(06 November 2013) – TomTom, the Dutch manufacturer of automotive navigation systems, today released the 6th edition of its Traffic Index which reveals that on average, commuters around the world are spending 8 working days a year stuck in traffic. Seven EU cities are in the world’s top ten most congested cities.
The Traffic Index compares travel times during non-congested hours (free flow) with travel times in peak hours in 160 cities. The difference is a congestion level expressed in percentages. The Index takes into account local roads and highways.
Based on these comparisons, the report has compiled the world’s most congested cities, ranked by overall Congestion Level, in the second quarter of 2013. The three most congested cities are Moscow (congestion level of 65%), Istanbul (57%) and Rio de Janeiro (50%).
According to TomTom executives, the traditional responses to tackling congestion, like building new roads or widening existing ones, are no longer proving effective. The way traffic is managed needs significant change.