Drivers in Liverpool spend 127 hours a year in traffic

Liverpool has been named as one of the worst cities in the UK for congestion.

Analysis of journey times for the TomTom Traffic Index found that drivers spent the equivalent of more than five extra days in their vehicles last year than they would have if there were no queues.

Congestion was 4% worse than 2014, with the problem increasing in 17 of the 25 towns and cities in the report.

Experts calculated that congestion across the UK has grown 14% over the past five years, while in the rest of Europe the problem has eased by 3%.

Belfast is the UK city with the most serious hold-ups - and the 14th worst in the world - with average journey times 40% slower than if traffic was flowing freely, according to the study.

London is the 20th most congested city in the world - and the second worse in the UK - with average trips 38% slower, rising to 66% in the after-work rush.

Ralf-Peter Schaefer of TomTom Traffic said: Building new motorways and ring roads doesn't eliminate congestion. More must be done to better manage existing road space and to spread demand.

People simply aren't doing enough to change their travel habits - such as working flexible hours, avoiding peak commuting times, making use of real-time traffic information and trying alternative travel modes.

If only 5% of us changed our travel plans we could improve traffic congestion on our main roads by up to 30%.''

Liverpool made it onto the list of the 25 most congested cities in the UK last year, with the average driver spending 127 hours stuck in traffic every year;

1. Belfast (40%)

2. London (38%)

3. Manchester (37%)

4. Edinburgh (37%)

5. Brighton (34%)

6. Hull (33%)

7. Bournemouth (32%)

8. Newcastle (31%)

9. Bristol (31%)

10. Sheffield (30%)

11. Leicester (29%)

12. Liverpool (29%)

13. Swansea (28%)

14. Birmingham (27%)

15. Leeds-Bradford (27%)

16. Nottingham (27%)

17. Glasgow (26%)

18. Cardiff (26%)

19. Coventry (25%)

20. Southampton (24%)

21. Reading (24%)

22. Portsmouth (23%)

23. Middlesbrough (21%)

24. Stoke-on-Trent (20%)

25. Preston (19%)

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