A recent survey has ranked Reading as one of the worst places in the UK for traffic congestion.
The study, conducted by Cartridgesave.co.uk, analysed TomTom traffic data to measure average travel times and the proportion of driving time lost to rush-hour delays across the country’s most populated areas. Researchers looked at how long it takes to travel 10 kilometres and how many hours drivers lose each year due to congestion.
Reading ranked ninth in the UK, with drivers spending an average of 20 minutes 33 seconds per 10 km. Around 37% of that time is lost to rush-hour delays, which adds up to roughly 73 hours stuck in traffic annually.
Hull and Belfast topped the survey, experiencing the highest levels of congestion, while Edinburgh recorded the longest travel times overall. Leicester and Sheffield tied for fourth place, with 39% of driving time lost to delays. Birmingham, Southampton, and Oxford were also in the top 10, alongside Swansea and Aberdeen.
At the other end of the scale, Inverness, Ipswich, Leeds, Middlesbrough, and the Newcastle-Sunderland area were found to have the lowest congestion levels, with drivers losing between 26 and 57 hours a year.
The survey highlights the challenges faced by commuters in the UK’s busiest towns and cities, particularly during peak periods.
