West Midlands traffic crawling at less than 20mph
Motorists in the West Midlands are crawling through traffic at an average of less than 20mph – while in Staffordshire drivers are travelling along the county's rural roads at a relatively speedy 27mph.
Motorists in the West Midlands are crawling through traffic at an average of less than 20mph – while in Staffordshire drivers are travelling along the county's rural roads at a relatively speedy 27mph.
Figures released today reveal that, despite leaps in technology, we are little better off now than we were in days of the horse and cart. Worst of all is Wolverhampton, recently hit by roadworks on the Ring Road and Willenhall Road with more promised for Penn Road and Stafford Road.
There motorists take an average of three-and-half minutes to travel just one mile at – all at the pedestrian speed of only16.9mph.
That compares to rural Staffordshire, where drivers travel at a clear 10mph faster than in the busiest parts of the Black Country, although figures show the average speed now is 2mph less than this time last year.
The figures come from the Department of Transport and today prompted calls for action to help traffic flow more freely to help businesses and ease the blood pressure of motorists.
All areas of the urban West Midlands are below the national average of 24.2mph – itself down from 26.1mph recorded just sixmonths ago. And in all areas traffic is slower than it was six months ago.
Average speeds:
Wolverhampton: 16.9mph
Sandwell: 17.2mph
Birmingham: 17.3mph
Walsall: 19.1mph
Dudley: 18mph
Staffordshire: 27.6
National average: 24.2
