers spent 51 hours stuck in gridlock last year.
The German economy, the eurozone’s largest, grew by 1.6% last year, its strongest growth since 2011 and well above the 0.1% growth in 2013[1]. Levels of employment increased by 1% from 2013[2] and household consumption increased by 1.1% in 2014[3]. These factors, which are driving up consumer spending as well as spurring a large number of construction projects nationwide, had a significant impact on traffic levels as demand for road travel increased and more people commuted to work by car.
Traffic congestion was up in 17 of the 22 German metropolitan areas in 2014, compared to just 8 in 22 in 2013. The biggest increases in congestion were seen in Karlsruhe (+21%) and Magdeburg (+50%), where drivers sat idle in traffic for an additional 10 hours. Magdeburg is located at the junction of several European transport corridors such as the federal motorways A2 and A14, the Elbe River and the Mittelland and Elbe-Havel canals, which have had a big impact on congestion due to freight traffic[4].
Population growth and urbanisation are key drivers of congestion. Germany’s population continues to increase, growing by more than 330,000 last year[5], after experiencing years of population decline up to 2011. Cologne’s population also increased in 2014, growing by almost 1%[6]. This, combined with widespread construction work in the city, has contributed to drivers spending 65 hours on average stuck in traffic, 9 hours more than in 2013, and resulting in Cologne becoming Germany’s most congested city.
Germany’s most congested metropolitan areas in 2014 (ranked by annual hours wasted)
| Rank | Germany Metropolitan Area | Hours wasted in 2014 | Change from 2013 (in hours) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cologne | 65 | 9 |
| 2 | Stuttgart | 64 | 4 |
| 3 | Karlsruhe | 63 | 10 |
| 4 | Dsseldorf | 53 | 4 |
| 5 | Hamburg | 48 | 0 |
| 6 | Munich | 48 | 4 |
| 7 | Bonn | 42 | 4 |
| 8 | Ruhrgebiet | 42 | 2 |
| 9 | Nrnberg | 38 | 6 |
| 10 | Freiburg im Breisgau | 37 | 5 |
| 11 | Frankfurt am Main | 37 | 5 |
| 12 | Saarbrcken | 36 | 1 |
| 13 | Hannover | 35 | 1 |
| 14 | Bielefeld | 34 | -1 |
| 15 | Darmstadt | 33 | 0 |
| 16 | Magdeburg | 30 | 10 |
| 17 | Dresden | 28 | 4 |
| 18 | Leipzig | 26 | 4 |
| 19 | Bremen | 25 | 3 |
| 20 | Kiel | 25 | -1 |
| 21 | Berlin | 23 | 2 |
| 22 | Augsburg | 20 | 0 |
“For the third year running, traffic in Germany is up,” said Bryan Mistele, President & CEO, INRIX. “The growth of the Germany economy, which has led to an increase in construction projects nationwide, and the steady rise of urban populations have resulted in a higher demand for road travel, which in turn has significantly increased congestion across the country.”
“Now more than ever roads are the most attractive route for transportation and this trend will continue over the next few years,” said Prof Dr. Michael Schreckenberg, traffic expert from the University of Duisburg-Essen. “With Germany being the top transit country in Europe, where the most vehicles, private and commercial, pass through to other countries, an increase of congestion is inevitable despite Germany having good infrastructure in place.“
Germany vs Europe: How we measure up
Of the 13 European countries analysed in the report, more than half (53%) experienced a rise in levels of congestion in 2014 compared to 2013, reflective of steady economic growth. Nations struggling with high unemployment and low or negative economic growth typically recorded lower levels of traffic congestion compared to 2013.
