In my experience, having flown with a TAS display and without one in similarly congested airspace and worse, I will take the screen every time. No, it isn't distracting, not if it doesn't have audio alerts. It just gives you the option to check the screen prior to lifting for example, so you already know where you need to look when you do look outside, allowing you to find other aircraft much faster than without it.
Obviously you wouldn't stare at it while on final instead of looking out the window, who even would suggest that. If that was the reasoning then maybe we should get rid of the other instruments as well. We have to give ourselves a little more credit than that.