Drivers in Bristol contend with some of the most congested roads in the UK, new data has revealed. According to the figures from StressFreeCarRental.com, in 2022 during rush hour Bristol traffic moved at just 14mph, putting it among the top 10 slowest cities in the country.
Bristol roads were rated as marginally worse than the national average, with Brits typically travelling at speeds of 14.5mph at peak times. Overall Bristol ranked the fifth worst for congestion, with journeys of six miles taking an average of 20.4 minutes.
Bristol's roads place it as the 56th most gridlocked city worldwide, just beating Bangkok at 57, with drivers wiling away an average of 191 hours each year in rush hour traffic. Figures for Bristol were slightly slower than in previous 2021, as journey times for a six-mile stint increased by 20 seconds year on year.
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Recently, Bristol City Council has bought in a range of measures to try and encourage motorists to leave their cars at home, including introducing a Clean Air Zone, where polluting vehicles must pay to enter the city centre, and hiking up car park fees.
The data shows that London drivers experience not only the worst congestion in the country but also worldwide, moving at an average of 8mph during rush hour.
A spokesperson for StressFreeCarRental.com said: “It’s unsurprising to see the capital city at the top of the league table - with Londoners travelling at an average of 8mph at rush hour.
“Of the top 10, it’s only drivers in Nottingham, Leicester, Cardiff and Bournemouth who can make a six-mile journey in less than 20 minutes. For motorists in the most congested cities of Sheffield, Bristol, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Manchester and London, the journey will take 20 minutes or more.
“What we might be seeing is the result of differing levels of investment into improving roads and public transport from city to city. As we try to meet targets on pollution and emissions, the UK needs more investment to help traffic to flow more freely.”
The 10 most congested cities in the UK
Rank |
City |
Average time to travel 6 miles (minutes) |
Average speed in rush hour (mph) |
1 |
London |
36.2 |
8 |
2 |
Manchester |
23.1 |
13 |
3 |
Liverpool |
22.2 |
14 |
4 |
Edinburgh |
21.3 |
15 |
5 |
Bristol |
20.4 |
14 |
6 |
Sheffield |
20.2 |
14 |
7 |
Nottingham |
19.4 |
16 |
8 |
Leicester |
18.3 |
16 |
9 |
Cardiff |
18.2 |
18 |
10 |
Bournemouth |
18.1 |
17 |
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