A new league table has revealed the worst locations of London for motorists to be caught up in roadworks.
The results are broken down by borough and the local authority with the most carried out more than 18,000 roadworks last year.
London neighbourhoods have been blighted by months of roadworks and road closures, leading to surging congestion and furious complaints from drivers, residents and business owners.
Now motoring experts from tyre retailer Blackcircles have published a study showing the total number of road works undertaken by councils or its contractors in 2024.
They obtained the information after submitting a series of Freedom of Information requests to local authorities across the UK.
Drivers in Westminster can expect the most disruptions as the council undertook a whopping 18,123 repairs in 2024.
These works included carriageway resurfacing, kerb realignments, and surface dressings.
However, the City of London, which finished third, has more roadworks proportional to its population than anywhere in Britain.
The City of London Corporation implemented 8,226 workroads, or 6,111 per 10,000 people, compared to just 857 in neighbouring Westminster.
When it came to overall roadworks, the data showed Westminster came well ahead of second-place Southwark with 8,941.
Ealing was fourth — with 6,879 roadworks — followed by Camden in fifth, which had 6,164.
The research also revealed that the area of London with the least roadworks was Hounslow with just 578, or 20 per 10,000 residents.
However, 13 of London’s 32 boroughs, including the City of London, did not provide roadworks figures for 2024.
London has a high volume of roadworks for various reasons, including street improvements, construction projects — such as new housing and pipeworks replacements — and health and safety upgrades.
Some roadworks are also being carried out by councils and its statutory undertakers to repair potholes and ageing infrastructure.
Additionally, major projects like infrastructure upgrades, and London's status as a major global city contribute to the constant need for road modifications and repairs.
While essential for improving road infrastructure and ensuring safety, and coordinated to minimise disruption, critics say a rise in roadworks are to blame for London’s surging congestion.
Transport analytics company Inrix said drivers in the capital spent 101 hours sitting in traffic in 2024, a 2% increase from the previous year.
The total cost to London was estimated at £3.85 billion, at an average of £942 per driver.
Antonia Jennings, chief executive of the non-profit Centre for London, told Zag Daily: “Roadworks are a key reason for slower moving traffic, particularly when they block key routes through, into, or out of the capital”.
Number of roadworks in London in 2024
1. Westminster City Council - 18,123
2. Southwark Borough Council - 8,941
3. City of London Corporation - 8,226
4. Ealing Borough Council - 6,879
5. Camden Borough Council - 6,164
6. Brent Borough Council - 5,968
7. Merton Borough Council - 5,274
8. Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea - 4,783
9. London Borough of Havering - 4,469
10. London Borough of Hackney - 3,861
Outside of London, Liverpool is the city where motorists face the most roadworks.
In 2024, 31,765 roadworks were carried out in the Merseyside city, which is equivalent to 631 per 10,000 people.
However, Blackpool had the fewest number of roadworks. At least 41 roadworks were carried out in the Lancashire seaside town, which equates to 3 per 10,000 people.
In 2024, Birmingham City Council closed 10,463 roads to carry out maintenance. This is equivalent to 90 per 10,000 people, higher than any other local authority.
Edinburgh topped the list of areas with the highest average duration of roadwork, at 80 calendar days.
