M42 crowned UK's worst road, M40 takes the top spot

Drivers' satisfaction continues to go down each year.

Photo by: National Highways

By: Angel Sergeev

Oct 18, 2024 at 3:10am ET

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The M42 has taken an unfortunate tumble to the bottom of the list, earning the “prestigious” title of "England’s Worst Motorway," according to a new survey. Transport Focus, an independent watchdog, asked 9,000 road users to rate their most recent journeys, and the M42 was left in the dust with a meagre 56 per cent satisfaction rating.

The reason? Roadworks. And lots of them. Drivers navigating the M42 near Birmingham Airport have had more time to count traffic cones than enjoy a smooth drive. It seems motorists would rather avoid the never-ending construction chaos, or at least pack an extra sandwich for the long waits.

But it’s not all doom and gloom. Over on the M40, things are looking up – well, mostly. The motorway scored the highest overall satisfaction rating at a solid 79 per cent. Sure, it's a slight dip from last year's 82 per cent, but who’s keeping track? Oh, right, Transport Focus is. Despite the minor slip, the M40 has knocked last year’s victor, the M5, off its pedestal. The M5, which once held the crown with 82 per cent, saw its satisfaction score fall to 77 per cent.

While motorways are hogging the spotlight, let's not forget the A roads. The A19 emerged as the MVP of the A road league, boasting an impressive 85 per cent satisfaction rate. Road users praised it for being refreshingly smooth – well, as smooth as UK roads get these days. On the other hand, the A12 isn’t winning any popularity contests, sinking to rock bottom with just 55 per cent of drivers giving it the thumbs up. Potholes, anyone?

Overall, the picture isn’t exactly rosy for the UK’s road network. Satisfaction has dipped slightly across the board, with only 71 per cent of road users happy with their journeys, compared to 73 per cent last year. Meanwhile, satisfaction with journey time has dropped to 68 per cent, which likely means more than a few folks are spending a bit too much time in traffic. The full results are listed below.

Top five best motorways and A roads in the UK

Overall rank	Road	Satisfaction
1	A19	85%
2	M40	79%
3	M4	78%
4	M5	77%
5	A1(M)	76%

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Top five worst motorways and A roads in the UK

Overall rank	Road	Satisfaction
1	A12	55%
2	M42	56%
3	M62	60%
4	A27	63%
5	A3	64%

And if you thought road surfaces were getting worse, well, you'd be right. Drivers' satisfaction with surface quality has hit a pothole-laden 68 per cent, down from 73 per cent the year before.

Source: RAC