Congested Commutes

The cities where drivers face the worst congestion

Dealing with rush-hour traffic is an unfortunate reality for many people in their daily commutes. While some cities like London, Newcastle, Paris and Berlin have well-developed metro systems that have the capability to shuttle thousands of people to work each day, most cities still rely on road transport to get their residents moving.

Travelling in heavy traffic can be a highly frustrating experience, especially when you’re rushing to your desk in the morning or feeling tired after a long day at work.

Sitting in gridlocked traffic not only means you are spending more time breathing in harmful exhaust fumes from the vehicles around you, but it also means you are burning more fuel yourself, adding to the overall cost of your drive. If you’re looking to invest in a vehicle for commuting to work, the cost of extra fuel can quickly add up, which you would need to budget for alongside the existing costs of insurance, tax, car finance and maintenance.

With this in mind, we wanted to highlight the cities in the UK and Europe with the worst congestion. We will look at the average number of hours lost to congestion per year and the average resulting emissions and wasted fuel.

We’ll also consider which cities enforce low-emission zones to reduce pollution from road traffic. These zones protect the environment and people’s health by removing the most polluting vehicles from the roads and encouraging public transport use.

Belfast drivers face the worst congestion in the UK

1. Belfast

Belfast has the worst Congestion Score in the UK at 0.73 out of 10. The Northern Irish capital sees drivers spend 58 hours each year stuck in traffic, costing them just over £100 in wasted fuel. Belfast does not have an active low-emission zone, though the annual 143 kg of CO2 emitted by the average driver in the city could highlight the need for one.

Congestion score:

0.73 /10

2. Manchester

Closely following in second place is Manchester, which earned a Congestion Score of 0.84. This major city in the North West of England sees drivers spend an average of 46 hours stuck in traffic each year, releasing 150 kg of CO2 and costing Mancunian commuters £107 in wasted fuel. However, Greater Manchester does have a tram system, connecting surrounding towns to the city centre, so there are at least options for some commuters wishing to avoid the congested roads.

Congestion score:

0.84 /10

3. Brighton and Hove

Brighton and Hove takes third place after receiving a Congestion Score of 1.46. The charming coastal resort city is one of the most popular locations on the south coast for day trips and relocating from London. However, this small city’s infrastructure can only handle so much traffic, with drivers wasting 46 hours annually due to congestion and burning £100 of fuel.

Congestion score:

1.46 /10
KEY: Congestion: Average annual hours lost per commuter Congestion: Average additional CO2 emissions caused Congestion: Average cost of wasted fuel per commuter LEZ class Congestion score /10

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The Newcastle-Sunderland metro area saw the lowest level of congestion

1. Newcastle-Sunderland

Newcastle and Sunderland is the metropolitan area with the best congestion score, scoring 8.54 out of 10. Commuters in the Tyne and Weir area can expect to lose 32 hours to congestion each year, wasting £41 of fuel and producing an additional 58 kg of CO2. Newcastle is one of the few UK cities to have enforced a clean air zone, banning the most polluting vehicles from the roads, which may have helped to reduce traffic in the busiest areas. Newcastle and Sunderland are also connected by an extensive Metro system, allowing locals to travel across the whole metropolitan area without using a car.

Congestion score:

8.54 /10

2. Portsmouth

The city of Portsmouth earned the second-best Congestion Score in the UK at 7.92. Sitting on the banks of the Solent on England’s south coast, Portsmouth is another UK city with an active clean air zone in operation, although this zone only applies to buses, HGVs, taxis and private hire vehicles. Commuters in the city lose 26 hours annually due to congestion, releasing 93 kg of CO2 and wasting £66 of fuel.

Congestion score:

7.92 /10

3. Middlesbrough

The third-best Congestion Score is in the North Yorkshire town of Middlesbrough, which borders Stockton-on-Tees and County Durham to the North. Middlesbrough earned a Congestion Score of 7.29, with every other city thereafter earning a score below seven. Commuters in the town lose an average of 23 hours to congestion each year, which is the lowest in our study. However, with no clean air zone active in the area, an average of £47 of wasted fuel and 66 kg of additional CO2 emissions, Middlesbrough couldn’t quite secure the lowest overall score.

Congestion score:

7.29 /10
KEY: Congestion: Average annual hours lost per commuter Congestion: Average additional CO2 emissions caused Congestion: Average cost of wasted fuel per commuter LEZ class Congestion score /10

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Commuters in Belfast and Edinburgh lost the most hours to congestion

The Scottish and Northern Irish capitals, Belfast and Edinburgh, were tied for the most hours lost to congestion, with commuters losing an average of 58 hours each year being stuck in traffic. Unlike Belfast, Edinburgh does operate a low emission zone in part of the city, applicable to all vehicles other than mopeds and motorcycles, which helps to keep the roads clear of the most polluting vehicles.

