Drink driving hotspots around the UK

Everyone has the right to feel safe on the road. But, despite us all knowing how bad it is to drink and drive, the UK consistently sees spikes in drunk driving cases and road traffic accidents around the Easter bank holidays and throughout the summer.

While certainly not an endemic problem, and the level of drink driving incidents has decreased slightly since 2019, there are still far too many people being caught over the limit behind the wheel. It makes the roads far more dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists alike, not to mention other drivers.

To help bring attention to this, we analysed government data from over the past five years to identify the UK’s drink driving hotspots, based specifically on the number of accidents per 100,000 people in each region.

We also assessed which age groups and genders most often drive drunk, and have provided useful driving tips that you can implement to keep yourself safe on the road.

The UK’s drink driving hotspots

Based on government data we’ve collected; the following list represents the various UK regions with the most drink driving incidents per 100,000 people:

1. The West Midlands – 89.48
2. The South East – 57
3. The East Midlands – 56.32
4. The East of England – 51.16
5. The South West – 49.86
6. Yorkshire and Humberside – 43.57
7. Wales – 42.41
8. The North West – 39.18
9. The North East – 37.26
10. London – 34.29
11. Scotland – 28.05

Without a doubt, people in the West Midlands are the biggest culprits when it comes to getting behind the wheel after drinks. The region’s total of 89.48 accidents puts it a full 32 accidents higher than the South East, its nearest accident rival.

In fact, these stats show a surprising disparity between accidents in the West Midlands and the rest of the UK. While the majority of regions share fairly close accident levels, the West Midlands strides ahead, making it the drink driving capital of the UK.

Interestingly, London and Scotland have comparatively fewer drink driving accidents than the rest of the country, though this is likely due to London’s excellent transport network and Scotland’s laws on the sale of alcohol after hours.

Are young people more likely to drink and drive?

Typically, you might expect younger members of society to be responsible for committing drink driving offences, but this isn’t necessarily the case. While their age bracket is certainly high-up in the government’s data, they’re not the most likely age group, as shown below:

1. 60-69 – 6.7%
2. 25-29 – 4.4%
3. 20-24 – 4.0%
4. 30-34 – 3.8%
5. 35-39 – 3.4%
6. 70+ – 3.3%
7. Under 20 – 2.8%
8. 40-49 – 2.5%
9. 50-59 – 1.8%

Shockingly, it’s actually those between the ages of 60-69 who most commonly fail breathalyser tests when stopped by police. That’s 2.3% higher than 25-29-year-olds!

But while those between the ages of 20 and 29 rank fairly high amongst government statistics, those under the age of 20 only accounts for 2.8% of accidents. That puts them below even the over 70s, who make up 2.8% of drunk driving accidents.

Ultimately, it would seem those between the ages of 50 and 59 are the most sensible when it comes to drinking and driving, only being included in 1.8% of all personal injuries on the roads relating to the consumption of alcohol.

Which gender is statistically more likely to get behind the wheel after drinking?

When it comes to gender distinctions in drink driving incidents, the statistics are heavily skewed in favour of women.

In the last 5 years, women have been involved in 5,930 accidents while drunk behind the wheel. This compares favourably to the 22,670 accidents involving men, which is over four times more. On average, men are involved in 4,534 drunk driving accidents per year compared to just 1,186 for women.

Top tips for staying safe on the road

First and foremost, the number one tip we can offer you to stay safe on the road is to not drive if you’re over the legal limit. If you’re unsure whether or not you’re over, the safer option is to avoid driving and take public transport or a taxi instead.

Another top tip, and one that should be obvious, is to buckle-up. We also highly recommend getting plenty of sleep the night before, particularly if you have a long drive the next day, and stay alert on the road to avoid potential accidents caused by other drivers.

Plan ahead, don’t text and drive, stick to the speed limit, and be patient.

The UK might be one of the safest places to drive in the world, but that doesn’t mean accidents don’t happen. If you’ve been involved in an accident that wasn’t your fault you may be entitled to compensation.

