By Sam Sorabjee
Gridlock traffic consumes almost all roads in Britain’s biggest city, and travel times continue to get worse, despite increased regulation to reduce the number of cars on the road. In fact, it has gotten so bad that London tops a report conducted by TomTom, deeming the city the most congested in the world.
This infrastructure failure leaves drivers visibly irritated as they grind their way slowly towards their destination. Uber and delivery drivers melee their way through the traffic, putting their clutch through its paces as the vehicle slowly creeps forward, beaten only by the pedestrians walking on the pavement.
Shohidul Islam, a private car hire driver from Haringey, described the current state as “terrible”. He says: “There are bus lanes empty while everyone sits in traffic. It’s better driving at night because you don’t have to deal with all this.”
The five most congested roads in the United Kingdom were found to be in London. In 2022, Londoners spent an average of 325 hours in rush-hour per year, and had an average travel speed of 14 kph, significantly worse than second in the rankings, Bangalore, India, who averaged 260 hours in rush-hour per year and an average travel speed of 18 kph.
More vans and cars
A report on private car ownership by Centre For London, an independent think tank based in London, says that “car ownership in London has remained largely unchanged over the last few years”. With the rise of online shopping and taxi hire apps, more vans and cars are on the road then ever before.
This has been made even worse by the rise in population in the capital, becoming one of the most densely populated cities in Europe with a population of almost nine million, an increase of one million people since 2010. The limited road infrastructure that is restricted by space has means these narrow streets have reached maximum capacity.
Holloway Road traffic and construction. Photograph by Sam Sorabjee
George Herbert, 27, is a surveyor in London and said, “I try not to drive during rush hour and it’s not too bad, subject to roadworks. I pretty much only drive for work, or if I’m being really lazy. Mostly I will use public transport or cycle because I don’t have to worry about parking, drink driving, and cycling is just enjoyable, I find it relaxing. If I’m sitting in traffic for ages, it just stresses me out.”
A consequence of heaving congestion is often stress-induced road rage. This can have catastrophic effects on the individual, greatly increasing their chances of getting into a road accident, but also outbursts of anger can increase blood pressure, which may increase the risk of both strokes and heart attacks.
GIF from GIF Keyboard
Push to cycle, walk and use public transport
Urban construction has also been a contributing factor, with large amount of road spaces required when constructing, and an increasing amounts of HVGs on the road.
As part of a scheme to reduce the number of vehicles on the road, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, is pushing to encourage more people to walk, cycle and use public transport. At the London Assembly in 2022, Khan said “Three-quarters of congestion is caused by demand for road space exceeding supply, with traffic on London’s roads costing the capital’s economy more than £5.1 billion a year.
“Sustainable modes such as walking, cycling and buses can move more people while taking up significantly less space than cars. More than a third of car trips made by Londoners could be walked in under 25 minutes and two-thirds could be cycled in under 20 minutes.
“By prioritising space for these modes, we can make them more attractive choices, reducing traffic and making the best use of the limited road space available.”
Khan has also expanded London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) to the North, and South Circular roads, hoping to reduce the pollution levels in the city by reducing the number of polluting vehicles on the road, but this has received pushback from campaigners.
A petition has been launched by John Wyszomierski, calling to stop the Mayor’s ULEZ extension, and has reached over 250,000 signatures. In the petition, Mr. Wyszomierski said, “The extension of the London Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) to the North and South Circular Roads will price working Londoners off the roads! OUTER LONDON IS RESIDENTIAL & should NOT be subject to the ULEZ!
“A stealth tax & NOTHING to do with air pollution! Also, what steps have Transport for London taken to cope with the already struggling bus, tube & train services ??ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!”
Contributing to air pollution
Despite pushback, Khan has been a major advocate for clean London’s air pollution since being diagnosed with adult-onset asthma, caused by toxic air pollution in London. In a recent interview with the Guardian, Khan said “I got asthma by running in the city, how many people don’t realise they are stuck with breathing nitrogen oxide? You can’t see it, but it’s damaging every cell and organ.”
Asthma deaths
The death of nine-year-old Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah in 2013 shone a light on the situation. Ella had an asthma attack and the coroner’s report found that air pollution “made a material contribution” to Ella’s death.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) reports that globally, air pollution causes over seven million pre-mature deaths per year, and a push for cleaner transport is critical.
As Londoners try to navigate the gridlock, the congestion challenges can only be fixed through a major cultural shift. City space must be used efficiently, and investment in public transport and cycling to encourage people to use these options, while simultaneously improving the air quality and health for London’s growing population.
Leave a Reply