Traffic Summary for Port Elizabeth
In 2024, Port Elizabeth sees a predominant use of cars for commuting, with 80.65% of residents opting for this mode of transport. Walking is the second most popular mode of transportation, accounting for 9.68% of commutes, reflecting a significant pedestrian presence in the city.
Average Commute Times
- Bus - Bus commuters spend about 60 minutes traveling over a distance of 15 km.
- Car - Car users typically drive for 25.66 minutes, with minimal walking time, covering 21.58 km.
- Walking - Walking commutes average 58.33 minutes, including some driving and bus time, over 18.33 km.
Traffic Breakdown
Seasonal Trends
Traffic tends to increase during the summer months as tourists visit the coastal city. Winter months see a slight reduction in traffic congestion, offering smoother commutes.
Commuter Pain Points
Heavy reliance on cars leads to frequent traffic jams, especially during peak hours. Limited public transport options can make commuting challenging for non-drivers.
Best Travel Times
Early mornings before 7 AM and late evenings after 7 PM are the best times to avoid traffic. Midday travel between 11 AM and 2 PM is also relatively smooth.
Event Impacts
Public events, especially sports matches and festivals, can cause significant traffic disruptions. Planning routes ahead of time during such events can help mitigate delays.
Sustainability Efforts
The city is exploring initiatives to expand bicycle lanes and pedestrian pathways. There is a push towards increasing the efficiency and coverage of the bus network.
Ride-Sharing Impact
Ride-sharing services are gaining popularity, offering a flexible alternative to car ownership. These services help reduce the number of vehicles on the road, potentially easing congestion.
Traffic Rankings
Port Elizabeth ranks 4th on the Traffic rankings in South Africa. The Traffic Index for South Africa combines user-contributed data on commute times, traffic dissatisfaction, CO2 emissions, and traffic system inefficiencies in South Africa, to provide insights into overall traffic conditions.
Traffic Data
Overall average travel
Average when primarily using Bus
Average when primarily using Car
Average when primarily using Walking
"Key Takeaways"
Encouraging the use of public transport and non-motorized travel could significantly reduce CO2 emissions.
Improving public transport infrastructure may help decrease commute times and inefficiencies.
Key Indexes
EmissionsPort Elizabeth has a high CO2 emission index of 6398.24, primarily due to the heavy reliance on cars.
Efforts to reduce emissions could focus on promoting alternative transportation methods.
TimeThe average time index is 33.90, indicating moderate commute durations.
Traffic delays contribute to a time expansion index of 414.31, suggesting potential inefficiencies.
InefficiencyThe inefficiency index stands at 172.74, highlighting areas for improvement in traffic management.
Reducing car dependency could alleviate some of the inefficiencies observed.