Only eight other cities have slower traffic speeds, said the UK's biggest breakdown organisation, as it launched a trial using electric scooters and motorbikes. If the trial in London is successful, Sheffield could be one of the next places on the list.

Chronic congestion has reached record levels in cities across the UK, said the AA, with Sheffield ninth in its 'City Speed League Table'. The average traffic speed in Sheffield is calculated at 19.6mph.

AA president Edmund King said: "On busy city roads one flat tyre can delay thousands of motorists and further aggravate congestion. By cutting through traffic, AA bike patrols will reach breakdowns in London more quickly and get our members and other drivers back on the move with the minimum delay.

"We need radical action to beat record slow traffic in our cities and decided that two wheels are quicker than four. By fixing breakdowns more quickly we will improve service to our members, and help reduce congestion and emissions. Our analysis of traffic speeds in major cities shows that congestion is not just a London problem with Sheffield less than 3 mph quicker than the nation's capital. We hope to be able to use bike patrols to assist AA members in Sheffield in the future."

According to the City Speed League Table, the worst traffic congestion is in Bristol (average traffic speed 16.8 mph), followed by London, Glasgow, Southampton, Liverpool, Manchester, Cambridge, Birmingham and Sheffield.