DUBAI 23 February 2019: While 57 per cent of countries saw an increase in traffic congestion, both Abu Dhabi (-1%) and Dubai (-2%) saw decreases, according to a global survey by Tom Tom.
Tom Tom Traffic Index showed that global average congestion level is 29%, while Abu Dhabi’s is 10% and Dubai is 21%.
The 9th TomTom Traffic Index details the traffic situation in 416 cities in 57 countries. Bengaluru takes the top spot this year with drivers in the southern Indian city expecting to spend an average of 71% extra travel time stuck in traffic.
Next in the global rankings are Philippine capital, Manila (71%); Bogota in Colombia (68%); last year’s most congested city, Mumbai (65%); and Pune (59%), also in India; making up the top five most congested cities in the world.
The UAE has again done very well:
- Dubai ranked 265th globally with a congestion level of 21% which is a decrease of 2% vs. 2018
- Abu Dhabi ranked 410th globally with a congestion level of 10% which is a decrease of 1% vs. 2018
Greater Moscow (Oblast) takes the lead in Europe (59%) with Istanbul (55%) coming a close second. Kyiv (53%), Bucharest (52%), and Saint Petersburg (49%) make up the rest of the top five. Paris (39%), Rome (38%) and London (38%) ranked in at 14th, 15th and 17th respectively.
In the US, the top five most congested cities are Los Angeles (42%), New York (37%), San Francisco (36%), San Jose (33%) and Seattle (31%).
Congestion up, globally: At what cost?
Traffic congestion has increased globally during the last decade, and the 239 cities (57%) TomTom included in the new Traffic Index report had increased congestion levels between 2018 and 2019, with only 63 cities showing measurable decreases. This global increase in congestion, despite being an indicator of a strong economy, is understood to cost economies billions.
There’s also helpful advice on beating traffic congestion.
- Plan before you go. Taking a few moments before heading out the door to inform yourself on the road conditions on the way to your destination will help you consider your alternatives and decide on the best course of action.
- Trust technology to help you. It may be uncomfortable to take the road less traveled simply because your satnav suggests it’s the fastest one. Often, if you cannot see that a road is indeed congested, it is hard to believe it. Dare to take the alternative route offered by up-to-date navigation, because it is basing its recommendation on real-time traffic conditions on the route you are taking.
- Change your driving habits. Most often, traffic will peak at certain times of the day, depending on location. This is clear in each of the city pages in the TomTom Traffic Index report, where we provide the average congestion level for each hour of each day of the week. Use the information available to adjust your departure time accordingly. Leaving early or late from a location might mean avoiding time spent in traffic on the road.
- Consider alternatives. Does your trip have to be made by car? If your planned activity is time-sensitive and you cannot change your departure times, consider ride-sharing, public transport or non-motorized options such as cycling or scooters.
- Work with your city. Ultimately, improving mobility in our cities is a collaborative effort. Together, city authorities, vehicle manufacturers, traffic signal system providers, parking facilities, traffic information providers, shared mobility providers, startups and, most importantly, the public, are experimenting and transforming cities worldwide. Inform yourself of the initiatives taking place in your urban area and how you can benefit from them.
TheUAE
Abu Dhabi – ranked 410th globally with a congestion level of 10% which is a decrease of 1% vs. 2018,
Congestion level highways: 3% extra travel time stuck in traffic; and non-highways: 14%.
Congestion level morning travel peak: 17% (extra 5 minutes per 30 minutes trip); and evening travel peak: 18% (extra 5 minutes per 30 minutes trip)
Dubai – ranked 265th globally with a congestion level of 21% which is a decrease of 2% vs. 2018,
Congestion level highways: 16% extra travel time stuck in traffic; and non-highways: 26%.
Congestion level morning travel peak: 31% (extra 9 minutes per 30 minutes trip) and evening travel peak: 43% (extra 13 minutes per 30 minutes trip)
