Portsmouth drivers lose nearly 60 hours a year to traffic congestion

For millions of workers across the UK, the working day does not start when they log into their computer or arrive at the office. It begins long before that, sitting behind the wheel in slow-moving traffic, watching the minutes tick away. What should be a short commute can easily stretch into an exhausting journey, turning mornings and evenings into hours spent on congested roads.

While traffic congestion is a familiar problem nationwide, some cities leave workers far more affected than others. New research has revealed the UK cities where commuters lose the most time travelling to and from work, as well as the locations where journeys remain comparatively smoother.

Researchers at SavvyNomad analysed traffic data from the TomTom Traffic Index across 34 major UK cities to identify where congestion has the biggest impact on daily commutes. The study examined the average time required to travel 10 kilometres, the percentage of time lost due to congestion, and the estimated number of hours drivers lose each year in traffic.

Portsmouth ranks twenty-seventh among the UK cities where commuters lose the most time on the road. Workers travelling across the city spend 16 minutes and 51 seconds covering just 10 kilometres, with 41.7% of that journey lost to congestion during peak hours. Over the course of a year, that adds up to around 58 hours spent stuck in traffic, meaning many commuters still lose several full days annually sitting behind the wheel rather than at home or enjoying their free time.

Jameson Rader, spokesperson for SavvyNomad, commented on the study:

“Long commutes are one of the biggest hidden pressures on workers. Spending an extra hour or two each day in traffic reduces the time people have to rest, exercise or spend with their families. Over time that can lead to fatigue and higher stress levels. For companies, heavy congestion can also affect productivity. Employees arriving late because of unpredictable traffic or feeling exhausted after a long commute may struggle to maintain the same level of focus throughout the day.

“Cities that rely heavily on cars for commuting tend to experience the worst delays. When large numbers of workers are travelling the same routes at the same time, roads quickly reach their limit. Improving public transport, encouraging flexible working hours and supporting remote or hybrid work can all help reduce congestion. When commuting demand spreads more evenly across the day, roads become far less overloaded.”

List of the UK cities with the most traffic congestion: