English drivers common pace of 23mph – and people in Brighton get it worst

Frustrated drivers on England’s roads crawl along at a snail’s pace of just 23 miles per hour, figures show.

Motorists are held up by congestion, 20 mph speed limits and road works meaning 23.6 mph is the average speed of all journeys.

But drivers from Brighton move the slowest in the country averaging a mind-boggling 13 mph.

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Roads in the south coast resort are even slower than the average speed in Greater London which is 14.4 mph.

Roads in inner London are even slower at just 10.6 mph but were excluded from the overall findings as they only reflect speeds in a part of the capital.



Motorists in Brighton get slowed down the most
(Image: PA)

Researchers analysed the average speeds of drivers on A roads in 137 local authority areas from 2019 to 2023 to come up with the findings.

The official data from the National Highways National Traffic Information Service was analysed by car parts website Ovoko.

A spokesperson said: “From this data it is clear that driving on the speed limit, particularly in major cities, is challenging.



Motorists all around the country are grinding to a halt
(Image: Getty Images)

“Many urban areas are beginning to enforce 20 mile per hour speed limits on all roads for safety reasons.

“Most people in cars are moving around our cities and towns at just 23 mph and in many places a lot less than that.”

Average speeds in Reading are the second slowest at 13.6 mph followed in third place by Nottingham on 13.8 mph, Southampton fourth on 14.3 mph and Greater London fifth on 14.4 mph.



We’re going nowhere… slowly
(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Slough came sixth on 14.9 mph ahead of Manchester which is seventh slowest on 15.9 mph with Bristol eighth on 16.2 mph, Plymouth ninth on 16.3 mph and Liverpool tenth slowest on 16.4 mph.

Drivers in Rutland in the East Midlands moves the fastest in the country averaging 38.6 miles per hour with the Halton area of Cheshire second fastest on 36.1 mph, Telford third fastest on 35.6 mph and Peterborough fourth fastest on 35.4 mph.

East Yorkshire is fifth fastest on 34.8 mph, Lincolnshire and Milton Keynes joint sixth fastest on 34.4 mph and Shropshire seventh fastest areas on 34 mph.

Dorset is eighth fastest on 33.5 mph, Redcar and Cleveland ninth fastest on 33.4 mph and Northumberland tenth fastest on 32.7 mph.

LondonMotoring