Are we really only 22nd worst for congestion?

Sneaking in at number 22, journeys in Portsmouth take 23 per cent longer to complete than if traffic is flowing freely.

This puts us two places behind our south coast rivals Southampton, where the figure is 24 per cent. While it is only one per cent different it is a table where we should, for once, be happy that Southampton are ahead of us.

Its city centre is a strangled mess of traffic lights seemingly designed entirely to infuriate.

And we should all be grateful we’re not in Belfast, which tops the table at a whopping 40 per cent.

However, it is something of a hollow ‘victory’ as congestion is still a blight on our region.

Our road infrastructure was largely built when there was much less demand.

And while the majority of us continue to be in thrall to our cars, we continue to be part of the problem.

How many of us really do need our cars for each journey? Do you need it to get to and from work?

The problem is often that public transport is no longer adequate to compensate.

We have the park and ride scheme which has helped alleviate some congestion in and out of the city.

But for those us trying to move around within Portsmouth, there is little room for manoeuvre.

As bus routes have been cut back and train prices have become increasingly exorbitant, it is little wonder that so many of us cling to our cars.

Unless that fundamental problem can be addressed, things are, sadly, unlikely to improve on Portsmouth’s roads any time soon.