As anybody who was subjected to the horrors of the M40 this morning will testify, there's absolutely nothing fun about being stuck in what seems like an endless traffic jam; however, figures from TomTom's traffic index show just how much time Britain's motorists spend in traffic.
The figures show that British commuters spend, on average, nine working days a year stuck in traffic, with typical journeys taking 23 per cent longer in the morning and evening rush hours than they do at other times of the day.
TomTom also claim that 11 of Britain's 17 biggest cities have seen traffic jams get worse in the past year. Cities in which congestion levels have increased include Belfast, Brighton, London, Manchester, Leicester, Sheffield, Liverpool and Newcastle, while only Edinburgh, Leeds-Bradford and Nottingham have seen congestion levels improve.
Congestion levels in Bristol, Birmingham and Glasgow have remained the same.
Belfast remains the UK's most congested city, with journey times 88 per cent higher in morning peak times and 32 per cent higher throughout the day. Bristol is in second place, with journeys taking 66 per cent longer in evening peak times, while Brighton comes third, with peak-time journeys taking 45 per cent longer than usual.
"We are seeing a clear pattern which shows that congestion levels increase as economies emerge from recession," said TomTom's Chief Executive Officer, Harold Goddijn.
"The traditional responses to tackling congestion, like building new roads or widening existing ones are no longer proving effective. The way traffic is managed needs significant change."
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