MOTORISTS travelled at an average of 23mph on A-roads in Bournemouth and Poole last year.

Data from the Department of Transport shows there has been little improvement in congestion since the previous year, although in the wider Dorset county area drivers hit 35mph on A-roads on average, making them among the fastest in England.

The figures for Bournemouth and Poole show that for every mile on a main road a car will be delayed by between 50-53 seconds.

So for a daily commute of five miles a driver should add around four minutes to the journey to get to work on time.

Anyone travelling 20 miles can expect a delay of around 20 minutes.

The data applies to 2017, but this year is unlikely to see improvement with heavy congestion reported on main roads as a result of major roadworks schemes, such as the ongoing work at Blackwater junction on the A338 Spur Road, which is scheduled to last for nine months.

The DfT recently announced it was investing up to £10 million in Street Manager, a programme in development intended to provide up-to-date information about roadworks to sat-navs and navigation apps.

It will allow local authorities and utility companies to quickly notify users on road closures or delays, by updating map apps in real time.

Roads Minister Jesse Norman said: "Roadworks can often be frustrating for motorists, especially when they cause hold-ups at busy times and delay journeys.

"We want to reduce this disruption and delay, and Street Manager is just one of a number of actions we are taking so that local authorities and utility companies can better plan and manage their roadworks.

"The data opened up by this new digital service should enable motorists to plan their journeys better, so they can avoid works and get to their destinations more easily."

England overall has an average delay time of 47 seconds per mile on A-roads, making Bournemouth and Poole slightly worse than average, though the difference is magnified by distance travelled.

In 2015 delays in England were on average more than two seconds shorter.