Congestion is increasingly becoming a critical business issue according to the latest research from the Mercedes-Benz Vans Business Barometer.
Delivery drivers say that, on average, 16% of their working day is lost due to congestion, which means, based on a (very conservative) 8 hour working day this equates to 1 hour 17 minutes a day, or more than 6 hours across a typical working week, adding up to 37 working days a year lost due to congestion for the average delivery driver.
Greater London reaffirms its place at the top of the ‘congestion league’, with respondents saying 18% of their working day is lost to congestion – higher than anywhere else in the UK.
The research, undertaken amongst 2,000 van owners and operators in the UK, also highlights that congestion is now the second biggest ‘barrier to growth’.
In Wales, van users said they did not think local congestion was as big an issue as fuel prices. About 43% operators cited a future loss of 10% due to jams while 57.6% said rising fuel costs were a worry to them at a time when the customer base is expected to widen.