DRIVERS last year experienced the longest traffic delays since 2019, according to the latest data published by the Department for Transport.

The figures, which report the average delay on A roads by local authority, revealed that Hampshire drivers experienced an average of 29.5 seconds in delays for each mile of travelling in 2023, a 2.1 second increase from the previous year.

Across Andover, drivers were caught in traffic congestion for longer than any year since 2019, although some roads were considerably slower than others.

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The A3057, from Andover to Southampton, had the longest average delays, with drivers held up by 26.9 seconds for every mile travelled, only 2.6 seconds shorter than the Hampshire average.

Despite a widespread year-on-year decrease in delays over the past four years, the data for 2023 reveals there has been a net increase in delays in every A road through Andover.

While the A3057 was the biggest culprit for commute slowdowns, drivers along the A3093 this year have faced an average slowdown of 22.5 seconds per mile travelled.

Drivers travelling through on the A343, connecting Andover to Salisbury, faced the least traffic delays in Andover last year with an average hold up of only 15.6 seconds.

The worst A road in the county for delays last year was the A335, where drivers who travelled between Southampton and the M3 experienced massive average delays of 92.5 seconds per mile travelled. 

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The Department for Transport did not provide specific explanations for the widespread increase in delay times across 2023, however they do warn that the data between 2020 and 2022 was affected by the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic restrictions.

The TomTom Traffic Index, which has collected data on traffic flow since 2011, indicated that traffic congestion dropped significantly during the Covid-19 pandemic, caused by a combination of national travel restrictions and changes in driving habits.

In December 2022, the Department for Transport issued a report based on pandemic disruption, predicting traffic congestion and delays would rise year-on-year as traffic levels grow to outpace road capacity.

Although some areas in Hampshire have now returned to, and in some cases exceeded pre-pandemic delay times, Andover has yet to experience average delays greater than in 2019.

  • Written by Jay Southon, from the University of Portsmouth