The private car stays the dominant way people move. It offers individual freedom and immediacy, yet it also fuels traffic jams and pollution. A British insurer used real-world data to measure how time lost to traffic stacks up and how many Low Emission Zones (ZBE) exist globally. The takeaway is clear: Spain has relatively few such zones compared with other European nations.
With congestion re-emerging after the pandemic, GoShorty analyzed the TomTom Congestion Index to identify cities with the highest road tortoise tempos. By tallying annual hours wasted in traffic and the general burden on drivers, the report highlights the world’s most congested urban areas:
1. Istanbul, Turkey
Annual hours lost: 142 | Congestion level: 62%
Istanbul sits on the Bosphorus, straddling Europe and Asia, and is the largest city in Turkey. In 2021, its congestion reached 62%, the highest in the world, up 11% from 2020 and translating to average car trips that take 62% longer. The consequence is about 142 hours lost each year, roughly six days of sitting in traffic.
2. Bogotá, Colombia
Hours lost per year: 126 | Congestion level: 55%
Bogotá ranks among the globe’s major capitals, located near the geographic center of Colombia. In 2021, congestion stood at 55%, a modest rise from 2020. Still, 126 hours in the year were spent stuck in traffic, making driving less attractive for residents and visitors alike.
3. Mumbai, India
Hours lost per year: 121 | Congestion level: 53%
Mumbai, the capital of Maharashtra, is one of the world’s most populous cities, home to around 20 million people. It hosts three UNESCO World Heritage Sites, underscoring a rich cultural legacy. The city’s congestion sits at 53%, unchanged from 2020, while 2019 levels show a notable decrease of 12%, suggesting some improvement in traffic and possibly emissions.
Low Emission Zones (ZBEs)
Facing the realities of heavy traffic, the GoShorty study also explores which countries are pushing to curb vehicle emissions by creating Low Emission Zones. The rankings reveal the following leaders in ZBE adoption:
Italy leads with the most zones, totaling 253. Much of this activity centers in northern cities like Milan and Venice, where urban plans restrict the most polluting vehicles.
Germany follows with 82 zones as of 2022, starting the push in major cities such as Berlin, Hannover, and Stuttgart in 2008 and spreading since.
The United Kingdom has 22 zones currently in operation as part of broader pollution-control mandates, with London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone established in 2019 to restrict the dirtiest vehicles.
France registers 16 zones, reflecting a concerted move across the Gaul region toward cleaner urban cores, a trend mirrored by the Netherlands.
The situation in Spain shows eight Low Emission Zones under the same study. While this is a modest figure, it places Spain among countries with early adoption and aligns with a broader push from the Spanish Climate Change Law to accelerate the rollout of such zones across many cities in the near term.
The overview underscores a global trend: cities increasingly use zoning to balance mobility with air quality goals. Local decisions affect daily life, commuting costs, and the broader health of urban populations. While some nations expand access to all transportation modes, others prioritize cleaner streets through targeted limitations on the most polluting vehicles. This evolving landscape shapes how people move in North America as well, inviting city planners and residents to weigh convenience against environmental and public health benefits.
The study from GoShorty provides a snapshot of how urban centers worldwide address travel demand and pollution through policy tools such as ZBEs. It also highlights how a country’s urban policy choices influence daily life for drivers and commuters, including those in North America who regularly navigate busy urban centers.