October 8th 2024.
According to National Highways, the majority of their road network, about 96%, is in great condition, even after revealing the worst motorway. If you're someone who frequently drives or travels on these roads, you likely have a favorite and least favorite motorway. In a recent survey conducted by Transport Focus, drivers didn't hold back in expressing their frustrations with certain motorways in England. From roadworks to potholes to delays, these obstacles caused many motorists to have a bone to pick with certain roads.
One motorway in particular, the M42 which connects Birmingham, Nottingham, Solihull, Tamworth, and Redditch, received the lowest ranking in the survey of over 9,000 road users. One driver described it as a "terrible road to drive on" due to the constant roadworks, potholes, and delays. Another driver expressed frustration with the changing speed limits not always reflecting the traffic conditions, causing unnecessary slowing down. Overall, the M42 received a satisfaction score of only 56%, while the M40, connecting London and Birmingham, was named the nation's favorite motorway with a score of 79%.
When looking at the map, the bottom five motorways were the M42, M62, M25, M11, and M1, while the top five were the M40, M4, M5, M56, and M3. It's worth noting that the survey was conducted during a time when major roadworks were taking place on the M42 near Birmingham Airport. Despite this, the M40 still received the highest satisfaction score.
Transport Focus CEO, Alex Robertson, stated that drivers have made it clear that maintaining and improving motorways and roads is more important to them than building new ones. He also mentioned that there has been a decline in satisfaction with road surface quality since 2022, and National Highways must continue to prioritize safe and smooth journeys for road users.
Responding to the survey, a National Highways spokesperson emphasized their commitment to maintaining and investing in their roads, with over 96% of them currently being in good condition. They also have a strong plan in place to improve journeys and reduce delays for motorists.
However, the survey did show a slight decrease in overall satisfaction with recent journeys on motorways or major A-roads. This could be due to the growing number of delays on motorways, reaching record levels according to the Department for Transport. Drivers faced average hold-ups of 11.0 seconds per vehicle per mile in the year ending in June, which is the longest time since records began in 2016.
Despite the increase in traffic levels on motorways and major A-roads, which grew by 2.3% from 2022 to 2023, it is still 1% below pre-coronavirus levels. This indicates that there is still progress to be made in improving journeys and reducing delays for road users. National Highways and the government are committed to working together to address these issues and prioritize the top concerns of drivers: improved journey times and satisfaction with road surface quality.
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