Here at The Compensation Experts, we can put you in contact with expert solicitors experienced in all fields of injury. Whether it’s an accident at work or a trip, slip, or fall, they’ll help you estimate your claims worth and guide you through the claims process.

Get in touch today!

In road traffic accidents, people can often think of two drivers colliding. However, there are many children’s road accidents that happen that people may not think about initially. Children are particularly vulnerable to road accidents as they cannot be held accountable for many of them.  

Sometimes accidents that involve children happen that are unavoidable. But if your child has been injured in an accident that was the fault of a driver, then you may be able to make a claim on their behalf. 

The most common children’s road accidents 

The three most common children’s road accidents are pedestrian accidents, passenger accidents and cycling accidents. 

The most common types of pedestrian accident include: 

• Drivers driving carelessly 
• Speeding  
• Hit and run cases 
• Drivers going through red lights 

This is even more important for children as they may accidentally run or walk out into the road. Pedestrians are amongst some of the most vulnerable road users, so have the same level of protection as cyclists and motorcyclists. 

Children’s bicycle accidents can happen for all sorts of reasons. However, in our experience, the most common accidents include: 

• Hit and run accidents 
• Faulty bicycle parts 
• Defects in the road and pavements, for example, potholes 
• Slippery road or pavement conditions due to ice, snow, or oil spills 

If your child has had a bicycle accident due to one of these reasons, then it may be someone else’s fault and you may be able to make a claim on their behalf. 

Passengers have far more compensation rights than other parties in RTA claims due to the fact that, in most cases, there is no way that a passenger can be deemed liable for the accident at hand. Drivers of any vehicle have a duty of care to ensure that you and other passengers don’t come to harm during travel, meaning that you’re eligible to make a claim should any car accident cause injury. 

Making a claim on behalf of a child 

If a child is injured in a road accident, they cannot make a claim for themselves. So, if this happens, a parent or guardian may be able to make the claim on their behalf. In these cases, any compensation is then held in a trust until the child turns 18. 

The time limit for making a claim for children’s road accidents also differs from adults. Usually, in a personal injury claim, you have three years from the date of the accident to make a claim. However, with children’s road accidents, this three-year period doesn’t start until the child turns 18. So if your child has an accident, you have until they turn 18 to make a claim. They can then make a claim for themselves until they turn 21. 

How we can help with children’s road accidents 

Here at The Compensation Experts, we work with solicitors who have years of experience dealing with personal injury claims. This includes children’s road accidents. Contact us today by filling in our contact form. Or call us on 01614138765 to speak to one of our friendly experts. 

Research from Imperial College has recently identified how speed, direction, and level of head protection can predict risk of brain injury following road traffic accidents. Traumatic brain injuries are a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Nearly one in three are caused by RTAs. 

A partnership between Imperial College London and TRL has investigated the relationship between TBI and collision. They used parameters such as speed, direction and force of vehicle impact. By studying more than 2000 collisions they have calculated the likelihood of different types of brain injury on British roads. They have also shown for the first time how collision parameters like changes in speed during collisions relate to different types of brain injuries.  

Lead author Claire Baker, PhD researcher at Imperial’s Dyson School of Design Engineering, said: “We looked in detail at which road traffic collisions produce brain injury. We now know which types of collisions lead to the most severe head injuries. This data can inform the emergency response and post-collision care pathways.  

“Data needed to make these predictions are routinely collected in many modern cars. This means that algorithms using this data could quickly assess and relay the likely type and severity of TBI for each crash as it occurs. This will enable emergency operators to deploy the specific type of treatment needed, faster.”  

How this data will help with brain injury following road traffic accidents 

The findings provide the data to automatically identify collisions that are most likely to cause TBI. This could provide the basis for existing crash notification systems to better predict and communicate the risk of severe injury to emergency services. This could help first responders ensure that patients quickly receive the most appropriate kind of treatment.  

