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The UK experiences approximately 3,700 jams daily according to the recent study conducted by INRIX, an organization that monitors traffic in the age of mass car ownership. The prolonged delays were witnessed in M5 in Somerset while M6 recorded three of the top five jams. Somerset recorded the worst jam, maintaining a queue as long as 36 miles for 15 hours. According to a study conducted by the BBC, the major causes of delays include fuel spills and broken-down vehicles. The huge traffic in the UK has led to the loss of millions of pounds in fuel wastage. The cost of the disruption based on the average fuel consumption is a staggering 2.4 million pounds. But which cities have the worst traffic in the UK?

Cities with the Worst Traffic in the UK

London

According to the INRIX report, each commuter in London spent approximately 74 hours in traffic, almost twice the amount of time spent by a commuter in Manchester. The top five congested roads in the UK were in London. Commuters using the A406 Northbound, from Cheswick Roundabout to Hanger Lane spent up to 73 hours in traffic. The congestion in London has become noticeably worse since 2015 with the situation blamed on several factors including the increased number of private cars and the growth of Uber car hire.

Manchester

Although commuters using the Manchester roads spent lesser hours on the road than the London Commuters, the traffic there is still significant. The most affected commuters were those who used the A6 Northbound from Macclesfield Road to Heaton Road who spent up to 44 hours in traffic.

Birmingham and Lincoln

Birmingham and Lincoln also experienced traffic snarls, with commuters spending up to 36 hours on the road. The major causes of congestion in Birmingham included the closing of roads for key roadworks, poor weather, and minor accidents while in Lincoln, the major causes included tunnel emergency repairs and gas leaks.

Other Top Cities

Commuters in Braintree and Aylesbury spent up to 33 and 32 stuck in traffic. In both cities, the congestion was blamed on minor accidents and increased number of private cars on the road.

It took approximately 29 hours for commuters in Guilford, Bath, and Luton to get to their destination. Although the roads in these three cities were not as busy as London or Manchester, they still experience considerable congestions due to the increased road usage with no significant expansion and car crash.

Aberdeen and Edinburg complete the list of the 11 UK cities with the worst traffic. Commuters in either of the cities spent 28 hours stuck in traffic.

How to Avoid Traffic in the UK

Drivers who are keen on avoiding traffic jams have been advised to leave for their destination either earlier or later than when most cars are on the road. They can also avoid the main roads during peak hours when everybody is on the road. It is also important to check traffic updates before setting out on a journey. Drivers are also advised to be careful on the road and observe traffic rules to avoid causing avoidable accidents which is a major cause of road congestion. The authorities in London and Manchester have proposed expanding the most of the roads and restricting roadworks to weekends and late at night when most cars are not on the road.