The areas with the worst level of traffic have been revealed - and only one Yorkshire city hasn't gotten worse.

Fresh figures from the Department for Transport travelled more miles on council-maintained roads in 2024 than in 2023 in every local authority area - except for Rotherham. In That South Yorkshire market town, the number of miles drivers travelled dropped to 1.55 million from 1.58 billion in 2023.

There were 293 billion miles travelled on local authority-maintained roads across Great Britain in 2024 - down from the 299 billion a year earlier, and down on the 313 billion recorded in 2019. It comes as the RAC has said most motorists still have "no feasible alternative to the car", cautioning that vehicles will remain "essential" despite enhancements to public transport.

You can find out how traffic levels have changed in you area using the gadget below, or in the list below. You can also check the busiest roads in your area here.

RAC senior policy officer Rod Dennis said: "RAC data shows that 81 per cent of drivers would struggle to adjust to life without their vehicle because for many, it's the most time and cost-effective option.

"This is especially true for those in rural areas where public transport provision is limited or non-existent.

"The more cars there are on the roads, the greater the impact on air quality, road conditions and traffic.

"While the current Government is very focused on improving public transport across the board, we expect the car will remain essential to many people's lives for years to come."

The data reveals that the regions with the highest traffic were predominantly in the south east of England. Essex topped the list with 9.7 billion miles driven, followed by Hampshire, Kent, Surrey and Hertfordshire.

On the other end of the spectrum, the five areas with the least traffic included four remote islands, along with the City of London.

In response to these findings, the Government has pledged to unveil a new road safety strategy later this year, aimed at "reducing antisocial behaviour, injuries and tragic deaths on our roads".

Louise Haigh, the former Transport Secretary, had previously addressed the Commons last year, stating the Government's commitment to tackling the "blight" of antisocial behaviour and speeding. She said: "We are working on delivering the road safety strategy, the first in over a decade, to reduce antisocial behaviour, injuries and tragic deaths on our roads.

Tanya Braun, director of external affairs and fundraising at Living Streets, an organisation campaigning for safer streets for pedestrians, commented on how the Covid pandemic has altered people's travel habits around neighbourhoods. She said: "During the Covid-19 lockdowns, we all appreciated the benefits of going for a walk.

"Five years on and many of us have made it a habit, but we need to be careful that driving levels don't creep back up.

"We want to see tangible measures in the strategy that will make walking and wheeling safer for all, such as slower speeds and a ban on pavement parking."

She highlighted that the charity's own data indicates that interventions to enhance streets for pedestrians are already having a positive impact, with existing bans on pavement parking encouraging more parents to walk their children to school.

A spokesperson for the Department for Transport said: "The safety of all road users is a top priority for the Government, which is why we are committed to delivering a new road safety strategy - the first in over a decade - and will set out next steps in due course.

"We also recognise the problems pavement parking can cause for people across the country. That's why we have commissioned new research to better understand the impact of pavement parking and ensure the solutions we take forward work in practice.

"The Government will continue to review the issue nationwide and will update as soon as possible."

Yorkshire's worst traffic hotspots - but one area has seen car use decline - Yorkshire Live