CONGESTION on two major roads in Yorkshire has dropped by almost 20%, according to new figures.

Queues and jams on the M62 and M621 in West Yorkshire have fallen 18% compared with October 2008, according to the figures from driving services company Trafficmaster.

The drop is out of step with the rest of the country - with the figures reporting an average congestion increase of 11% elsewhere in England.

"There are several factors to bear in mind, when looking at these figures," said Georgina Read of Trafficmaster.

"The period we are comparing this with, of October 2008, was at the height of the recession with the biggest recorded drops in congestion we saw that year. So to see an increase is good news but it still doesn’t put us anywhere near pre-recession levels.

"Also the changes have been inconsistent across the country, although roadworks and some major incidents have influenced figures as well.

"Overall, our conclusions are that there is an upward trend in congestion levels but this is prevalent on Mondays and Fridays so there is an element of ’leisure’ traffic in this, particularly with the unseasonably warm, dry autumn weather."

AA president Edmund King said: "Although we don’t welcome an increase in congestion, we do welcome the fact that it indicates that the economy is picking up. Our nation is dependent on road travel and congestion acts as a barometer of economic activity."