Istanbul ranked first in the world in terms of hours lost in traffic last year, followed by New York, Chicago, London and Mexico City.
ISTANBUL (AA) – YUNUS TÜRK – According to the information compiled by the AA correspondent from the “2024 Global Traffic Scoreboard” report published by the US-based global software and data company INRIX, the report includes transportation data and trends among 946 urban areas analyzed worldwide.
Worldwide Traffic Situation
The findings in the report enable highway authorities, transportation planners, engineers, policy makers and the public to monitor and measure traffic in their areas, according to the report. It is stated that the movement of people, goods and services creates demand for road travel, but when demand exceeds the supply of road space, it causes traffic congestion.
Traffic is also seen as a barometer for the economy, the report said, adding, “This means that traffic congestion is a symptom of economic activity, even though it has a negative impact on the economy.” statement was made.
Istanbul’s Place in Traffic
According to the report, Istanbul tops the list of the most congested urban areas in terms of hours lost with 105 hours. The report states that traffic delays in Istanbul have increased by 15 percent since 2023, surpassing the 102 hours lost in traffic in New York and Chicago. These cities are followed by London with 101 hours and Mexico City with 97 hours.
“While many of the top-ranked metro areas in 2023 will continue to be on the list of most congested metro areas in 2024, many regions have shifted, including Istanbul topping the list for the first time,” the report said. The expression was used.
The report reported that in the global top 100 rankings, 69 cities experienced more delays compared to 2023, 22 saw fewer delays, and 9 had almost no change in delays.
Traffic Delays in the US and UK
According to the report, in the USA last year, in addition to New York and Chicago, the hours lost in traffic were 88 for Los Angeles, 79 for Boston and 77 for Philadelphia. Thus, US cities came to the fore in the ranking. The average US driver loses 43 hours, the equivalent of a full workweek, due to traffic congestion, resulting in $771 worth of lost time. The report also pointed out that drivers in the USA mainly prefer Fridays for travel, and that trips increase more on that day than on all other weekdays.
The report stated that the influx of workers also had an impact outside working hours, and said, “Travels to US city centers increased faster on weekends and especially on weekend nights than on weekdays. “This may indicate that the vitality and mobility of city centers has increased following the damage caused by Covid-19 to office-dominated city centers.” It was said.
Transportation Planning and City Life
The report noted that working from home decreased by 8 percent in the USA, and said, “Among major urban metro areas, technology-heavy San Jose, San Francisco and Seattle saw the largest decreases in working from home. “According to the most recent data available, the number of people working remotely in the San Jose Metro Area dropped 33 percent between 2022 and 2023.” information was given.
– Motorists in the UK lose around £581 worth of time commuting
It is stated in the report that there are differences between EU countries in terms of traffic delays, “For example, while delays increased in only half of the urban areas analyzed in France, more delays were seen in 65 percent of the areas in neighboring Spain.” statement was made.
The report noted that delays increased in 53 urban areas, corresponding to approximately 73 percent of the urban areas examined in Germany.
The report also stated that both British and Germans traveled to the city center more frequently in 2024 compared to the previous year.
Traffic delays across the UK remained relatively constant in 2024, while congestion varied in urban areas across the country. London retained its top spot, representing half of the delay in the entire country.
While drivers in the UK lose an average of 61 hours, or around £581 worth, of time commuting to work, the average German driver loses 43 hours in traffic congestion, equating to £470 worth of lost time per driver.
It was also stated in the report that remote and hybrid working remained relatively stable in the United Kingdom.
