Motorists Voice Concerns Over M42 as UK’s Worst-Rated Motorway

Motorists have expressed significant dissatisfaction with the M42 motorway, which serves as a key transport route to the south and east of Birmingham. In the latest Strategic Roads User Survey conducted by Transport Focus, the M42 was ranked as the worst motorway in the United Kingdom, with 44% of users rating it as unsatisfactory.

“Road works, potholes, and delays,” lamented one unnamed driver, describing the M42 as a “terrible road to drive on.” The dissatisfaction largely stems from ongoing renovation work and road improvements, particularly around Birmingham airport. The chief executive of Transport Focus, Alex Robertson, noted that these works have contributed to longer journey times and deteriorated road condition perceptions. “People are less happy with journeys that take a bit longer, with the road surface quality and when management of road works isn’t what it should be,” Robertson said in an interview with The Independent.

National Highways plans to address these issues by closing parts of the M42 at night next week to improve overhead gantries. Signposted diversions are scheduled between junctions 5 and 6 from 9pm to 5am from Monday, October 14, to Friday, October 18. The closure is part of broader efforts to improve the motorway’s condition and reduce future motorists’ dissatisfaction.

Other motorways have also received poor ratings in the Transport Focus survey. The M62, which traverses the Pennines, was rated the second worst by 40% of users, while the M25 received a dissatisfaction rating of 33%. In contrast, the M40 was rated the most satisfactory motorway, with only 21% of users expressing dissatisfaction, reflecting its status as a preferred route between London and Birmingham.

Among major A roads, the A12, stretching between London and Ipswich, was identified as the least satisfactory, while the A19, linking Yorkshire to the north of the Tyne, received the highest satisfaction ratings. Robertson emphasized the importance of road maintenance over the construction of new roads, stating that the maintenance of existing routes is critical to ensuring safe and smooth journeys for motorists.

The Department for Transport has also reported increasing delays, with average vehicle hold-ups on National Highways’ roads reaching record levels. From June 2022 to June 2023, delays averaged 11 seconds per vehicle per mile, the worst since March 2016. Despite a slight rise in traffic levels post-pandemic, current volumes remain marginally below pre-coronavirus levels. National Highways has reiterated its commitment to maintaining its road networks and improving travel conditions for road users.