Countries in Europe with the highest levels of congestion (ranked by annual hours wasted):
| Europe country rank 2014 |
Europe country rank 2013 |
Country | Country avg. hours wasted annually: 2013 |
Country avg. hours wasted annually: 2014 |
Difference between country avg. hours wasted annually from 2014 – 2013 |
Change in GDP 2014 (%)iI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Belgium | 58 | 51 | -8 | 1.1 |
| 2 | 2 | Netherlands | 45 | 41 | -4 | 0.9 |
| 3 | 3 | Germany | 35 | 39 | 4 | 1.6 |
| 4 | 5 | Luxembourg | 32 | 34 | 3 | 2.3 |
| 5 | 6 | United Kingdom | 30 | 30 | 0 | 2.8 |
| 6 | 8 | Switzerland | 25 | 29 | 4 | 2 |
| 7 | 4 | France | 29 | 28.5 | 0 | 0.2 |
| 8 | 9 | Austria | 31 | 25 | -6 | 0.3 |
| 9 | 10 | Ireland | 21 | 24 | 4 | 4.8 |
| 10 | 7 | Italy | 25 | 20 | -6 | -0.4 |
| 11 | 11 | Spain | 17 | 17 | 0 | 1.4 |
| 12 | 13 | Portugal | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0.9 |
| 13 | 12 | Hungary | 10 | 5 | -5 | 0.9 |
Germany’s most congested roads
The 2014 Traffic Scorecard also identified the worst roads for traffic in Germany and the worst times to travel. Munich, Cologne and Berlin proved to have the busiest roads. A 16 mile stretch of the B2R in Munich was the most congested road, where drivers wasted up to 68 hours in traffic.
Germany’s most congested roads in 2014 (ranked by annual hours wasted):
| Rank | Area | Road(s) | From | To | Distance (KM) | Worst Peak Period | Total Delay per Year (hours) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Munich | B2R | Lerchenauer Stra§e | Ifflandstra§e | 26.34 | PM | 67.72 |
| 2 | Munich | B2R | Donnersbergerbrcke | Schlsselbergstra§e | 14.3 | PM | 56.04 |
| 3 | Cologne | A1 | Leverkusener Brcke | Leverkusen | 14.38 | AM | 54.08 |
| 4 | Berlin | B1 | Friedrichstra§e | Sachsendamm | 6.77 | PM | 44.84 |
| 5 | Berlin | L1004 | Storkower Stra§e | Sylter Stra§e | 10.51 | AM | 43.08 |
| 6 | Stuttgart | B27 | Olgaeck | Teiler B10/B27 | 9.4 | AM | 40.24 |
| 7 | Berlin | B1 | Sachsendamm | Friedrichstra§e | 5.86 | PM | 37.76 |
| 8 | Ruhrgebiet | A46 | bergang A46/B326 | Sonnborner Kreuz | 16.06 | PM | 37.28 |
| 9 | Wuppertal | A46 | Wuppertal-Elberfeld | Hfgen | 17.49 | PM | 36.48 |
| 10 | Stuttgart | B10 | Pragtunnel | Talstra§e/Gaisburger Brcke | 5.02 | PM | 34.48 |
The traffic situation in Europe’s cities
The INRIX Traffic Scorecard also analysed traffic in major metropolitan areas across Europe. Of the 94 European cities analysed in the report, nearly half (48%) experienced an increase in traffic compared to 2013.
Whilst London topped the list of the 25 most congested European cities, Barcelona saw the biggest year-on-year increase in congestion, rising by 66%. Drivers in Barcelona experienced an additional 10 hours in traffic compared to 2013, rising from 15 hours wasted in traffic in 2013 to 25 in 2014.
This increase can be attributed to a growing economy with GDP growth figures in Spain at 1.4% in 20141 – Spain’s first full year growth since 2008. Unemployment in Barcelona dropped by 3% in 2014 to 20%[7], driving consumer spending and increased demand for road travel and commuters travelling by car.
