Frustrated commuters spend an average of 21 minutes standing still in traffic jams on journeys to and from Birmingham.
With average vehicle speeds during peak periods of only 14.8 miles per hour, Birmingham is one of the most congested cities in the country, according to research by car firm Citroen.
But the title for UK gridlock city goes to Cardiff, where motorists are likely to stand still for up to half an hour during each trip.
London, even with the benefit of a congestion charge, fares little better. Cars are likely to be stuck in traffic for an average 19 minutes and a six-mile journey can take an hour to complete - the slowest of all the cities surveyed.
Even in Edinburgh, the least congested city to feature in the survey, cars are likely to be stationary for almost 18 minutes and journeys have average speeds of 17 miles per hour.
The figures were released amid signs that increasing numbers of business people are choosing to rent accommodation in Birmingham during the week rather than face driving each day.
Giles Horwitch-Smith, chief executive of serviced apartments provider LMM, said he put a sharp increase in lettings during the past year down to congestion on the city's roads.
Mr Horwitch-Smith said: "We have more than 100 apartments in the city centre that are marketed mainly to professional people. There has certainly been an increase in lettings, with many tenants opting to stay from Monday to Thursday or Friday and then go home for the weekend.
"They do this to overcome the stress of driving each day. Some of them just can't face the thought of struggling through the Birmingham traffic."
Citroen said the figures showed the sheer weight of traffic was continuing to cripple commuter progress.
According to the Department for Transport, the average Briton will spend about 360 hours a year in a car.
Birmingham City Council is exploring a number of initiatives to get traffic moving. These include suspending bus lanes and introducing car-sharing schemes.
Len Gregory, the cabinet member for transportation, has ordered a review of all Birmingham bus lanes. Coun Gregory (Con Billesley) said the 20-month suspension of the A38 Tyburn Road bus lane had resulted in faster journeys.
Birmingham has joined the West Midlands councils in applying to take part in a Government road pricing pilot scheme. The region would experiment with various forms of congestion charging in return for additional investment in public transport.
