Traffic Congestion In Spain Falls Again In 2013 As Economy Struggles (1)

-- Annual INRIX Traffic Scorecard Report shows Spain saw biggest fall in traffic congestion in Europe in 2013 as unemployment remains high

-- Spain ranks 11th of 13 European countries for time wasted in traffic, drivers spent approximately 17 hours in traffic in 2013

-- No Spanish cities feature in top 25 most congested cities in Europe

-- Drop in congestion appears to follow national economic trends as Spanish economy contracts again in 2013

KIRKLAND, Washington, March 4 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- New traffic data from leading traffic information and driver services provider INRIX shows that traffic in Spain has fallen again in 2013. After a 15% drop in congestion from 2011 to 2012, Spain recorded a further 8% fall in congestion in 2013 as its economy continued to struggle with high unemployment. Spanish drivers spent approximately eight fewer hours in traffic in 2013 than in 2012, as the economy contracted 1.2% in 2013[1] following negative growth of 1.64%[2] in 2012. Spain continues to struggle with high unemployment of around 26%[3].

To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please click: http://www.multivu.com/mnr/65316-inrix-traffic-congestion-scorecard-for-2013 [http://www.multivu.com/mnr/65316-inrix-traffic-congestion-scorecard-for-2013]

Across the rest of Europe, average congestion fell in 2013 as a whole, although INRIX's Annual Traffic Scorecard shows that while congestion decreased sharply in the first quarter of 2013, it rose approximately 6% on average per quarter for the final three quarters of the year, hinting at signs of a possible economic recovery.

Spanish Metropolitan Area Snapshot

Of the six Spanish cities included in the report, all six recorded falls in traffic congestion from 2012 to 2013. The most congested Spanish city was Bilbao, where drivers spent approximately 24 hours in traffic in 2013, a fall of eight hours on the previous year's figures. The Spanish capital Madrid followed closely in second, with Valencia recording the largest fall in time spent in congestion: a decrease of approximately 17 hours from 2012.

Spanish metropolitan areas - hours wasted in traffic in 2013

Spanish Change in hours
Metropolitan Hours Wasted in wasted from
Rank Area 2013 2012 to 2013
---- ------------ --------------- ---------------
1 Bilbao 24 -8
--- ------ --- ---
2 Madrid 23 -3
--- ------ --- ---
3 Sevilla 16 -10
--- ------- --- ---
4 Zaragoza 16 -9
--- -------- --- ---
5 Barcelona 15 -3
--- --------- --- ---
6 Valencia 11 -17
--- -------- --- ---

Spain's worst roads

TheINRIX Traffic Scorecard also records data on the worst roads in Europe. Spain's worst roads based on total delays per year in the worst peak period (either morning or evening) are included below:

Rank Metro Area Road(s) Between And Distance Worst Total
(km) Peak Delay
Period per
(morning Year
or (hours)
afternoon)
1 Barcelona B-10 B-20/Montgat/Ronda de (dir.Besòs)Zona 18.9 pm 29
Dalt/Lleida/Girona/ Franca/Port/Fira/
Terrassa Pg.Zona
Franca
Barcelona (Av. Molins de Rei Sud/
2 Barcelona B-23 Diagonal) Pol.el 9.9 am 20
Pla/St.Feliu/A-2/
BV-2002
3 Madrid A-2 M-50 M-30 15.6 am 21
4 Madrid M-40 M-503 M-607 22.3 am 27

Traffic in Spain: how we measure up

The amount of time Spanish drivers spent in traffic throughout the year has decreased from approximately 25 hours in 2012 to approximately 17 hours in 2013, the largest decrease of any European country included in the INRIX Scorecard. This puts Spain in 11th place in Europe for time spent in traffic in 2013, above only Hungary and Portugal.

According to the amount of hours wa

sted annually by drivers, Europe's worst countries for traffic congestion in 2013 were:

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