This is how bad traffic delays really are in South Tyneside

As figures are released showing the length of delays,the Local Government Association (LGA) has called for more funding and greater powers to reduce road congestion.

Cars and vans were delayed by an average of 39.1 seconds every mile along South Tyneside's A-roads last year, according to data from the Department for Transport.

It meant that each driver wasted 7.9 per cent less time than during the previous year. But this was still one of the greatest decreases in the country, where the average was 0.8 per cent.

LGA transport spokesman Martin Tett said: "It would already take £9.8 billion and over 10 years for councils to clear the current local road repairs backlog.

"Councils also need extra funding to plug the £650 million gap in concessionary fares payments councils get from the Government.

"Having to fill this gap means less support for bus services which relieve congestion."

Between 2015 and 2018, the waiting time faced by each driver in South Tyneside rose from 37.7 to 39.1 seconds for every mile travelled.

According to the figures, the worst time to hit the road across England is on weekdays between 4pm and 7pm.

Over the 12 months ending March 2019, the period with the latest statistics available, the average speed for vehicles travelling during the end-of-workday rush was 22.2 miles per hour.

This was slower than the busy morning commute – 23.6mph – and the middle of the day lull between peak times.

A spokeswoman for the Department for Transport said the Government is spending more than £50bn to reduce congestion.

She added: "We also recognise the role played by other modes of transport in reducing congestion – modernising our railways through a record £48 billion investment, tripling cycling and walking investment per head, and investing £2.5 billion through the Transforming Cities Fund to develop innovative public transport schemes in some of England's biggest cities."