Melbourne traffic delays and peak hour congestion costing up to $912m a year

MELBOURNE’S traffic delays and peak hour congestion are costing us a lot more than just wasted time spent in the car on our commute.

TRAFFIC delays are costing Melbourne’s economy up to $912.13 million a year, according to new analysis by a GPS navigation firm.

The report released by TomTom Telematics has put a price on the peak-hour congestion experienced by the city’s commuters.

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Analysis of trip data found that traffic snarls in Melbourne has increased travel times by 33 per cent, a 4 per cent rise since 2016.

The delays meant motorists were spending an additional 34 minutes on the road, costing the city’s 383,617 commercial drivers $10.36 per day.

TomTom Telematics spokesman Christopher Chisman-Duffy said the figures were bad news for business.

Traffic at a standstill on the Monash. Picture: Mark Stewart

Punt Rd has the worst congestion in Melbourne. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

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“Melbourne continues to rank as Australia’s second most congested city, according to the TomTom Traffic Index Report, and saw one of the biggest increases in congestion this year,” he said.

“Since 2008, congestion has increased by 8 per cent, making it the 58th most congested city globally.”

“This is bad news for businesses. Not only is it costing them financially in lost hours but it can also impact on service level agreements and the customer experience, as well as the health and safety of their drivers.”

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Tuesday mornings and Thursday evenings were recorded as the worst times to travel and Hoddle St to Punt Rd was listed as having the worst congestion in Melbourne.

Mr Chrisman-Duffy said it was up to businesses to find the best way to avoid delays.

“There is a clear need for businesses to find ways to reduce the impact of congestion on their business and improve the efficiency of their fleets,” he said.

“Navigation technologies, with live traffic, are one way for businesses to avoid congestion hot spots but this alone won’t solve all the problems.

“Businesses need to take a more connected approach to managing their commercial vehicles to improve efficiency, productivity and service levels, as congestion continues to increase across the country.”