M42 motorway rated England’s worst in driver survey

Drivers have rated the M42 as the worst motorway in England, citing issues including speed limits, roadworks and potholes.

The 40-mile stretch of motorway, which connects places like Birmingham, Nottingham, Solihull, Tamworth and Redditch, was ranked last in a survey of 9,166 road users carried out by watchdog Transport Focus.

The road was given an overall satisfaction rating of 56% and also ranked lowest in drivers’ opinions on journey times.

National Highways said investing in its roads was a priority, adding that a recent assessment showed 96% of them were in a good condition.

One respondent to the survey criticised the M42’s “roadworks, potholes and delays”, describing the motorway as a “terrible road to drive on”.

Another said variable speed limits did “not always reflect the traffic conditions”, complaining that they were “directed to reduce speed for no apparent reason”.

At the other end of the scale, England’s most popular motorway was identified as the M40, which runs between London and Birmingham, earning a satisfaction score of 79%.

The A19, which connects Seaton Burn, near Newcastle, with Doncaster, was rated the best A road in the country with 85%.

The A12, which runs between London and Lowestoft, Suffolk, was ranked last with 55%.

The overall satisfaction score for respondents’ last journeys on motorways or major A roads declined from 73% in 2022-23 to 71% in 2023-24, while satisfaction with journey times fell from 71% to 68%.

Transport Focus chief executive Alex Robertson said: “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.

“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.”

A National Highways spokesperson said it had a “robust programme” of improvements, which it claimed would provide long-term benefits for motorists, including shorter and more reliable journey times.

“Maintaining and investing in our roads is a priority and our most recent assessment shows that over 96% of them are in good condition,” they said.

Below is how England’s motorways and A roads were ranked in the survey in order of overall satisfaction:

1. A19 – 85%
2. M40 – 79%
3. M4 – 78%
4. M5 – 77%
5. A1(M) – 76%
6. A38 – 75%
7. A46 – 74%
8. M56 – 73%
9. A30 – 73%
10. M3 – 73%
11. M60 – 72%
12. M6 – 71%
13. A1 – 71%
14. A2 – 71%
15. A14 – 71%
16. M27 – 70%
17. M1 – 69%
18. A47 – 69%
19. A5 – 69%
20. M11 – 68%
21. M25 – 67%
22. A34 – 64%
23. A3 – 64%
24. A27 – 63%
25. M62 – 60%
26. M42 – 56%
27. A12 – 55%