• UK hauliers suffering long delays as a result of
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congestion might spare a thought for their East European counterparts who spend almost a quarter of each day in hold-ups.
According to a study carried out for the International Road Transport Union, trucks in Poland spend 22% of their time at a standstill, mostly waiting to cross borders or sitting in traffic. British drivers waste 8% of their working time through a mixture of delays: the same figure as Italy.
The survey, carried out by Hague Consultants, shows that France has the lowest levels of congestion, accounting for some 2% of a driver's time. UK drivers spend nearly 5% of their time in traffic jams.
In the Czech Republic drivers lose an average of 8% of their shifts to congestion—and another 8% in other delays.
The survey, which was conducted by phoning operators in all five countries, established that delays across Western Europe cost hauliers more than .1.21bn a year, or up to 3% of total transport spending.
The IRU estimates that the average person in Western Europe spends £750 a year on transport as part of the goods he purchases. This compares with a figure of £185 in Eastern Europe.