- London’s city center was the slowest to drive through in 2023, with an average speed of 15 mph throughout 2023
- Dublin is the most congested city at peak times in 2023, with daily commuters having lost 153 hours to traffic*.
- In 2023, average speed decreased in 228 of the 387 cities analyzed, compared to 2022.
- Get the full ranking and interactive report at tomtom.com/Traffic-Index
TomTom, the geolocation technology specialist, today releases the 13th edition of its TomTom Traffic Index, an annual report that provides data and information on traffic trends in 387 cities in 55 countries throughout 2023.
The TomTom Traffic Index is based on data from over 600 million in-car navigation systems and smartphones. For each city (both the city center and the wider metropolitan area), TomTom calculates the average travel time per kilometer from the time it took to cover the millions of kilometers driven across the entire network in the year 2023.
The trend over 2023 confirms the general decline in average speeds in most cities: of the 387 cities analyzed in the traffic index, 82 saw their average speed remain unchanged, and 77 had a higher average speed (and therefore shorter journey times) than the previous year. In the remaining 228 cities, average speeds decreased. In London and Dublin, the two cities with the lowest average speed, travel times for a 6-mile journey increased by +1 minute compared to 2022 – only 7 cities in the world have reached a 1 minute or higher raise in average travel time for a 6-mile trip.
The increase in both the cost of petrol and fuel consumption, due to longer journey times, has a clear impact on the budget of motorists who have to use their car every day to get to work. In more than 60% of 351 cities where TomTom aggregates fuel prices, the average budget in fuel increased by 15% or more between 2021 and 2023. This increase in consumption naturally has a direct impact on average CO2 emissions per vehicle.
A global challenge: Traffic congestion continues in cities worldwide
“With more than half of the world’s population living in urban areas, traffic congestion and its economic, ecological and health consequences have become a problem that needs to be urgently addressed”, said Ralf-Peter Schäfer, Vice President of Traffic at TomTom. “Planning the future of urban areas is essential to ongoing traffic management. Large urban areas are harnessing Big Data to plan infrastructure and development that will alleviate traffic congestion. Analysis of historical traffic data can help growing cities
map more efficient road systems and plan better zoning using location intelligence. Effective implementation of planning measures such as the implementation of LEZs to reduce air pollution will benefit from data from connected cars.”
The TomTom Traffic Index has become over time a comprehensive tool for urban planners, policymakers, and drivers, as it helps to understand and manage traffic congestion, and provides insights into the impact of congestion on a city’s transportation infrastructure and economy. Real-time traffic data can feed the algorithms used by municipalities to manage traffic jams by optimizing road logistics and routes. According to a McKinsey study, this can reduce commuting times in cities by 15-20%. Data can be used to prevent traffic jams through intelligent traffic light synchronization, variable speed limits and real-time alerts showing drivers the fastest routes.
SOURCE: TomTom
