Cambridge traffic congestion rising 15 per cent year-over-year

INRIX, a Washington US-based global leader in transportation data and analytics, says delays are worsening in Cambridge.

Its literal roadmap of the planet reveals that while the UK bucked the trend with notable reductions in traffic delays, Cambridge and Rochester in Kent were a notable exception to the rule: both entered the UK’s top 10 most congested cities in 2025, with traffic delays rising 15 per cent year-over-year in each. Cambridge is ranked number 7 in the UK City Ranking List and 67th globally for congestion.

The INRIX Global Traffic Scorecard claims to be the world’s most comprehensive benchmark of mobility performance. Spanning 36 countries and nearly 1,000 cities, the Scorecard reveals a world where congestion is climbing almost everywhere.

Generally, however – Cambridge and Rochester most certainly apart – the UK bucked the trend with notable reductions in travel delays.

Globally, 62 per cent of urban areas saw increased congestion, compared to only 26 per cent experiencing improvements. In contrast, the UK recorded decreases in nearly half of the areas analysed.

Delays fell in 48 per cent of UK urban areas, versus increases in 38 per cent, with the remaining 14 per cent unchanged.

London remained the UK’s most congested city but conditions improved significantly. Drivers lost 91 hours to traffic, a 10 per cent fall from 2024. London alone accounted for nearly half of the country’s total delays. Bristol (64 hours lost), Manchester (62 hours), Leeds (59 hours), and Birmingham (57 hours) rounded out the top five.

Across the country, UK drivers lost an average of 59 hours to congestion, costing £822 per driver and £11 billion nationwide in 2025.

For some global context, Istanbul again topped the global ranking with 118 hours lost, followed by Chicago (112 hours) and Mexico City (108 hours). Several dense Western cities also saw flat or declining delays—including Paris (–7 per cent), Los Angeles (–1 per cent), and New York (0 per cent) — but these were exceptions amid year-over-year increases worldwide.

• The full INRIX 2025 Global Traffic Scorecard can be viewed and downloaded at inrix.com