Leeds ranked in top 10 worst areas for roadworks in the UK - full list

Leeds has been ranked in the top 10 worst areas for roadworks in the UK. Leeds City Council was one of the local authorities in the UK to have carried out the most roadworks between April 2021 and March 2022, according to a Freedom of Information request by Bill Plant Driving School.

A total of 23,851 roadworks had taken place throughout the year in Leeds, putting it at the bottom of the list as it trailed behind Hampshire City Council with 25,581 roadworks. Meanwhile, Essex County Council topped the list with a staggering 77,423 roadworks throughout the same period.

Of this huge number, almost 63,000 were undertaken by statutory undertakers, which includes external companies such as broadband companies. The information is based on road and street works carried out by the council themselves as well as third parties and statutory undertakers.

Leeds has also been plagued with a number of roadworks especially in its city centre in preparation for City Square’s permanent closure to traffic in February 2023. Although traffic is no longer going through the area, traffic congestion remains an issue in other parts of the city.

Leeds City Council has previously said that the work will help create a “world-class gateway to the city centre” and will transform City Square into a “more people-first environment.” The second spot belongs to Staffordshire County Council which had 52,871 roadworks between 2021 and 2022 financial year.

Although Staffordshire’s total is huge, it’s almost 25,000 lower than first place, putting Essex’s total into perspective. Cardiff City Council is ranked the third place with the most roadworks with 43,252 and the majority of it came from Welsh Water who carried out 17,535 jobs during this time period and only 1,200 roadworks were independently carried out by the council.

Below is the full list of local authorities across the UK with the most roadworks between 2021 and 2022.

Top 10 places in the UK with the most roadworks

According to the Freedom of Information request, these 10 local authorities had the most roadworks in place between April 2021 and March 2022 financial year.

1. Essex County Council 77,423
2. Staffordshire County Council 52,871
3. Cardiff Council 43,252
4. West Northamptonshire Council 34,557
5. East Riding of Yorkshire Council 32,420
6. Worcestershire County Council 31,105
7. Bradford City Council 27,301
8. Ealing Borough Council 25,593
9. Hampshire County Council 25,581
10. Leeds City Council 24,851