Senior author Professor David Sharp, from Imperial’s Department of Brain Sciences, said: “Road traffic collisions often produce life-threatening brain injuries. Treating patients quickly gives us the best chance of reducing death and disability. Automatically identifying collisions that are likely to lead to severe TBI will improve the efficiency of our treatment.”  

They found that change in speed at impact were good predictors of brain injury, as were the impact direction and the presence of head protection worn by cyclists.  

More must be done to protect vulnerable road users like cyclists and pedestrians. This could include vulnerable road user-friendly vehicle designs and segregated infrastructure for vulnerable road users. 

Pedestrians and cyclists were six times more likely than drivers to suffer moderate and severe brain injury in the UK. The researchers say their work confirms that the best way to reduce the likelihood of TBI is to reduce the speed of collisions. 

If you have suffered brain injury following a road traffic accident, then you may be able to make a claim. Where the victim cannot make a claim themselves, their next of kin can make a claim on their behalf. 

How We Can Help 

Here at The Compensation Experts, we work with solicitors who have years of experience dealing with personal injury claims. This includes brain injury following road traffic accidents. So contact us by filling in our contact form. Or call us on 01614138765 to speak to one of our friendly experts. 

According to recent reports, a road safety group said that nearly 700 drivers in Cornwall were caught speeding by a camera in its first week of operation. Speeding is one of the main causes of road traffic collisions. 

The Vision Zero South West road safety partnership fund the speed camera. 

Superintendent Adrian Leisk, of Devon and Cornwall Police said speed was a contributory factor in many collisions. Devon and Cornwall police are part of the partnership.

He said: “Cameras such as these not only enable us to prosecute those driving at dangerously high speeds, but, importantly, allow us to refer the vast majority into driver education training. 

Vision Zero South West – made up of a number of organisations, including Devon and Cornwall Police, Cornwall Council and National Highways – said the aim was to stop all fatal and serious collisions by 2040. 

It said there were 44 fatalities, and 624 people with serious injuries after crashes on Devon and Cornwall’s roads in 2020. 

The camera caught 681 drivers in it’s first week, after going live on 8 February. Of these, five were referred to court, 72 received a conditional offer of a fixed penalty and points on their licence, and 604 were given the option of a driver awareness course, the partnership said. 

Philip Desmonde, Cornwall Council’s portfolio holder for transport, said: “Speed limits are in place for a good reason. Sadly, too many people sustain injuries on Cornwall’s roads. 

“These cameras are a valuable tool in educating drivers to slow down.” 

Road Traffic Collisions 

When you are in a road traffic collision, you can suffer with some long-term problems. This may mean that you are eligible to make a claim. Speeding and other types of careless driving are amongst the most common causes of road traffic collisions in the UK. 

Being in a car crash or road traffic collision can lead to difficulty and even life changing injuries. To ease the burden, we can help you claim the compensation you deserve, as you recover. Common examples of serious road accident claims include compensation for: 

• Whiplash and neck injuries 
• Back injury 
• Head injuries and brain damage 
• Fatality – if a loved one has died as a result of a road traffic accident, you can claim compensation on their behalf. 

Since the whiplash reforms, which were introduced on 31^st May 2021, and designed to value whiplash injuries as a fixed tariff purely dependent on how long the injuries last and whether there was any psychological impact, claiming for these injuries has now changed. However, we may still be able to help you make a claim. 

How We Can Help 

Here at The Compensation Experts, we work with solicitors who have years of experience dealing with personal injury claims. This includes road traffic collisions. So contact us today by filling in our contact form. You can also call us on 01614138765 to speak to one of our friendly experts. 

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has published a simplified guide to using the Official Injury Claim OIC portal after the low take-up of the portal by litigants in person (LiPs). The MoJ published data after the first six months of the portal launch which showed that only 10% of people were using the portal, and the rest were still seeking legal assistance. 

The previous guide, which was 64 pages long, was widely criticised for not being user-friendly and over-complicated. The new MoJ guide is 14 pages long and in clearer English than the previous guide. It sets out five steps to bring a claim. However, the new guide asks users to refer to the Judicial College Guidelines to value their injuries, which may add further confusion. 

