Skip to main content

UK traffic jams cost drivers £426mn in wasted fuel, report claims

Traffic jams in the UK are costing the country's 8.2 million drivers US$683.31 million (£426mn) a year in wasted fuel, according to an estimate in a report by the analytics firm Inrix. The cost, which equates to £52 a vehicle, is on top of an estimated wasted driver time cost of £2.7bn. Out of the traffic on the country's roads during the day Inrix states that 19% is freight, with business vehicles passing on £1.1 billion of costs every year to consumers in order to cover the cost of them waiting in traffic
December 10, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
Traffic jams in the UK are costing the country's 8.2 million drivers US$683.31 million (£426mn) a year in wasted fuel, according to an estimate in a report by the analytics firm 5367 INRIX.

The cost, which equates to £52 a vehicle, is on top of an estimated wasted driver time cost of £2.7bn.

Out of the traffic on the country's roads during the day Inrix states that 19% is freight, with business vehicles passing on £1.1 billion of costs every year to consumers in order to cover the cost of them waiting in traffic.

Inrix argues that if up-to-date information was properly processed, congestion levels could be reduced by up to 10%. It points out that 40% of national congestion related costs can be attributed to London, despite only 33% of people there driving a car in comparison to 69% across the UK. However, it states that Manchester is the UK's most congested city. Despite this, Inrix claims that congestion levels have reduced by 11% over the past year, which it attributes to tougher economic conditions and higher fuel prices.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Cutting road deaths around the world
    February 27, 2020
    A new funding source will help cut road deaths around the world.
  • TISPOL Conference: autonomous vehicles high on safety agenda
    February 2, 2017
    Safety and autonomous vehicles exercised the minds of some of Europe’s senior police officers at the recent TISPOL European Traffic Police Network Conference in the UK. The European Union looks like missing its target of halving the number of people killed on its roads each year by 2020. Just when European police forces are trying to get back on target, along comes the autonomous vehicle with all its inherent safety issues.
  • Joy riding
    August 15, 2019
    Our Skidmarks page is highly rated by readers. Your input could help make this page even more entertaining. If you come across any amusing road-related stories or pictures email me at [email protected] JOY RIDING A couple in the US recently took advantage of the self-driving features of a Tesla car for reasons other than transportation. They ignored the suggestions from Tesla to remain alert even when the vehicle was using its self-drive mode and instead engaged in sexual acts, which they recorded on vid
  • Hyundai now offering fuel cell cars to customers
    October 22, 2014
    Hyundai is now offering fuel cell-powered cars to customers on a limited basis for selected markets around the globe. The firm’s first ix35 Fuel Cell vehicles have now arrived in the UK for instance. This continues Hyundai’s international roll-out of the world’s first series-production hydrogen-fuelled car. Hyundai is the first car manufacturer to supply these zero-emission vehicles to paying customers in the UK, paving the way for growth of the clean technology, having led its research and development si