Midlands Connect poll says A5 drivers spend hours stuck in traffic

The road is home to one of the country's most bashed bridges

A poll suggests drivers on a Leicestershire road are regularly spending hours stuck in traffic, according to a transport body.

Midlands Connect, a government funded organisation, conducted the poll of 500 people who regularly use the A5.

They found nearly a third of respondents (32%) believed they spent between one and two hours in traffic on the road.

The government has been contacted for a comment.

'Massive support'

The survey found there was widespread support for improvements on the road.

It found 75% of people thought improvements would be important for business and more than 70% said the work would form a part of levelling up.

The survey, which questioned people in Hinckley and Nuneaton and Rugby, in Warwickshire, found 31.74% of people believed they spent more than one hour and up to two hours in congestion.

A further 31.94% said they spent between 30 minutes and up to an hour and 27.54% spent 30 minutes or less in traffic.

Plans to upgrade the road have been put forward by a body called the A5 Partnership, which represents local authorities.

They are calling for more of the route to be duelled - something 81% of residents said they supported.

Midlands Connect has recommended improvements to the A5 between Hinckley and Tamworth are considered by the government for funding.

They hope this could mean work could start as soon as 2025.

Swati Mittal, the organisation's future of roads programme lead, said: "These are striking results and show massive support for upgrades on the A5."

Dr Luke Evans, MP for Bosworth, said: "A growing number of people from our community are losing valuable time because they're stuck in avoidable delays and bottlenecks along the A5, which has become a straitjacket for growth and prosperity in the region.

"The support for these much-needed improvements is overwhelming and I'll keep working alongside Midlands Connect to make this evident to the government and National Highways."

The Department for Transport has been contacted for a comment.