The new guide says: “For additional help in valuing a claim, relevant helpful extracts from the ‘Judicial College Guidelines for the Assessment of General Damages in Personal Injury Cases’ have been included in the appendix of the OIC ‘Guide to making a claim’. 

“This is a book used by lawyers and judges to help assess the value of a claim which has suggested compensation levels for a range of injuries. 

“The amounts included in this publication are only guidelines and the full circumstances of the accident should be considered when assessing the value of your injuries.” 

Road Traffic Accidents and Alternatives to the OIC Portal  

When you have a road traffic accident and are suffering, you may not want the added stress of having to navigate the OIC portal. This was particularly true in the first few months of the OIC portal, with most people still opting to alternatives. This is why road traffic accidents and alternatives to the OIC portal exist.  

If you have been injured in a road traffic accident, then you may be able to claim compensation. This is especially true if someone else was at fault for your accident. Since the launch of the OIC portal, both drivers and passengers are encouraged to use the portal when they have an RTA, however, many are still seeking alternatives. This is why we may still be able to help.  

You could claim road traffic accident compensation for an injury, if you were not at fault. The most common reasons for road traffic accident claims are: 

• Another driver’s error or lack of concentration 
• Poor conditions due to inadequate lighting or large potholes 
• Unclear signs 
• Other distractions such as smoke from a bonfire in a neighbouring field blowing across the road 

If you are a protected party, then the rules surrounding road traffic accidents and the OIC portal do not apply, and you can still make a claim the traditional way. Protected parties are: 

• Pedestrians 
• Cyclists 
• Motorcyclists 
• Pillions (motorbike passengers) 
• Mobility scooter users 
• Minors 

How We Can Help 

Here at The Compensation Experts, we work with solicitors who have years of experience dealing with personal injury claims. This includes road traffic accidents and alternatives to the OIC portal. Contact us by filling in our contact form. Or call us on 01614138765 to speak to one of our friendly experts. 

The new Highway Code rules came into effect at the end of January. In the new rules, there were several changes to the amount of protection that vulnerable road users have. One of these groups is pedestrians. The aim of the new rules is to give vulnerable road users more protection on the roads. It will also aim to decrease the number of pedestrian road accidents. 

The New Highway Code Rules 

The new “hierarchy” is included in H1 of the new rules. This looks to ensure a more mutually respectful and considerate culture of safe and effective road use. Pedestrians are at the top of the hierarchy, as they are the most vulnerable of all road users. All other types of road users now have a greater responsibility for keeping pedestrians safe on the roads. 

There is a new rule – H2 in the revised Code – which gives priority to pedestrians at junctions waiting to cross a road.  This is in addition to the existing rule that pedestrians who have started to cross the road into which a vehicle is turning must have priority. 

The new rules state that at a junction you should also give way to pedestrians waiting to cross the road into which or from which you are turning. 

The New Rules for Pedestrians 

There are also new rules that pedestrians must follow to keep themselves safe on the road. Pedestrians should use pavements and footways if provided. Where possible, pedestrians should also avoid being next to the kerb with their back to the traffic. In addition, the advice in the Code now requires pedestrians to always remain aware of their environment and avoid unnecessary distractions.  

The new rules also state that, when crossing a road, pedestrians must ensure that they cross in a place where they are visible to drivers. This means that if pedestrians are unsure whether they can be seen by a driver perhaps due to parked cars or other obstructions they should find a more suitable crossing place, even though they have priority over vehicles coming in to or out of the junction. 

How the New Rules will Affect Pedestrian Road Accidents

Ultimately, the new rules have been introduced to protect pedestrians. If all road users read up on, and stick to, the rules, then the government hopes that it will drastically reduce the number of pedestrian road accidents that happen per year.  

Pedestrian road accidents can cause serious injuries. This is because pedestrians rarely, if ever, have any way of protecting themselves from a vehicle. Subsequently, if you have a pedestrian road accident, you may find that it impacts your mental health is impacted as much as your physical health. 

