The company's High Definition (HD) Traffic Centre is updated every two minutes and highlights the value of sat navs with routing linked to HD Traffic, according to the firm. HD Traffic shows that on 4 October (the day of the last tube strike) there was an additional 491 miles worth of traffic jams at 9am in the morning, compared with the following Tuesday when no strike happened. These additional jams were mainly around London.

As part of its Traffic Manifesto (www.tomtom.com/trafficmanifesto) to reduce congestion for all road users, TomTom is making the information from its HD Trafic system available via the TomTom web site (www.tomtom.com/routeplanner) and via specially installed screen in fuel stations across the UK, including in London.

'Congestion, such as that experienced by many road users around London today, cannot be entirely eradicated, but by using TomTom’s HD Traffic system, it can certainly be eased,' said Giles Margerison, sales director, TomTom Business Solutions. 'Those drivers using TomTom units equipped with HD Traffic typically spend 15% less time in congestion than those who haven’t used the service. But if 10% of the UK’s motorists took advantage of HD Traffic, we estimate all road users would experience a 5% reduction in time spent in congestion thanks to the cumulative effects of diverting away from the traffic hot spots.'

TomTom HD Traffic is available on the TomTom LIVE range of satellite navigation devices and PRO Business Solutions devices.