West Northamptonshire among worst UK locations for roadworks
West Northamptonshire is among the worst UK locations for roadworks – ranking inside the top 5. A new league table has revealed motorists in Essex are most likely to be affected by roadworks, according to research put together by motoring experts at LeaseCar.uk[1]
Local authorities in Essex revealed a staggering 77,423 roadworks were carried out in 2021 and 2022, making it the worst location for roadworks in the UK by almost 25,000.
The location with the second highest number of roadworks was Staffordshire, with a total of 52,871, putting perspective on Essex’s enormous figures. Drivers in the Welsh capital are also hardened to delays as Cardiff had the third-highest amount at 43,252.
However, West Northamptonshire[3] places fourth on the list. Some 34,557 jobs carried out from April 2021 until March 2022 reports the Daily Express[4].
The full roadworks league table
1. Essex County Council 77,423
2. Staffordshire County Council 52,871
3. Cardiff Council 43,252
4. West Northamptonshire Council[5] 34,557
5. East Riding of Yorkshire Council 32,420
6. Worcestershire County Council 31,105
7. Bradford City Council 27,301
8. Ealing Borough Council 25,593
9. Hampshire County Council 25,581
10. Leeds City Council 24,851
It comes on the back of figures revealing the estimated cost of completing all work on West Northamptonshire’s roads is more than the amount of additional funding allocated for road repairs across the entire country.[6] Chancellor Jeremy Hunt pledged on March 15 to increase the fund available to help repair England’s roads by £200m – West Northamptonshire Council[7] (WNC) said resurfacing all of its roads to ensure it has a cost-effective and sustainable network would cost £236.6m.
Data shows that over £12 billion was spent on roads in the United Kingdom in 2021 and 2022. The data, which was collated following responses to a Freedom of Information request by local authorities, shows the allocated budgets for road improvements at each local authority.
However, experts were keen to stress that not all local authorities provided figures. Leeds City Council was the local authority that carried out the least roadworks in the top ten list, with 22,851 throughout the year. The Northern city just fell behind Hampshire, which had over 25,000.
Worcestershire, Bradford, and London’s Ealing Borough also accounted for locations with some of Britain’s worst roadworks. Drivers who find themselves in roadwork-dense areas have been urged to add extra time to their commutes as they face traffic and potentially long delays.
Tim Alcock from LeaseCar.uk[8] said: “Roadworks can be incredibly frustrating for drivers, especially when they are in a rush or on the way to work, as they often cause huge delays. Motorists should factor in extra time to their journeys if they are travelling through locations that are known to have a lot of roadworks, especially in places like Essex, Staffordshire, and Cardiff.
“If possible, we recommend drivers try to plan ahead and avoid them, which is easy to do with a sat nav with traffic alerts. If this isn’t possible, make sure to be extra cautious when travelling through them as slow-moving vehicles, traffic and speed cameras are common. Try to remember that as much as they can be a nuisance, roadworks are ultimately carried out to improve our lives. Maintenance is crucial to improving current infrastructure and providing access to employment, education, health, and social opportunities.”
Get the latest and breaking news from Northamptonshire by signing up for our newsletter here.[9]
References
- ^ LeaseCar.uk (leasecar.uk)
- ^ Huge blaze that ripped through Northampton landmark was started deliberately, says fire service (www.northantslive.news)
- ^ West Northamptonshire (www.northantslive.news)
- ^ reports the Daily Express (www.express.co.uk)
- ^ West Northamptonshire Council (www.northantslive.news)
- ^ West Northamptonshire’s roads is more than the amount of additional funding allocated for road repairs across the entire country. (www.northantslive.news)
- ^ West Northamptonshire Council (www.northantslive.news)
- ^ LeaseCar.uk (leasecar.uk)
- ^ signing up for our newsletter here. (data.reachplc.com)