Motorists risk losing up to six days a year in gridlock traffic amid Ulez and congestion charges
Drivers spend roughly 148 hours a year sitting London traffic
PA
New data has found that Londoners lose six days a year stuck in traffic across the capital as congestion hits record highs, with other major cities facing long delays.
In total, drivers spend roughly 148 hours a year sitting in traffic with it taking nearly 40 minutes to travel six miles in some cases.
But it's not just the capital which has bad congestion, drivers in Bristol and Manchester have also lost the most time to rush hour traffic.
In these cities, drivers travel at an average speed of 13mph during peak times and lose almost four full days a year due to traffic.
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Traffic in Bristol saw drivers waste 89 hours per yearPALeicester has also been identified as a traffic hub with drivers spending around 79 hours per year (three and a half days) stuck in traffic, followed closely by Sheffield at 76 hours (three days).
Greg Wilson, Quotezone.co.uk CEO and car insurance expert, explained that it can be “frustrating” to think about how many hours drivers spend each year waiting in traffic.
Motorists in the capital are most impacted by congestion, losing nearly a week being stuck behind the wheel.
He added that it's “quite surprising” that data shows Bristol is the second worst congested city in the UK, despite being “considerably smaller” than cities like Birmingham, Manchester or Leeds.
With people living in “gridlocked” cities wasting between three and six days every year in traffic jams, there must be “more steps taken” to tackle congestion issues, he warned.
Bath, Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol, Portsmouth, Sheffield, and Tyneside have already introduced Clean Air Zones and congestion charges.
More cities are expected to join them soon, especially as the UK strives to meet its net zero targets, Wilson detailed.
He stated that not only are drivers wasting their time, but they’re also wasting money, even a small car idling in traffic can use up to a litre of petrol in an hour.
To help save money, drivers should try and plan around busy roads and peak times, he suggested, but acknowledged that this is often not possible.
Car sharing may be another fuel-saving option for commuters which could help reduce the amount of cars on roads.
Another method to help save money includes economical driving manoeuvres such as smooth braking and moving into a higher gear sooner.
Drivers can also reduce the heat or air conditioning in a vehicle to help cut down on unnecessary fuel waste and environmental damage.
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Drivers lose up to six days a year in traffic
PA
Top cities losing hours per year stuck in traffic
1. London - 148 hours
2. Bristol - 89 hours
3. Manchester - 88 hours
4. Leicester - 79 hours
5. Sheffield - 76 hours
6. Liverpool - 75 hours
7. Belfast - 75 hours
8. Edinburgh - 74 hours
9. Hull - 71 hours
10. Nottingham - 69 hours
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