TomTom Traffic Index of 416 cities also shows Dubai fared slightly better last year

Smooth flow of traffic in Abu Dhabi Image Credit:

Abu Dhabi/Dubai: UAE’s Abu Dhabi has been named as the least congested capital city in the ninth annual TomTom Traffic Index, which also showed that congestion in Dubai improved slightly.

TomTom, the Amsterdam-headquartered CSR partner of RoadSafetyUAE, on Saturday released the results of the index, detailing the traffic situation in 416 cities in 57 countries in 2019.

Abu Dhabi ranked 410th globally with a congestion level of 10 per cent, a decrease of one per cent from 2018.

Dubai came in 265th with a congestion level of 21 per cent, improving two per cent since 2018.

Least congested

Globally, least congested (nine per cent) was Greensboro-High Point in the US, followed by six cities all at 10 per cent (including Abu Dhabi and Cadiz, Spain), and then Little Rock, USA, at 11 per cent.

Worst delays

Bengaluru took the top spot with drivers in the southern Indian city expecting to spend an average of 71 per cent extra travel time stuck in traffic.

Next in the global rankings were Philippine capital Manila (71 per cent); Bogota in Colombia (68 per cent); Mumbai (65 per cent), which was last year’s most congested city; and Pune (59 per cent), also in India; making up the top five most congested cities in the world.

The TomTom Traffic Index report is available online (https://www.tomtom.com/en_gb/traffic-index/) and allows visitors to explore the traffic situation in their own city, with live traffic information.

Congestion up

Traffic congestion has increased globally during the last decade, and the 239 cities (57 per cent) TomTom included in the new Traffic Index report had increased congestion levels between 2018 and 2019, with only 63 cities showing measurable decreases.

This global increase in congestion, despite being an indicator of a strong economy, is understood to cost economies billions.

Ralf-Peter Schäfer, TomTom’s VP of Traffic Information, said: “Globally, there’s a long road to travel until congestion levels are brought under control. In time, the rise of autonomous vehicles and car-sharing services will help alleviate congestion, but planners and policymakers can’t afford to sit and wait.”

He added:”They need to use all the tools available to them to analyse traffic levels and impacts, so they can make critical infrastructure decisions. And drivers have a role to play too. Small changes in driving behaviours can make a huge difference.”

Analysing real-time incidents and congestion, TomTom’s Real-Time Traffic is used in millions of cars on the road around the world.

HOW TO BEAT TRAFFIC

Plan before you go. Take a few moments before heading out the door to inform yourself on the road conditions

Trust technology. Dare to take the alternative route offered by up-to-date navigation, because it is basing its recommendation on real-time traffic conditions on the route you are taking.

Consider alternatives. Consider ride-sharing, public transport or non-motorised options such as cycling or scooters.