One European city has been found to be the most congested in the continent largely due to its population, concentrated in a relatively small area.
A new analysis further investigated congestion levels in European cities, finding London to top the list for the fourth year in a row.
This analysis was done by traffic analytics company, Inrix, which found London to also have the fifth most clogged roads in the world overall.
According to Inrix 2024 Global Traffic Scorecard, the British capital city accounted for a whopping half of all UK traffic delays.
The analysis also found that these delays cost roughly £3.85 billion (€4.64 billion) in lost time or £942 (€1,135) per driver.
Among the causes of London’s high congestion rates was the concentration of most businesses in central London, which caused a massive influx of commuters during peak hours.
Other factors include London’s limited road space, the frequent construction projects and roadworks which further disrupted traffic flow. The large population of the capital being gathered in a relatively small area, however, was detected as one of the most prominent reasons leading to the title of most congested.
Bob Pishue, a transportation analyst and author of the report, said: “While the UK did see a slight increase in congestion again this year, overall congestion has remained steady.”
He added: “Roadworks in key corridors such as M25 Wisely Interchange caused considerable traffic on a main artery into the capital.”
Climate charity Possible reiterated these concerns and wrote on social media site X saying: “For the fourth year in a row, London takes top spot for the most congested city in Europe.
“This is a nightmare for the climate, Londoners’ health, and the economy. We need to be bolder in getting people walking, cycling & using public transport.”
Although London was the main spot for congestion in the UK, Pishue added that many other cities outside the capital also saw a major increase in traffic issues.
The analysis found that across the UK, drivers had spent an average of 62 hours stuck in traffic in 2024.
This conclusion came after Inrix analysed factors including the length of delays driver endure, weighted by the number of people living in each city
A spokesperson for the local government body has stated that they’re “committed to making sure Londoners can move around the capital as safely, sustainably and efficiently as possible”.
They added: “We support the movement of everyone across London and our investment in walking, cycling and public transport is making it easier to choose sustainable ways of travelling, helping to cut congestion.
“Our network includes some of the busiest roads in the country and we continue to invest in world-leading programmes to make sure roads are used as efficiently as possible.”
London – 101 hours spent in traffic in a year
Paris – 97 hours spent in traffic in a year
Dublin – 81 hours spent in traffic in a year
Rome – 71 hours spent in traffic in a year
Brussels – 74 hours spent in traffic in a year