Worst traffic jams will cost drivers £62 billion by 2025 - claims study

Time wasted in the UK's worst traffic jams will cost motorists £62 billion by 2025, according to a study.

Transport information company Inrix identified more than 20,000 congestion pinch points in 21 cities across the country.

Analysis of the average duration, length and frequency of the hold-ups in September found that the impact of traffic hotspots will cost London drivers £42 billion over the next decade.

The report said the capital's worst section of road for congestion is the M25 northbound between junctions 15 and 16, near Heathrow Airport.

Edinburgh was in second place at £2.8 billion, followed by Glasgow (£2.3 billion), Birmingham (£2 billion) and Manchester (£1.9 billion).

The estimated £62 billion cost to drivers of hours wasted in queues was calculated using value of travel time figures from a Department for Transport-commissioned report.

This was more than any other country in Europe, with Germany the next closest at £42 billion and Italy third at £19 billion.

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 said identifying where delays are having the biggest impact can allow for the most efficient use of investment.

He told the Press Association: 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.''

Here are the 10 UK cities with the worst impact from traffic jams, according to Inrix (cost of congestion by 2025 in brackets followed by worst hotspot):

1. London (£42 billion) M25 northbound between junctions 15 and 16

2. Edinburgh (£2.8 billion) A720 westbound Edinburgh Bypass at Dreghorn Barracks

3. Glasgow (£2.3 billion) Eastbound junction of the A8 Glasgow and Edinburgh Road with the M8

4. Birmingham (£2 billion) Northbound junction of the A38 (M) with the M6

5. Manchester (£1.9 billion) M60 northbound at junction 1 for the A6 Stockport

6. Bristol (£1.6 billion) M5 southbound at junction 20 for Clevedon

7. Leeds (£1.5 billion) Westbound M62 junction 26 with M606 junction 1

8. Cardiff (£1.1 billion) A48 westbound at Riverside Park

9. Bradford (£1.1 billion) From the A650 in the city centre to the A6038 Otley Road

10. Belfast (£797 million) A12 eastbound at the junction with the M2 and M3

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