The average motorist is being forced to waste £968 and spend 4.9 days stuck in traffic each year because of congestion, local Liberal Democrats have said.

This follows a report by the Local Government Association – ‘A country in a jam: tackling congestion in our towns and cities’ – which reveals the extent of the country’s congestion crisis.

Travel speeds across the country’s local roads continue to decrease, with the average speed on ‘A’ roads now just 25.2 mph, 1 per cent less than it was this time last year. Congestion also significantly contributes to excess harmful vehicle emissions – which leads to 40,000 premature deaths annually.

Local Lib Dems are warning that congestion is no longer just threatening our environment and the quality of our air, but also becoming a drain on our economy and productivity too. It is forecast that congestion will cost the economy £300 billion a year by 2030 –a tenfold increase of the current costs of £30.8 billion a year.

The LGA said councils need the same sort of long term funding certainty for local roads maintenance that is enjoyed by Highways England and Network Rail. This is desperately needed to help councils tackle the £12 billion national roads repair backlog and congestion they face on local roads.

Bus travel also needs to be actively encouraged. The Government needs to fully fund the concessionary fares scheme and give councils control over the Bus Service Operators’ Grant.

Councils, outside London, also need powers to enforce moving traffic offences so they can target notoriously congested junctions or stretches of road where safety concerns have been raised.

Liberal Democrat campaigner for Minster ward, James Moore said:

“Congestion in our local area can have a significant impact on our town and act as a drag on local growth. Worse still, it leads to toxic air and reduced quality of life.”

“Councils need long-term consistent funding to invest in local roads and need greater powers to solve the problem and promote attractive alternatives to car journeys, such as through public transport, walking and cycling.”

“This will help those that need to use the roads as well as those that have to live with the consequences of congestion.”

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