If you thought navigating the labyrinthine streets of Jakarta was a nightmare, spare a thought for the poor souls trying to weave their way through the chaos of London. The latest TomTom Traffic Index has declared London as the undisputed king of congestion for 2023, leaving Jakarta trailing in its wake at a humble 30th spot.
While Jakarta may have marginally improved its standing from the previous year, the actual travel times tell a different story. In 2022, it took an average of 22 minutes and 40 seconds to cover 10 kilometers in Jakarta. Fast forward to 2023, and that time has bloated to 23 minutes and 20 seconds. That’s a whole 40 seconds added to your daily commute.
The data from the TomTom Traffic Index for 2023 paints a bleak picture for the people of Jakarta, who collectively spent a mind-numbing 117 hours – that’s 4 days and 21 hours – gridlocked in traffic over the course of the year. The zenith of this traffic Armageddon hit on March 9, 2023, when a soul-crushing 30 minutes and 10 seconds were wasted covering just 10 kilometers in Jakarta.
But Londoners had it even tougher, enduring an average of 37 minutes and 20 seconds for the same distance. This global index, comprising 387 cities from 55 countries and 6 continents, considered travel times, fuel costs, and CO2 emissions in its evaluation.
TomTom’s official statement highlighted the financial strain on commuters due to the extended travel times, with fuel costs soaring by 15% or more in over 60% of surveyed cities. This surge in fuel consumption has naturally led to a spike in CO2 emissions per vehicle.
The complete list of the top 30 most congested cities for 2023 is as follows:
1. London, England
2. Dublin, Ireland
3. Toronto, Canada
4. Milan, Italy
5. Lima, Peru
6. Bengaluru, India
7. Bucharest, Romania
8. Manila, Philippines
9. Brussels, Belgium
10. Taichung, Taiwan
11. Rome, Italy
12. Mexico City, Mexico
13. Sapporo, Japan
14. Bordeaux, France
15. Paris, France
16. Kaohsiung, Taiwan
17. Turin, Italy
18. Bogota, Colombia
19. New York, United States
20. Wroclaw, Poland
21. Geneva, Switzerland
22. Buenos Aires, Argentina
23. Messina, Italy
24. Nagoya, Japan
25. Hamburg, Germany
26. Tokyo, Japan
27. Zurich, Switzerland
28. Manchester, England
29. Jakarta, Indonesia
The escalating traffic chaos in major cities worldwide demands immediate attention. It’s high time for sustainable and efficient transportation solutions to be rolled out, not just in Jakarta and London, but in every congested city across the globe.
