Congestion cost for Manchester hitting £169m
RESEARCH FINDS THAT DRIVERS LOSE 21 WORKING DAYS BEHIND THE WHEEL
TRAFFIC congestion is costing Manchester’s economy £169m a year, new research claims.
A study by telematics company TomTom analysed the amount of working hours lost from time sitting in traffic.
The research found that vehicles spend an average of 169 hours a year on the region’s roads - with drivers losing an estimated 21 working days behind the wheel.
And average journeys are 38 per cent longer than then should be.
This is according to the research from the TomTom Traffic Index, which measures congestion on the road networks of 390 cities around the world.
Manchester is ranked as the fourth most congested city in the UK behind, London, Edinburgh and Belfast, which is top.
The situation is getting worse, according to the study which found the cost of lost productivity in Manchester increased by more than £11m in the past year.
Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham is planning a dramatic overhaul of the region’s transport system within three years using a raft of measures.
Beverley Wise, director UK & Ireland for TomTom Telematics, said: “Traffic remains a serious issue for business and the resulting delays have potential implications for productivity, customer service standards and even employee wellbeing.”
“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 per cent this year.
“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.”
Manchester is not alone with what is a nationwide problem, with the cost to the local economies in the UK’s 25 most congested cities and towns standing at almost £1bn.
The biggest financial hit was felt in London, where £264m is lost to traffic each year.