We work with some of the leading pedestrian road accident lawyers in the country. They are experts in pedestrian road accidents. This means they can help you to claim compensation for the mental and physical effects of your accident. 

How We Can Help with Pedestrian Road Accidents

Here at The Compensation Experts, we work with solicitors who have years of experience dealing with personal injury claims. This includes pedestrian road accidents. Contact us today by filling in our contact form. Or call us on 01614138765 to speak to one of our friendly experts. 

New driving laws came into effect on 29^th January, which aim to give more protection to cyclists and pedestrians. The government hopes that this will decrease the number of cyclist accidents, and improve road safety. With the new guidance, the Government has set out a new “hierarchy of road users”. Therefore, those who are a greater risk to others on the road will have a greater responsibility to keep more vulnerable users safe. 

However, recent reports show that two in three UK drivers were unaware of the new changes. This could mean that there is an increase in cyclist accidents and other road accidents. 

The New Driving Laws 

The new “hierarchy” is included in H1 of the new rules, which looks to ensure a more mutually respectful and considerate culture of safe and effective road use. 

Rule H2 focuses on new priority at junctions – meaning motorists, horse riders and cyclists must give way to pedestrians waiting or crossing at a junction. 

The final major change, Rule H3, sets out new guidance for drivers and motorcyclists. It advises them to “not cut across cyclists going ahead when turning into or out of a junction or changing direction or lane”. 

Motorists should “stop and wait” for a safe gap in the flow of cyclists if necessary. 

Safe passing distances have also been updated to account for the increase in protections of the most vulnerable road users. 

Drivers will now need to leave a minimum distance of 1.5 metres when overtaking motorcyclists, cyclists, horse riders and horse drawn vehicles at speeds under 30mph. 

When driving over the 30mph threshold, the safe overtaking distance is increased to a minimum of two metres. 

A spokesperson for the Department for Transport explained why the changes were being made. 

They said: “The proposed upcoming changes to The Highway Code will improve safety for cyclists, pedestrians and horse riders, with those who present the most risk to other road users given the greatest responsibility in creating a safer travel environment for all. 

“The Department has established a working group of key organisations to ensure that messages about the changes are as widespread as possible and our well-established THINK! campaign will continue to ensure all road users are aware both when these changes come into effect and beyond.” 

Cyclist Accidents 

Cyclists lack the same level of protection as car drivers if there’s a collision. They are susceptible to injury if a pothole throws them off their bike. We deal with thousands of cyclist accident claims every year, with injuries ranging from minor lacerations to life-changing impairment. With this in mind, we aim to make your cyclist accident claim as stress-free as possible. 

How We Can Help with Cyclist Accidents

Here at The Compensation Experts, we work with solicitors who have years of experience dealing with personal injury claims. This includes cyclist accidents. So contact us today by filling in our contact form. Or call us on 01614138765 to speak to one of our friendly experts. 

A seven-year-old boy suffered “catastrophic injuries to his head” after a school minibus hit him. This is important for fatal children’s road accidents, as, according to reports, the inquest is still ongoing. This may help highlight road safety for children.

He had been travelling home from school on the bus with his brother and one other passenger on 13 January 2020, an inquest jury was told.

The minibus was operated by CDS travel on behalf of Monmouthshire Council.

It was driven by its regular driver, who was well known to the boy and his family.

The bus was running ahead of schedule and reached the boy’s home earlier than usual, meaning his mother was not there to meet it, the inquest heard.

The assistant coroner said the boy and his brother “opened and closed the minibus doors themselves” before the bus driver drove away.

The driver “heard a bump” as he drove away. He assumed was the minibus clipping the curb, he told the jury. However, the boy had been caught under the minibus.

The coroner added the boy’s mother was “scrambling to get her shoes on” to meet her sons off the bus, and when she got outside, she initially only saw the boy’s brother before seeing him lying on his side.

His mother “knew instantly” that the boy had suffered “catastrophic injuries” and he died shortly afterwards, the inquest heard.

