‘London is world’s slowest city to drive in’

LONDON is the world’s slowest city to drive in, according to new research.

It took an average of 36 minutes and 20 seconds to travel 6.2 miles (10 km) in the centre of the capital in 2022, TomTom said.

That was almost two minutes slower than 2021 and represents the longest time for a journey of that distance out of 389 cities in 56 countries last year.

TomTom’s Andy Marchant said people switching to road transport during rail strikes had increased congestion.

India’s Bengaluru had the second slowest time at 29 minutes and 10 seconds, followed by Dublin, Ireland, at 28 minutes and 30 seconds, and Sapporo, Japan, at 27 minutes and 40 seconds.

Other UK cities ranked in the top 50 for congestion were Manchester in 24th place with 23 minutes and 10 seconds, Liverpool in 32nd place with 22 minutes and 20 seconds, and Edinburgh in 42nd place with 21 minutes and 30 seconds.

Analysis of the cost of driving, based on the price of petrol, diesel, and charging an electric vehicle (EV), and taking into account the impact of congestion on fuel consumption, found that London was also the world’s second most expensive city to drive in last year, behind Hong Kong.