WE’VE known it for years – and now it’s official.

The M62 between Huddersfield and Leeds has been named one of the most congested roads in Britain.

The 10-mile stretch, which runs from Junction 24 at Ainley Top to Junction 27 at Gildersome, is included in a hit list of 10 roads from the RAC.

They have surveyed thousands of motorists and found which roads are most prone to hold-ups.

The M62 features almost daily on traffic news, with queues stretching for miles a familiar sight especially at peak times.

And it takes only an accident or a vehicle breakdown to compound the problems, with drivers facing long delays on their short journeys.

The survey revealed the worst stretch of road in the UK is the M25, closely followed by the M6/M42 interchange near Birmingham.

The survey also revealed that 90% of motorists are fed up with the condition of their local roads. Only 5% reckon that motoring taxes are appropriately used, the survey of nearly 2,700 RAC members found.

Just 21% said road pricing was a good way of dealing with congestion, but 77% said jams would ease if public transport was improved.

And there was good support for plans to allow drivers to use the hard shoulder of motorways during peak times.

Dr Tim Leunig, from the London School of Economics, said: "When motorists are paying more than £1,000 a year in specific motoring taxes, they have the right to expect roads to be properly maintained.

"RAC members are in line with expert opinion in preferring that motoring taxes are spent on small local schemes rather than grandiose visions that all too often fail to deliver the promised benefits.

"The Government’s own figures show that inexpensive road schemes can generate an excess of £5 of economic benefits for every £1 spent.

"But rather than invest in these welfare enhancing schemes, the Government spends only 24p of every £1 it receives in motoring taxes on our road network."

RAC motoring strategist, Adrian Tink, said: "British motorists constantly have to drive through congestion blackspots whilst having to pay more and more in motoring taxes for the privilege."