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Traffic jams costing LCV fleets £767m a year

So says TomTom as it warns fleets that telematics is a key solution in mitigating congestion.

Analysis by the TomTom Traffic Index found traffic across the UK’s 25 most congested cities and towns increases the time each vehicle spends on the road by an average of 127 hours a year – more than 16 working days. This could equate to a cost of £767,937,2502 in time spent sitting in traffic for the 902,500 light commercial vehicles operated in these cities and towns.

The biggest financial hit was felt in London, where £237 million is lost to traffic each year, followed by Manchester (£157,729,390) and Birmingham (£81,364,800).

And the situation seems to be getting worse. An average journey in 2015 took 29% longer than it would in free-flowing conditions, up from a 25% delay in 2010. 

“Traffic congestion may be seen as a fact of life for every driver but, cumulatively, it is taking a heavy toll on the UK economy and this should not be accepted as an inevitability,” said Beverley Wise, director UK & Ireland for TomTom Telematics.

“Through smarter planning, routing and scheduling, companies can help their drivers to better avoid traffic, which could not only have an impact on productivity but also customer service. Previous research conducted by TomTom Telematics among UK van drivers found 90% admit to arriving late for customer appointments – with 93% per cent citing traffic as the reason.”

Wise added: “Telematics solutions can help businesses mitigate the effect of traffic congestion and minimise time spent on the road. Firstly, drivers can be navigated along the fastest routes based on anticipated congestion spots and traffic information. But the data provided by telematics, including GPS location, ETAs and job status, can also be used to inform smarter planning where daily schedules are optimised to help ensure the most appropriate driver is sent to each job at the most appropriate time.”

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Written by Natalie Middleton

Natalie has worked as a fleet journalist for over 20 years, previously as assistant editor on the former Company Car magazine before joining Fleet World in 2006. Prior to this, she worked on a range of B2B titles, including Insurance Age and Insurance Day.

Natalie edits all the Fleet World websites and newsletters, and loves to hear about any latest industry news.

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