Junction 1 M60 Stockport, the roundabout at the iconic pyramid and where many hours are wasted, has been listed in the UK’s Top 10 most congested spots.
A report from data company Inrix has shown that British roads are the most congested in Europe and time wasted in the UK’s worst traffic jams will cost motorists GBP62 billion by 2025.
It found more than 20,300 so-called “traffic hotspots” in UK cities – well over double the number in Germany and twice that of France.
Unsurprisingly London was top of the table, the worst section of road for congestion being the M25 near Heathrow Airport.
Edinburgh was in second place costing £2.8 billion, followed by Glasgow at £2.3 billion and Birmingham at £2 billion.
But Junction 1 M60 Stockport on the Manchester orbital motorway is predicted to cost £1.9 billion in wasted time by 2025.
The estimated cost to drivers of hours wasted in queues was calculated using value of travel time figures from a Department for Transport-commissioned report. Inrix’s analysis states that a road becomes a “traffic hotspot” once congestion forces drivers to drop their speed by 65% for at least two minutes.
Local businessman Graham Saul, managing director of cloud computing company Cloud 9 Hosts believes flexible working could be a solution: “Through the cloud people can work from home so they don’t need to make that journey to the office at peak times.
“I appreciate that some businesses can’t substitute home working – road hauliers for example – but there is an opportunity for some employers to take a more responsible approach and allow more home working and staggered office hours.
“My motto is – ‘work is something you do, not a place you go to’ – and that could be a good incentive for employees in the future, leading to less stress and improved production”.
In last week’s Autumn Statement, the government pledged to spend £220 million to tackle congestion on England’s motorways and major A roads.
Inrix’s chief economist Graham Cookson and author of the research said identifying where delays are having the biggest impact can allow for the most efficient use of investment.
“It’s the unfortunate reality of a densely populated and global city,” said Graham. “Let’s make sure we focus spending on those worst-hit hotspots because, given the amount of money, we want to get the most benefit out of it.”
Ten UK cities with congestion, and their worst “hotspots”
- London: M25 northbound between junctions 15 and 16
- Edinburgh: A720 westbound Edinburgh Bypass at Dreghorn Barracks
- Glasgow: Eastbound junction of the A8 Glasgow and Edinburgh Road with the M8
- Birmingham: Northbound junction of the A38 (M) with the M6
- Manchester: Junction 1 M60 Stockport northbound for the A6
- Bristol: M5 southbound at junction 20 for Clevedon
- Leeds: Westbound M62 junction 26 with M606 junction 1
- Cardiff: A48 westbound at Riverside Park
- Bradford: From the A650 in the city centre to the A6038 Otley Road
- Belfast: A12 eastbound at the junction with the M2 and M3
Source: Inrix
“Money is coming in for the first time in a while, hopefully this will be used to alleviate the worst areas,” Mr Cookson added.
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said the government was investing “record amounts” into improving roads. “This investment is over and above the £23bn we are spending to get motorists to their destinations quickly, more easily and safely,” he said, “we are focused on relieving congestion and providing important upgrades to ensure our roads are fit for the future”.