Drivers in London waste 96 hours a year stuck in traffic gridlock, more than motorists in any other city in Europe. Figures published by data firm Inrix also suggest that congestion is getting worse in the capital, with the number of hours lost to traffic up by 14 on the previous year.

 

Overall, congestion increased in more than three quarters of UK cities last year. North Staffordshire and Greater Coventry saw the biggest rises in delays outside the capital.

 

London was also deemed to be Europe’s most congested city in 2014. But for the UK overall the average number of hours wasted by drivers every year remained the same, at 30.

 

“Traffic in the UK is up for the third year running,” said Inrix chief executive Bryan Mistele. “The strong growth of the UK economy and rise in urban populations have resulted in an increase in demand for road travel, significantly driving levels of congestion up.”

 

Of the 13 European countries analysed by the firm Belgium again topped the most congested leaderboard, with the Netherlands second and Germany third. The UK was fifth most congested, behind Luxembourg.

 

Britain’s five most congested roads were all in the capital, led by the A217 in South West London between the Rosehill Roundabout and the New Kings Road. Here drivers are said to spend over 138 hours a year sat in traffic.

 

London Assembly Green party member Darren Johnson responded saying the capital faces a future “blighted by congestion and pollution” if the Mayor sticks to his plans for road building.

 

(Photo: Tom Page and licensed for reuse under this Creative Common Licence)