Worst motorway in England named and shamed
Tue, 22 Oct 2024
A survey of 9000 drivers has ranked the M42 as the worst motorway in England.
It scored a mere 56% in overall satisfaction from road users, with one slamming its roadworks, potholes and delays, describing it as a terrible road to drive on. Another explained how they were directed to reduce speed for no apparent reason.
The M42’s paltry satisfaction score follows lengthy and still-ongoing roadworks around Birmingham Airport, related to the construction of HS2.
In contrast, the M40, which the M42 feeds into, scored the highest overall satisfaction, at 79%. This, however fell slightly from last year’s 82% score.
The ratings of motorways and major A-roads managed by National Highways was part of a new survey from independent watchdog Transport Focus.
"Drivers tell us that the maintenance of motorways and major roads – how most of us get around the country – is more important to them than building new roads," says its chief executive Alex Robertson.
"With road user perceptions of road surface quality deteriorating since 2022 and declining satisfaction with journey times, National Highways must continue to focus on delivering safe, smooth journeys."
The top-rated A-road was the A19 in the North, with a satisfaction score of 85%. In contrast, the A12 in the East of England was the lowest-rated A-road, with a mere 55% satisfaction.
Regionally, the South West was the highest-rated region, with the M25 region the lowest.
Meanwhile the most improved region was the North West. The only region to actually see an increase in satisfaction, its score rocketed from joint bottom to second overall.
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