Britain’s roads are worse than ever, say frustrated motorists

SIX in ten motorists say our motorways are more congested than a year ago, a survey found.

And they blame bus and cycle lanes for adding to jams in towns.

As official figures confirm that traffic on the uK’s roads has hit record levels, drivers say they journeys are becoming more arduous and time-consuming.

Many cite motorists who hog the middle lanes as a major factor. they also blame lorries overtaking other lorries and the general increase in traffic for causing slower journey times.

urban drivers say the ever- expanding network of bus and cycle lanes has led to more congestion. More than half of drivers – 56 per cent – believe traffic has got worse on major roads, the RAC’s annual Report on Motoring says.

Motorways are seen to have suffered the greatest increase, with 61 per cent of motorists saying congestion and journey times have worsened in the last 12 months. urban B roads and unclassified roads have also become busier, according to 55 per cent of the 1,727 surveyed.

Reasons given for greater motorway traffic included major roadworks (47 per cent), middle-lane hogs (45 per cent) and lorries overtaking other lorries (40 per cent). eight per cent cite traffic congestion and slower journey times as their biggest motoring worry, the report says, behind illegal use of mobile phones (16 per cent), the state of roads (10 per cent) and the cost of fuel (9 per cent).

RAC chief engineer David Bizley raised concerns about Highways england’s recent decision to delay or scrap 22 major projects designed to ease congestion – at a time when official figures show road traffic increased by 2.2 per cent last year.

Last month, a report claimed that jams cost the economy £9billion a year.