That’s according to the TomTom Traffic Index, which also reports that the total cost for congestion to the UK was up by £150 million last year.
The research calculates the cost by using traffic congestion data multiplied by the National Minimum Wage and by the number of LCVs and HGVs (identified by vehicle licensing data from the DVLA) operating in the 25 busiest cities or towns.
The biggest financial hit was felt in London, where £264 million is lost to traffic each year, followed by Manchester (£169,256,880) and the Birmingham area, including Wolverhampton (£144,184,320).
“Traffic remains a serious issue for business and the resulting delays have potential implications for productivity, customer service standards and even employee wellbeing,” says Beverley Wise, director for the UK & Ireland at TomTom Telematics.
“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% this year.”
She urges operators to look at smarter working schedules and shift patterns to avoid peak times, adding: “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.”