Three of UK’s five most congested corridors are in London; Birmingham, Glasgow are next on the list
London has again been named as the UK’s most congested city for 2018. It recorded a slight increase in congestion levels over 2017.
Data released by Inrix illustrates that overall congestion in London eclipses that seen in any other UK city. The capital ranks sixth worldwide, and second in Europe only to Moscow.
The time required to undertake the last mile of intercity journeys ending in London is eight minutes at an average speed of 7mph, Inrix says, and it has called on authorities to introduce “innovative solutions” to tackle the problem both in London and elsewhere.
Of the five most congested roads corridors in the UK, three are in the capital.
Topping the list is the North Circular between Chiswick and Hanger Lane, closely followed by the A23 from Kennington. The artery between Russell Square and Monument is in third place. Road in Leeds and Birmingham make up the list.
Of the most congested cities, London is followed by Birmingham, Glasgow, Manchester and Bristol respectively. Only Manchester’s position differed from 2017’s rankings; in 2018 it moved up from seventh place, displacing Edinburgh.
Commenting on the report, Glynn Barton, Transport for London (TfL) Director of Network Management, says: “We are taking bold action to reduce congestion and improve poor air quality.
“That includes removing the Congestion Charge exemption for private hire vehicles and reducing he time taken to clear unplanned incidents, and ensuring that roadworks by utility companies and other parties are better co-ordinated.”
In 2017, the London Assembly Transport Committee published a report that advocated a reduction in restrictions on night-time deliveries and the facilitation of ‘click and collect’ at railway stations as additional methods to reduce congestion.
TfL says that it hopes to see 80% of all journeys in London made by public transport, walking or cycling in 2041.