Fatal Road Accidents

There are many causes of fatal road accident claims. However, at the Compensation Experts we have found that the most common cause of fatal road accidents is from another person’s careless driving. This includes errors, lack of concentration, driving whilst under the influence of drugs or alcohol, speeding, using mobile phones or other technology whilst driving, and not taking care of lights and signs whilst driving.

A fatal car accident or fatal motorcycle accident can also be caused by poor conditions. These include

• Inadequate lighting
• Large potholes
• Unclear signs
• Other distractions such as smoke from a bonfire in a neighbouring field blowing across the road

Motor Insurers Bureau Claims

If the fatal road accident was caused by an uninsured or untraced driver, you may still be able to make a claim. This claim is from the Motor Insurers Bureau. The Motor Insurers Bureau is an organisation that insurance companies pay into in an accident with these drivers. This would be the case if the driver drove away from a fatal road accident, or if they were uninsured. A fatal car accident must be reported to the police at the time of the accident, or soon afterwards. The Motor Insurers Bureau will then pay the compensation rather than the insurance company.

How We Can Help With Children’s Fatal Road Accidents

Here at The Compensation Experts we work with solicitors who have years of experience dealing with personal injury claims. This includes fatal children’s road accidents. Contact us today by filling in our contact form. Or call us on 01614138765 to speak to one of our friendly experts.

According to recent reports, e-scooter injuries are costing the NHS an average of £1k per patient in Bristol.

The Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (Pacts) has been investigating e-scooter safety across the UK.

Under current UK law, privately-owned e-scooters, of which Pacts estimates there are 500,000 in the UK, are classed as motor vehicles and are illegal to use on roads or in public places without insurance and registration.

But in 2020 the government authorised official trial rental schemes of e-scooters and some 50 local authorities have introduced them.

Pacts estimates private companies have distributed about 20,000 of them across the UK. This is including cities such as London, Nottingham, Derby, Portsmouth, Oxford, Cambridge, Coventry, Sunderland, and Southampton.

It said it was hard to find exact figures of e-scooter accidents because of the way individual hospitals record injuries, but “casualty numbers are growing, and the severity of some casualties is high”.

In the first 10 months of 2021 PACTS found nine deaths involving e-scooters and more than 300 casualties.

E-Scooter Injuries in Bristol

A new report by transport safety charity Pacts shows 90 e-scooter riders went to A&E units in Bristol for treatment in four weeks between May and June. Of those people, 96% were the e-scooter rider, and 80% of that group had been riding hired scooters.

The majority of those injured (71%) fell rather than collided with a pedestrian or other vehicle.

About a fifth came in with head injuries. Three patients had either a traumatic brain injury, haemorrhage or a fractured skull.

Professor Edd Carlton, a consultant in emergency medicine at North Bristol NHS Trust and an associate professor at the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, told the Pacts report: “Across emergency departments in Bristol over 40 per cent of patients who are treated after e-scooter accidents have fractures, a number also suffer life-changing injuries.

“The average cost of treatment to the NHS for these injuries is nearly £1,000 per patient.”

E-Scooter Accidents

Due to the fact that E-scooters must meet the same standards as motor vehicles, if you have an accident involving an electric scooter then you may be able to make a claim. If you have an electric scooter accident as a passenger, then you may be able to make a claim. You may also be able to make a claim if you were riding an e-scooter and you have an accident involving a car. There are other examples where the person riding the scooter is uninsured or untraceable. In these cases, you may still be able to make a claim. The Motor Insurers’ Bureau deal with compensation claims for people who have accidents with uninsured or untraceable drivers.

How We Can Help

Here at The Compensation Experts, we work with solicitors who have years of experience dealing with personal injury claims. This includes e-scooter injuries. Contact us today by filling in our contact form. Or call us on 01614138765 to speak to one of our friendly experts.

For some workers, nothing is worse than the morning commute. The dragging grind as you go from station to station in a packed metal tube, surrounded by people just as tired as yourself, everyone eager to reach work and make that much needed second morning coffee.