Commuters in Preston wasted the most fuel and produced the most additional CO2 due to congestion

The city of Preston in Lancashire saw commuters waste the most fuel due to bad traffic, with drivers losing £123 on average each year. Local commuters also produced the most additional CO2 because of congestion, emitting an extra 173 kg annually. Despite these high figures, Preston commuters only lost 30 hours on average due to bad traffic. Roads in Preston are known for being busier than most, with the city acting as an economic centre for the county and attracting commuters from a wide area.

Twelve UK cities have implemented clean air zones

Clean air zones have been introduced in twelve UK cities, with eight in England and four in Scotland, including the London ULEZ area. These zones have been implemented to reduce the number of the most polluting vehicles on the roads in busy areas.

All UK CAZ (clean air zone) areas have the same minimum standards for vehicle emissions, which can be seen in the table below.

  • Vehicle type - CAZ minimum standard
  • Motorcycles and mopeds (optional) - Euro 3
  • Vans, minibuses, taxis, private hire vehicles, cars - Euro 4 (petrol engine) and Euro 6 (diesel engine)
  • Buses, coaches, heavy goods vehicles - Euro VI
  • Ultra-low emission vehicles - Automatically compliant

However, while CAZ minimum standards may be uniform in the UK, the types of vehicles to which they apply are not. The vehicles covered by each CAZ are represented by a grading system, as seen in the following table.

KEY: Mopeds & Motorcycles Cars Minibuses Vans Taxis & Private Hire Vehicle HGVs Coaches & Buses

Zone types

Drivers of vehicles that do not meet the minimum emissions standards for a CAZ will need to pay a charge. These vary in severity between each zone, so we have compiled the data into a single table below, showing the daily charges applicable to each CAZ.

KEY: Mopeds & Motorcycles Cars Minibuses Vans Taxis & Private Hire Vehicle HGVs Coaches & Buses

City - Clean Air Zone Type

The only city in the UK where mopeds and motorcycles are subject to daily charges for not meeting emissions standards is London, where the rules of the ULEZ see drivers of these two-wheeled vehicles paying £12.50 per day if the vehicle is overly polluting.

In Scotland, all vehicles in low-emission zones, other than motorcycles and mopeds, that do not meet the minimum emissions standards will incur a £60 fine. A new charge of double the amount is issued each subsequent time a vehicle breaks the rules within 90 days. This increases to a maximum of £480 for cars, LGVs and special purpose vehicles and up to £960 for buses, minibuses and HGVs.

Three cities in England apply minimum emissions standards to passenger cars. In Birmingham, the charge for non-compliant vehicles is £8 per day, while in Bristol, this is a £9 charge and in London it is £12.50.

Non-compliant taxis and private hire vehicles are charged in every UK CAZ, with the lowest daily charge of £7 found in the Bradford clean air zone. Minibuses and vans, on the other hand, are subject to charges in all CAZ areas other than Portsmouth, with the lowest actual daily charge of £8 seen in Birmingham.

HGVs, buses and coaches are subject to charges in all UK CAZ and LEZ areas, with the lowest daily rate of £50 found in Birmingham, Bradford, Portsmouth, Sheffield and Tyneside.

Dublin is the city with the worst congestion in Europe

1. Dublin, Ireland

The Irish capital city of Dublin received the worst Congestion Score in our index of major European cities at 0.41 out of 10. Commuters in Dublin spend an average of 68 hours each year stuck in traffic, wasting €164 of fuel and producing a massive 223 kg of additional CO2. There is also no low emission zone (LEZ) for passenger vehicles in the city, meaning many cars may be producing higher levels of CO2 than modern minimum standards allow for.

Congestion score:

0.41 /10

2. Bucharest, Romania

Bucharest, the capital city of Romania, has the second-lowest Congestion Score of 0.86. Commuters in the city lose a whopping 106 hours each year due to bad traffic conditions while also wasting €123 of fuel and producing 181 kg of additional CO2. No LEZ for passenger vehicles exists in the city.

Congestion score:

0.86 /10

3. Bern, Switzerland

Bern, the administrative capital of Switzerland, has the third-worst Congestion Score in Europe at 1.65. Bern is an old medieval city with modern-day political and economic importance within Switzerland. This importance means the city attracts both tourists and commuters, putting pressure on the city’s traffic infrastructure. Commuters in Bern may only lose an average of 36 hours to congestion each year, but they could be wasting as much as €195 of fuel and producing 223 kg of additional CO2.

