The country's worst traffic disruptions left motorists stuck in jams for up to 15 hours, costing millions of pounds in wasted time, new research has revealed.
The analysis by transport data company Inrix found that drivers faced 1.35 million traffic jams in the past year, costing them an estimated £9 billion in wasted time, fuel and unnecessary carbon emissions.
The worst queue of the year occurred on August 4 2017 on the M5 northbound near Junction 20 near Clevedon, Somerset.
Traffic tailed back 36 miles at the peak of the 15-hour jam, caused when an accident involving two lorries created a fuel spill and led to the closure of two lanes.
Analysis of queues from September 2016 to August 2017 found that November was the worst with almost 170,000 hold-ups - some 50 per cent above average.
Inrix chief economist Dr Graham Cookson said: "There are so many factors that influence congestion levels it's hard to be certain why November was the worst month.
"We do know November 2016 was significantly colder than usual, in fact, the coldest month of the calendar year.
"The risk of ice on the road can lead to slower moving traffic and people are more inclined to take shelter in vehicles over cycling or walking in cold snaps."
He added: "Fuel spillages, emergency repairs and broken-down lorries contributed to the biggest pile-ups this year.
"We advise motorists use the latest real-time traffic technology to keep up to date with the situation on the roads."
Read More
MORE ABOUT