London drivers may not have been surprised to discover that the capital’s roads have been ranked as the most congested in Europe for the third year running, according to traffic information supplier Inrix.
Negatively impacting not only the road environment but people’s personal lives, pollution levels and the wider economy, congestion is an issue everyone would benefit from seeing resolved. So what actions must we take to make sure motorists are no longer spending frustrating hours stuck in traffic that are better spent elsewhere?
What are the problems caused by traffic congestion?
Traffic congestion has various problematic consequences. It is associated with increases in harmful local air pollution and carbon dioxide, which affects people’s lung health and contributes to climate change. The idling traffic puts more pressure on the road, which creates further wear and tear, while the clamour of cars leads to greater noise pollution.
The ramifications of congestion on people’s daily routines are also significant in terms of their quality of life. For example, drivers in London spent an average of 99 hours sitting in traffic over 2023 – time they could have spent with their families, friends or on productive pursuits. An inability to confidently predict how long a journey will take also means people can waste time allowing for more travel time than they need.
There is also an economic cost to congestion. Late arrival at work, education and meetings result in many cumulative hours of lost productivity, while wasted fuel puts pressure on household budgets. There is also the stress congestion puts on the freight and travel sectors – in fact, the cost of gridlock from 2013 to 2030 is estimated to ultimately total £307 billion.
How do road markings reduce congestion?
Road and line markings may seem simple, but they serve several vital functions on the road network and beyond. Road markings visually communicate concepts it would take many words to explain and ‘nudge’ road users into taking the most desirable action – and often, in a way that feels entirely intuitive (for example, the vast majority of road users find it entirely natural to aim to stay on the correct side of the centre line).
Road markings, when they are kept in good condition, provide cues to drivers to help them anticipate changing road conditions and maintain good lane discipline. They also help drivers smoothly navigate exits and help to guide them through sometimes complex intersections and roundabouts.
All this helps to reduce confusion, hesitancy and last-minute lane changes, which ensures good traffic flow and decreases congestion. All drivers are aware of the domino effect that can occur on motorways if confusion means several people in the outside lanes suddenly try to make their way to an exit on the other side of the road.
What’s more, clearly defined road markings are a highly effective road safety intervention, reducing accidents and subsequent lane or road closures that contribute significantly to driver delays. Further safety measures, such as high-friction road surfacing in accident black spots, are also useful here.
What other tactics can we use to reduce the pressure on our roads?
Clear and well-maintained road markings are not the only tool we have to keep congestion at a minimum and motorists on the move. Alongside safety, reducing congestion is a top priority for the various agencies, businesses and government bodies that come together to care for the UK’s roads, and there is a broad spectrum of tactics they implement to achieve this aim.
These include:
- Increasing capacity. One way that authorities have attempted to relieve congestion as road (and particularly car) users have increased is by increasing the carrying capacity of our roads. This includes adding new lanes to motorways, creating dual-carriageways, and even building new roads and bypasses. One particularly high-profile example at the moment is plans to turn the busy stretch of the A303 that passes Stonehenge into a dual-carriageway and build a tunnel to take the road out of sight of the monument.
- Road pricing. Although often controversial, the introduction of congestion charges has been used to discourage drivers from using certain roads at busy times of day, and has proven to be effective in reducing traffic during peak hours. While motorists can feel that this approach is punitive and unfairly impacts those on lower incomes, those in favour of congestion charges point out they simply discourage people from driving on roads where the inconvenience of gridlock would outweigh that of choosing a more circuitous route or public transport.
- Encouraging alternative forms of transport. Actions such as creating bus and cycle lanes, facilitating the hire of bikes and e-bikes, improving public transport systems, and building park-and-rides have all been taken to limit the number of cars on the roads. In Paris, for example, the French government is aiming to make the city entirely cyclable by 2026, and there have even been moves to completely ban most cars from the city centre entirely.
The UK is a nation particularly in love with its cars – lacking the cycling culture of countries such as the Netherlands or preference for mopeds like Italy – so it’s fair to say, in our country, these efforts remain an important work in progress.
While road marking alone can’t solve the problem of congestion, keeping lines clear (and roads well-maintained and well-signposted) is a key part of keeping traffic running smoothly and safely, delivering drivers to their destinations safely and in good time.
Anyone who has been stuck in traffic knows how annoying the experience can be, especially if it happens regularly. So while there are often arguments for and against the strategies used to reduce traffic on the roads, while car use continues to increase, it’s clear authorities are going to have to use every tool in their toolbox to manage congestion, and minimise the negative impacts gridlock can have on public health and finances.
Hi-Way Services has unparalleled expertise across a wide range of projects and disciplines in road maintenance. If you’d like to speak to our team, contact us today.
