The private car remains the most common mode of transportation for the population. In its own presence it provides individual autonomy and immediacy, but at the same time it is the cause of traffic jams and pollution. A British insurer quantified some of the parameters derived from the use of the car: hours lost in traffic jams as well as the current number of Low Emission Zones (ZBE) in the world. The conclusion is that Spain is one of the European countries that has established the fewest such sites.
With traffic congestion returning after the pandemic, insurance company GoShorty analyzed the TomTom Congestion Index to determine which cities have the busiest roads. Including the number of hours lost per year in traffic jams and traffic jams by their drivers, these are the most crowded vehicles on the entire planet:
1.- Turkey, Istanbul
Annual lost hours: 142 | Occlusion level: 62%
Although Istanbul is technically located along the Bosphorus in both Europe and Asia, it is the most populous city in Turkey and Europe. As of 2021, it has a congestion level of 62%, making it the world’s most congested city. This is an 11% increase compared to 2020 and means car journeys will take 62% longer on average. This also resulted in about 142 hours spent in traffic jams, which is the equivalent of almost 6 full days!
2.- Colombia, Bogota
Hours lost per year: 126 | Occlusion level: 55%
Another capital is Bogotá, this time one of the largest cities in the world, located almost exactly in the center of Colombia. For Bogota, congestion levels were 55% in 2021, which seems high, but only a 2% increase over the previous year. However, Bogota lost 126 hours during the year due to traffic, which made driving in the city less attractive.
3.- India, Mumbai
Hours lost per year: 121 | Occlusion level: 53%
Mumbai (Bombay) is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra and is the eighth most populous city in the world with a population of approximately 20 million. The city is also home to three UNESCO World Heritage Sites, a display of the city’s rich cultural heritage. While the city has a congestion rate of 53%, the same as in 2020, at least there is no increase in this statistic. Additionally, it fell 12% from the 2019 rate, marking a positive shift in traffic and potentially emissions for the city.
Low Emission Zones (ZBE)
Faced with these examples of unsustainable traffic, the study also analyzes which of the three countries in the world are working the hardest to ‘save’ the car zones in their cities and creating Low Emission Zones (ZBEs). These are as follows:
1.- Italy
Number of Low Emission Zones: 253
It has the largest number of low-emission regions in the world, with 253 regions implementing such schemes. Most of these low emission zones, most of the largest cities such as Milan and Venice, are located in the northern regions of Italy.
2.- Germany
Number of Low Emission Zones: 82
It is the most populous member of the European Union. As of 2022, Germany has 82 regions implementing low emission zones. Beginning in 2008 with Berlin, Hannover and Stuttgart, this movement has followed many other cities closely.
3.- United Kingdom
Number of Low Emission Zones: 22
The UK currently has 22 zones with low emission zone plans and many other cities have been ordered to implement similar zones to combat pollution. In 2019, London implemented the Ultra Low Emission Zone, which forces people to use the most polluting vehicles.
4.- France
Number of Low Emission Zones: 16
The country of Gaul maintains a strong traffic-free city policy, and more and more cities are free of unsustainable cars. Currently, there are 16 Low Emission Zones, the same number as the Netherlands.
situation in Spain
Spain for its part only eight LEZs according to the same study. Despite such a modest figure, it ranks 6th in the rankings, along with Sweden, which has the same number of Low Emission Zones.
However, the current Spanish Climate Change Law obliges a large number of cities to implement this type of urban figure within a short period of time, especially for the next year.
Full working link: https://goshorty.co.uk/blog/worlds-busiest-roads/
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