UK's most congested city revealed where drivers spend five DAYS in traffic - and it isn't London

Occasional Digest - a story for you

THE UK’s most congested city has been revealed – but you will be shocked to learn that it isn’t London.

The winner of the Top 10 list has its drivers spending up way longer than they should be behind the wheel.

FuelGenie experts discovered that, despite having the largest population, London is not the worst area for traffic congestion in the UK.

Instead, the Scottish capital of Edinburgh experienced the most delays, causing a severe setback for workers and tourists.

According to experts, motorists spend a shocking 132 hours per year sitting in traffic, which is equivalent to five and a half days.

It is claimed that congestion has a significant impact on the UK economy, costing roughly £8 billion each year.

According to FuelGenie, the Scottish capital tops the list, with commute time increasing by around 40 per cent.

It means that for a typical 30-minute trip, drivers will spend an additional 12 minutes behind the wheel than they should.

This increases to 24 minutes if drivers want to drive for an hour.

According to GOV.UK, 1.89 billion vehicle miles were driven on City of Edinburgh roads in 2023.

Here’s a breakdown of the top 10 most congested cities in the country – will yours be one of them?

I lost $20k after being ticketed for helping an injured bear – I fought for my innocence but the judge wouldn’t listen

Ranked 10th, Coventry journey times have increased by 29 per cent, adding 8-9 minutes to trips.

Motorists are advised to use smaller A and B roads to avoid severe gridlock on motorways and major A-roads.

Leicester ranked 9th as journey times are up by 30 per cent, adding nine minutes.

FuelGenie suggested drivers to “take traffic patterns into account when planning journeys”.

Ranked 8th, journey times in Manchester have increased by 32 per cent, adding 9-10 minutes to trips.

Bristol made the list as number seven.

Journey times in the town are up by 32 per cent, adding 9-10 minutes due to congestion, especially around the M5 motorway.

Brighton journey times are up by 34 per cent, adding 9-10 minutes and placing the coastal town 6th on the list.

Brighton experiences its busiest traffic between 3pm and 4pm on Fridays, contrary to national trends.

Belfast ranked 5th, with journey times increased by 34 per cent, adding just over 10 minutes.

Motorists on the northern Irish capital are encouraged to use live satellite technology like Google Maps or Waze to reduce travel time.

Ranked 4th, journey times in Hull are up by 34 per cent, adding around 10 minutes to every 30-minute journey.

Meanwhile, Bournemouth ranked 3rd, with journeys increased by 34 per cent, adding 10 minutes.

Road closures for works might worsen the situation around the city’s roads.

And of course, London, who was runner up for the UK’s most congested city.

FuelGenie said journeys are around a whopping 37 per cent longer than the expected travel time.

That means adding 11 minutes to a typical 30-minute journey, often making commuters late.

Occasional Digest