Drivers spending five days a year stuck in traffic jams

Drivers spend an average of five days stuck in traffic last year, a study found.

The depressing figure has been revealed by traffic analysts TomTom, which found the UK is the second-most-congested country in the world, behind China.

Newcastle-Sunderland was named the 10th most congested city in the UK, with a 32% congestion level (up 1% from last year).

Spending five days in congestion equates to 130 hours a year, or 34 minutes a day, stuck in jams, which is in line with the with the national average.

The busiest day on the roads in the region was Thursday, 14 June.

During evening peak periods drivers can expect an 56% increase in congestion level, and the same in morning peaks.

Researchers found Belfast had the worst congestion in the UK, with motorists facing a 43% increase in travel times compared with free-flow roads.

This reached 87% during the morning and evening peaks, as drivers spent as much as 200 hours in jams during 2016.

Edinburgh and London were the next-most-congested cities at 40% extra travel time, followed by Manchester (38%), Brighton and Bournemouth (both 36%).

The global study of 390 cities in 48 countries found Mexico City was the most congested at 66%, ahead of Bangkok (61%) and Jakarta (58%).

Ralf-Peter Schaefer, vice president of TomTom Traffic, said the study was "designed to help drivers, cities and transport planners to understand traffic congestion and, most importantly, how to reduce it".