England’s best and worst roads named – with more roadworks on the horizon

21 July 2026

• M20 rated the best motorway, and A30 the best ‘A’ road – both scoring 79 per cent satisfaction. 

• M27 named England’s worst motorway by drivers, with just 56 per cent satisfied with their journey.  

• Roadworks remain a source of frustration for drivers, with only 50 per cent satisfied with how they were managed. 

• Watchdog highlights opportunities for National Highways to improve the driver experience of roadworks as it embarks on a significant programme of renewals over the next five years. 

The M27 has been named England’s worst motorway by drivers in new survey from the independent watchdog Transport Focus. 

More than 9500 drivers were asked about their last journey on a motorway or major ‘A’ road managed by National Highways in the Strategic Roads User Survey. Overall, 71 per cent of drivers were satisfied with their journey, up from 69 per cent last year, with  improvements also seen in journey time, road surface and roadworks management satisfaction. 

Just 56 per cent of M27 drivers were satisfied with their journey, with journey time and roadworks among the concerns highlighted by road users. One dissatisfied driver said: “Roadworks on M27 are terrible, the reduced speed, the narrow lanes and very rarely see roadworks actually taking place. The road works appear deserted.” 

While satisfaction with roadworks management has improved this year, it remains one of the weaker performing areas with only 50 per cent of drivers satisfied. Drivers who passed through roadworks were significantly less satisfied with their journey overall (58 per cent) than those who did not encounter roadworks (77 per cent). 

The findings come as National Highways prepares for a major five-year renewals programme as part of the third Road Investment Strategy to upgrade England’s roads, which is expected to mean road users facing more roadworks.  

Transport Focus is calling on National Highways to use the lessons from recent schemes to ensure future roadworks are well planned, clearly communicated and efficiently delivered, minimising disruption for road users wherever possible. 

Louise Collins, Director at Transport Focus, said:  

“This year’s results show that positive improvements to the road user experience are possible. Overall satisfaction has increased and there are encouraging signs that drivers are noticing improvements in key areas, however drivers continue to tell us that roadworks can make or break a journey. 

“The next five years will bring significant investment as National Highways embarks on a major programme to repair and renew England’s roads. By applying the positive lessons from recent schemes, National Highways has an opportunity to ensure roadworks are well planned, clearly communicated and minimise disruption wherever possible.  

“We’ll continue to work closely with National Highways to bring the voice of road users into decisions and help ensure this investment delivers the greatest possible benefit for drivers.” 

England’s motorways and major ‘A’ roads are entering one of the largest periods of renewal and asset replacement since much of the network was originally built in the 1960s.  

The first motorway in England, then called the Preston bypass, was opened in 1958. By 1969 the first 1,000 miles of motorways were built and open to road users. The last major new motorway, the M6 toll, was opened in December 2003. Motorways, and the supporting structures, typically need to be renewed every 50 to 60 years.  

Drivers on smart motorways were more satisfied this year following completion of the National Emergency Area Retrofit (NEAR) programme of roadworks. Satisfaction with journeys involving a smart motorway section rose to 66 per cent, compared with 60 per cent last year. Drivers on smart motorway sections still felt less safe than those on non-smart motorway journeys, although the gap narrowed (smart 78 per cent; not smart 82 per cent). 

The programme added more than 150 emergency areas to existing all lane running smart motorways. Its completion meant fewer long stretches of roadworks affecting drivers’ journeys. This has been noticed by road users with one driver on the M1 saying: “Roadworks reducing speed to 50 have recently been removed so journey seems much easier.” 

The M1 provides one of the clearest examples of the impact roadworks can have on road users. Long stretches of NEAR roadworks had a significant impact on drivers throughout 2024 and into early 2025. Satisfaction has recovered from 57 per cent to 74 per cent following completion of the programme. 

Ranked and rated: England’s best and worst roads 

The M20 in Kent was the highest rated motorway and the A30 (one of the UK’s longest ‘A’ roads) was the highest rated major ‘A’ road, both scoring 79 per cent satisfaction. 

The M56 and M5 followed closely, both with 78 per cent satisfaction. The A19 again scored strongly on road surface, with 84 per cent satisfied. 

The M27 is the lowest ranked road overall this year, with just 56 per cent of drivers satisfied. The A12 is the worst-rated ‘A’ road in the country with 64 per cent of drivers satisfied and 52 per cent satisfied with the road surface. The M42 had the lowest satisfaction with journey time at 52 per cent. 

Key findings 

• Overall, 71 per cent of drivers were satisfied with their journey, up from 69 per cent last year. 

• Roadworks continued to frustrate drivers, with only 50 per cent of those who passed through roadworks satisfied with how they were managed. 

• Journey time mattered most to drivers’ overall satisfaction and rose to 69 per cent. 

• Drivers were more satisfied with road surfaces overall, but potholes continued to feature strongly in their comments. 

• Fewer drivers passed through roadworks this year: 24 per cent, down from 31 per cent last year. 

• Drivers in the South West reported the highest overall satisfaction at 75 per cent. The North West, Midlands and M25 regions scored lowest, all at 69 per cent. 

Roadworks – what drivers say 

Comments from drivers provide useful insight into how roadworks are experienced on the ground.  

One driver, frustrated by late information about planned roadworks, said: “No prior warning. Limited signage and when passing through the impacted area, there didn’t even appear to be any work going on. Seemed like a really pointless delay/disruption.” 

The Strategic Roads User Survey is the formal measure of satisfaction among drivers using England’s motorways and major ‘A’ roads, managed by National Highways on behalf of the Government. The survey helps National Highways develop initiatives and target investments to improve the driver experience. 

Transport Focus will continue to work with National Highways to bring independent evidence, insight and challenge to help ensure road users’ needs are reflected in the planning, delivery and improvement of England’s strategic roads 

Individual road ranking scores 

The M6 Toll Road is not managed by National Highways.