Congestion score:

1.65 /10
KEY: Congestion: Average annual hours lost per commuter Congestion: Average additional CO2 emissions caused Congestion: Average cost of wasted fuel per commuter LEZ affecting private cars? Congestion score /10

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Zaragoza is the European city least-affected by congestion

1. Zaragoza, Spain

The European city with the best Congestion Score is Zaragoza, the historic capital of Spain’s northern Aragon region. Earning a score of 8.70 out of 10, Zaragoza offers drivers the best commuting experience. On average, commuters in the city lose just 19 hours per year to bad traffic, while they waste €38 per year on fuel and produce 50 kg of additional CO2. Zaragoza also has a low-emission zone in the city centre, which restricts access to all vehicle types if they do not meet the minimum emissions standards.

Congestion score:

8.70 /10

2. Stuttgart, Germany

The German city of Stuttgart, in the country's southwest, has the second-best Congestion Score in Europe at 7.69. Commuters in Stuttgart lose an average of 25 hours to bad traffic each year, along with €71 of fuel, and produce an additional 87 kg of CO2 due to congestion. Stuttgart also has a low emission zone, which applies a minimum emission standard to vehicles entering the city, including passenger cars.

Congestion score:

7.69 /10

3. Madrid, Spain

The Spanish capital of Madrid is the city with the third-highest Congestion Score in Europe at 7.49. Despite its administrative, economic and political status, Madrid has bucked the trend of terrible congestion plaguing capital cities, with the average commuter losing just 21 hours to bad traffic per year. However, on average, these commuters still spend €77 on wasted fuel and produce an additional 100 kg of CO2 due to congestion. Like Zaragoza and many other Spanish cities, Madrid enforces a low-emission zone limiting access to more heavily polluting vehicles, including passenger cars.

Congestion score:

7.49 /10
KEY: Congestion: Average annual hours lost per commuter Congestion: Average additional CO2 emissions caused Congestion: Average cost of wasted fuel per commuter LEZ affecting private cars? Congestion score /10

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Commuters in Bucharest lost the most hours to congestion

The European city where commuters lose the most hours to congestion is Bucharest, the capital of Romania, with an average of 106 hours spent in traffic. However, the city does have a metro system, with four different lines and very affordable tickets, so avoiding the busy roads is possible.

Commuters in Dublin and Bern produced the most CO2 due to congestion

Commuters in Dublin and Bern produced the most CO2 in Europe due to congestion, with an average of 223 kg emitted each year. Drivers caught in slow traffic in these cities would do well to keep their windows shut to avoid breathing in the polluting fumes.

Commuters in Bern wasted the most money on fuel because of congestion

Bern saw the most money spent on fuel wasted due to congestion, with an average of €195. Switzerland has some of the most expensive petrol in Europe, so wasting it stuck in traffic jams is even more frustrating for affected drivers.

Approximately half of large European cities have implemented low-emission zones which affect passenger cars

Low-emission zones are growing in popularity worldwide, and many major European cities have been quick to implement them in recent years. Of the 51 cities in our study, as many as 27 have low-emission zones restricting passenger car use, which equals 53%. This number is even higher when looking at other vehicle types, such as vans, buses and HGVs.

The popularity of these zones shows an acknowledgement of the detrimental effects of congestion on public health and the environment. By restricting access to the most polluting vehicles, the inhabitants of these cities are protected from polluted air, more cars are taken off the road, and the public is incentivised to use more public transport, further reducing congestion.

Methodology

The data is accurate as of January 2024.

We wanted to investigate congestion in UK and European cities. We used data from the TomTom Traffic Index to record the number of hours lost, the amount of additional CO2 produced, and the cost of fuel wasted due to congestion. This data was collected on 03/01/23 and assumes a 10km rush-hour commute within each city’s greater metro area.

The UK cities included in the study were the 25 available on the TomTom Traffic Index, while the European cities chosen included capital cities and some of the largest cities by population across the continent. Cities in Ukraine and Russia were excluded due to the ongoing conflict.

We also included data showing which cities had implemented clean air zones to help combat the pollution caused by congested traffic. For the European data, we only included data showing the cities where passenger vehicles had to adhere to minimum emissions standards. This data was collected on 09/01/23 from sources such as Green-Zones.eu, EnvironmentalBadge.com and Clean Air Fund.

Data for the UK’s CAZ and LEZ areas was collected on 08/01/23. As the emissions requirements are standardised across the UK, we were able to go more in-depth in comparing these zones, with each city being graded from 0-5 based on whether they had a zone and, if so, the types of vehicles affected. This data was sourced from GOV.uk.

The TomTom data and CAZ/LEZ data were combined into a single Congestion Score, with a higher score indicating worse congestion and vice versa. The UK and Europe sections had separate scores calculated due to the more in-depth CAZ data used for UK cities, so scores are not directly comparable between the two sections.

We also carried out a separate comparison of all the CAZ and LEZ areas in the UK, including those CAZ areas in cities not included in our wider study. This allowed us to compare the daily charges for using different vehicle types in the country in different clean air and low emission zones. Data for this was collected on 09/01/23 using sources such as bradford.gov, Cleaner Air Portsmouth and brumbreathes.co.uk.