Traffic delays on major A-roads in and around Ealing and its seven towns have risen sharply since 2020, with the A3005 now ranked the most congested route and the A40 recording the steepest increase.
New analysis by Ovoko, using Department for Transport data, compared average delay per vehicle per mile in 2024 with figures from 2020.
The A3005 topped the rankings, with drivers losing 250.7 seconds per mile in delays last year. That was up 45% from 173.1 seconds in 2020.
The A4000 was second on 164.8 seconds per mile, a rise of 48%, while the A406 placed third on 158.6 seconds after delays climbed 62% over the four-year period.
Although lower in the overall rankings, the A40 saw the biggest percentage increase. Delays on the route almost doubled from 34.8 seconds per mile in 2020 to 69.4 seconds in 2024 — an increase of 99%.
Other notable increases included the A4180, where delays rose 91% to 118.2 seconds per mile, and the A4127, up 62% to 140.9 seconds.
Not all roads worsened. The A3002 was the only route in the top 10 to improve, with delays falling 14% from 76.9 to 66.3 seconds per mile.
Kazimieras Urbonas, supplier excellence manager at Ovoko said: “In a borough like Ealing, driving often means dealing with a high level of congestion as standard, so any increase is immediately noticeable. The A40 stands out in particular, with delays almost doubling in just four years. Its corridor has seen significant development and regeneration in recent years, which is likely adding further pressure to an already heavily used route – something that is starting to show in the data.”
Mr Urbonas added: “What stands out in this data is how concentrated the pressure is. Most of the growth is on east-west corridors, which suggests commuters heading towards central London are bearing the brunt of it. Drivers on the A3005 are now losing over four minutes per mile in delays alone. On a five-mile stretch, that is an extra twenty minutes on top of normal travel time, which is the kind of increase that changes how people plan their day
