Milton Keynes has one of the slowest motorway stretches in the country, research reveals

A survey by comparethemarket.com has discovered Milton Keynes has one of the slowest motorway stretches in the country.

The study looked at 34 stretches all over England and MK came out as the eleventh slowest.

The average speed here is just 57.7mph. But it could well be even slower as the only data available refers to 2020, a year in which there were fewer cars on the road due to lockdown.

The average speeds refer to traffic at all times of day so they will be even slower during rush hour, says comparethemarket.

That dubious honour of the slowest stretch of motorway goes to Hounslow in London, which sees much of the traffic pass through en route to Heathrow Airport. Here the average speed is 45.7 miles per hour.

This was followed by Reading, which the M4 runs through (52.2 miles per hour) and nearby Slough (52.9 miles per hour).

Dan Hutson, head of motor insurance at comparethemarket.com, said: “It can be really frustrating for a driver to get caught in traffic jams or stuck on a slow moving motorway, because we rely on these networks to cover distance quickly. Finding alternative routes, other modes of transport or avoiding these slow stretches during peak hours would be the best option to make sure you aren’t caught in a jam.

“If you are embarking on a longer road trip this summer then don’t forget to get your car serviced and have all the necessary cover in place in case of any accidents or breakdowns.”

You can read the full survey here.