Of course, that’s assuming your train arrives on time or turns up at all. While the UK might have one of the biggest and most complex rail networks in Europe, it’s by no means the most efficient. Not a day goes by where at least one train isn’t delayed: and if you’re in London, it’s more like four or five minimum.

But which UK train station is the worst station for commuter delays? We put our team to the task of discovering this, listing the top stations you should aim to avoid (if possible) during your daily commute.

Using the data available on ontimetrains.co.uk and the government’s statistics for station usage, we were able to work out the busiest stations in the UK, the percentage of trains delayed during peak hours, and the percentage of trains cancelled, for 2019-2020. We then ranked all stations from best to worst based on the data.

With all the data analysed, here are the worst stations to commute from in the UK.

Revealed: the UK’s WORST train station for delays

Unsurprisingly, the worst UK station for delays and cancellations is in London. If you want a quick commute, you should aim to avoid using City Thameslink at all costs. On average, an absolutely staggering 66% of all trains that pass through City Thameslink are delayed between 7am and 9am, with 67% being delayed between 4pm and 6pm.

Fortunately, while its cancellation rates are above average, they’re not overly egregious at 4.5% for both peak times. Still, few other stations on our list compared to such levels of delay, making it somewhat of a miracle that any of the City Thameslink’s 8 million daily users arrive at work on time.

Other UK stations workers should avoid on the daily commute

Of course, while City Thameslink might be the worst offender for delays, it is by no means the only station guilty of poor train services. Willesden Junction sits in the ignominious second spot with 37.5% and 32% of the peak trains being delayed across the year. It’s not delays, however, that rank Willesden so low. Out of all trains that passed through Willesden Junction in 2019-2020, a full 6% were cancelled in the morning and a shocking 9.5% in the evening. This makes Willesden Junction potentially the worst station for cancellations out of all the stations we ranked.

For the third spot, we actually move out of London to Birmingham, specifically Snow Hill. Delays from Birmingham Snow Hill actually sit rather low compared to other stations at 22% and 38% respectively. However, much like Willesden, Birmingham Snow Hill is the other contender for worst UK station for train cancellations. While only 4.5% of trains are cancelled in the morning, 11% were cancelled between 4-6pm.

Interestingly, the number of commuters for the UK’s 3 worst stations for delays sits below 10 million for each. The fourth position, however, has over 25 million users. East Croydon saw 39.5% of its 7-9am trains delayed over the year, made worse by the delays experienced by 54.5% of its 4-6pm services. East Croydon’s only saving grace is that its cancellations sit at a relatively average 4%.

Lasty, we come to Coventry. Much like East Croydon, Coventry’s cancellation rates are relatively low, 2% and 4.5% for the year. Unfortunately, Coventry is an even worse suspect for train delays. 47.5% of morning commuters experienced delays across the year, but this is overshadowed by the horrendous 58.5% of delays occurring in the evening.

Of course, these are only the top five stations to avoid using on your morning commute. Plenty of other stations barely scraped above the top spots, including Birmingham Moor Street, Milton Keynes Central, St Albans City, Shepherd’s Bush, and Gatwick Airport. All these stations had between 20% and 45% of their trains delayed, as well as having a cancellation range of up to 8.5% over 2019-2020.

The UK’s best stations for commuting

So, if City Thameslink is the worst station for delays in the UK, which is the best? Well, given the fact that many of the worst stations for delays sit in and around the London area, you might be surprised to find out that London Fenchurch Street holds the number one position. Across the entire 2019-2020 year, only 5% of their morning and 11.5% of their evening commute trains were delayed. But even better than that, only 1% and 1.5% of their trains were actually cancelled across the year.

Other notable stations for good service include Ilford, London Liverpool Street, London Marylebone, and Romford, which just goes to show how wide an experience commuters receive in and around the capital.

Even though the daily commute can be frustrating, and delays can make you want to rush, you should always be safety aware when in a station or walking to work. For information and expertise on how to stay safe on your commute to work, you can head over to our blog.