Europe’s most congested cities in 2014 (ranked by annual hours wasted):
| 2014 Rank |
2013 Rank |
Metropolitan area | Hours wasted in traffic 2014 |
Difference in comparison to hours wasted in 2013 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | London commute zone | 96 | 14 |
| 2 | 1 | Brussels | 74 | -9 |
| 3 | 6 | Cologne | 65 | 9 |
| 4 | 3 | Antwerp | 64 | -14 |
| 5 | 5 | Stuttgart | 64 | 4 |
| 6 | 10 | Karlsruhe | 63 | 10 |
| 7 | 7 | Milan | 57 | 1 |
| 8 | 13 | Düsseldorf | 53 | 4 |
| 9 | 15 | Utrecht | 53 | 5 |
| 10 | 9 | Ghent | 52 | -2 |
| 11 | 16 | Gr. Manchester | 52 | 6 |
| 12 | 12 | S Gravenhage | 51 | 2 |
| 13 | 14 | Hamburg | 48 | 0 |
| 14 | 17 | Munich | 48 | 4 |
| 15 | 4 | Rotterdam | 48 | -15 |
| 16 | 8 | Paris | 45 | -10 |
| 17 | 26 | Bonn | 42 | 4 |
| 18 | 22 | Ruhrgebiet | 42 | 2 |
| 19 | 11 | Amsterdam | 41 | -9 |
| 20 | 18 | Lyon | 40 | -4 |
| 21 | 37 | Nuremburg | 38 | 6 |
| 22 | 24 | Merseyside | 37 | -2 |
| 23 | 41 | Freiburg im Breisgau | 37 | 5 |
| 24 | 38 | Frankfurt am Main | 37 | 5 |
| 25 | 43 | Gr. Belfast | 37 | 6 |
####
About the INRIX Traffic Scorecard
The INRIX Traffic Scorecard measures the traffic congestion problem by going beyond traditional limitations of road sensors and statistical sampling techniques by analysing an historical archive of real-time data crowd-sourced from actual vehicles travelling on major metropolitan roadways.
INRIX analyses trillions of real-time data points from over a hundred sources including crowd-sourced data from a variety of commercial vehicles, including taxis, airport shuttles, service delivery vans, long haul trucks as well as consumer vehicles and mobile devices. Each data report from these GPS-equipped vehicles and devices includes the speed, location and heading of a particular vehicle at a reported date and time, without including planning time. In creating the INRIX Traffic Scorecard, INRIX analyses information for millions of kilometres of motorways and secondary roads in Europe during every hour of the day to generate the most comprehensive and timely congestion analysis to date, covering the largest metropolitan areas in 14 countries.
The same data used to generate the Scorecard also powers INRIX Traffic, a free smartphone app that helps drivers avoid frustrating delays stuck in traffic. The INRIX Traffic app helps drivers never be late with insights from the world’s largest traffic network into the fastest routes from home to work, recommended departure and travel times, traffic forecasts and personalised traffic alerts unique to driver’s routes. More information about INRIX Traffic can be found at https://inrixtraffic.com.
More details on traffic congestion in a particular country and how countries and cities compare to each other, along with an executive summary of the report’s key findings are now available at scorecard.inrix.com. The extensive data powering the INRIX Traffic Scorecard is immediately available under license for further analysis and review by government agencies and commercial organisations.
About INRIX
INRIX is one of the fastest growing big data technology companies in the world. The company leverages big data analytics to reduce the individual, economic and environmental toll of traffic congestion. Through cutting-edge data intelligence and predictive traffic technologies, INRIX helps leading automakers, fleets, governments and news organizations make it easier for drivers to navigate their world.
Our vision is simple – to solve traffic, empower drivers, inform planning and enhance commerce. Whether through an in-car or smartphone navigation application, a local newscast or our INRIX Traffic app, our up-to-the-minute traffic information and other driver services help millions of drivers save time, fuel and frustration. INRIX delivers traffic and driving-related insight, as well as sophisticated analytical tools and services across six industries covering nearly five million miles (7.9 million km) of road in 42 countries. For more information visit us at INRIX.com or download our INRIX XD Traffic App for iOS and Android. For more information visit us at www.INRIX.com.
Media Contacts:
Hotwire PR on behalf of INRIX
Silke Gräßer / Lavinia Haane
Hotwire PR für INRIX
+49 (0) 69 25 66 93 21/76
[1] https://www.destatis.de/DE/ZahlenFakten/GesamtwirtschaftUmwelt/VGR/Inlandsprodukt/Tabellen/Gesamtwirtschaft.html [2] https://www.destatis.de/DE/ZahlenFakten/GesamtwirtschaftUmwelt/Arbeitsmarkt/Arbeitsmarkt.html [3] https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/155148/umfrage/private-konsumausgaben-in-deutschland-zeitreihe/ [4] https://www.magdeburg.de/Home/Business-Economy/Business-location/Infrastructure?La=2 [5] https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/2861/umfrage/entwicklung-der-gesamtbevoelkerung-deutschlands/ [6] https://www.stadt-koeln.de/mediaasset/content/pdf15/pegel_köln_2_2015_einwohnerentwicklung_2014.pdf [7] https://www.idescat.cat/pub/?id=aec&n=318&lang=en
