Almost 14,000 drivers have cast their verdict on what is the UK’s most hated motorway.
And the one rated worst in the huge survey with 40 per cent of votes might not come as a huge surprise, even those using it on an infrequent basis.
The M25 has earned the unwanted crown of UKs worst motorway, according to the poll by the AA.
The last time the motoring organisation carried out a ballot on the best and worst motorways 12 years ago, the London Orbital motorway was rated bottom then, too.
However, it seems Britons’ distain for the capital’s 117-mile ring road has accelerated, with a lower 30 per cent of votes in 2013.
AA’s study also went on to reveal that nine of the top 10 most disliked 70mph routes all feature stretched of ‘smart’ motorway.
It comes just weeks after National Highways published its fourth safety stocktake on smart motorways, which revealed that software outage left drivers unsafe on a nine-mile stretch of the M62 for a month.
It also follows another recent study by the AA in which it found a third of drivers feel ‘a lot less safe’ on smart motorways today than they did three years ago.
Not a major surprise: The M25 has earned the unwanted crown of UKs worst motorway, according to the straw poll by the AA
The research found plenty of examples of motorists raising complaint about the M25.
One AA member said it has a ‘poor surface’ and is ‘very noisy in places’.
Another told the breakdown assistance provider that the ‘hold up around certain junctions, artificially caused by the auto signage gantry boards’ adds to the frustration of driving on it.
One motorist also blasted the quality of driving on the M25: ‘I have been horrified by aggressive drivers changing several lanes impulsively, at speed, without indicating. It feels as if the national speed limit has been abandoned there. 80 mph is not only acceptable but essential and average,’ they said.
The M25 opened 50 years ago and was fully completed in 1986.
At 117 miles long, it is used by around 200,000 vehicles per day, making it the UK’s busiest motorway.
Jack Cousens, AA head of roads policy, said: ‘The M25 is notorious for its heavy traffic and frequent delays.
‘As one of the busiest stretches of motorway in the country, it is no surprise that drivers find it frustrating. Little wonder Chris Rea declared it the ‘Road To Hell’.’
At 117 miles long, it is used by around 200,000 vehicles per day, making it the UK’s busiest motorway. Two in five drivers in a 14k-strong straw poll voted it the worst in the country
One motorist also blasted the quality of driving on the M25: ‘I have been horrified by aggressive drivers changing several lanes impulsively, at speed, without indicating’
The M6 came second in the poll as two in five ranked it worst of all.
Many drivers pointed to the multiple sections of ‘all-lane running’ smart motorway – the stretches that concern most motorists – as their biggest bugbear.
‘Dangerous. Always holdups or accidents,’ one drivers said when asked about the M6.
Another motorists pointed out: ‘For a long time, too many 50mph stretches adding to the length of journey. Also, lots of sections without hard shoulder which makes me uncomfortable and the fourth lane doesn’t really help as many people sit in middle lanes reducing capacity greatly.’
The M1 was third in the list of detested motorways, receiving one in eight (13 per cent) votes from the motorists surveyed.
Like the M6, it too has various stretches of ALR smart motorway, as well as some with Dynamic Hard Shoulders (DHS), which turn the hard shoulder into an active lane during times of heavy congestion.
The M6 came second in the poll as two in five ranked it worst of all. Many drivers pointed to the multiple sections of ‘all-lane running’ smart motorway – the stretches that concern most motorists – as their biggest bugbear
The M1 was third in the list of detested motorways, receiving one in eight (13 per cent) votes from the motorists surveyed
Drivers loathe ‘smart’ stretches on motorways
In fact, nine of the worst rated motorways have had sections converted to so-called ‘smart’ stretches over recent years.
This has led to years of roadworks followed by more misery for drivers as emergency areas have been retrofitted to each section.
This frustration shows in the comments respondents posted. One replied to the AA: ‘Any smart motorway scares me. I count the miles until the end and heave a sigh of relief.’
The AA’s Cousens added: ‘It’s quite telling that nine of the worst motorways have sections of ‘smart’ motorway.
‘Drivers have had to endure years of works for the initial conversion followed by yet more misery to add in the extra emergency areas.
‘Most are telling us they have felt little if any benefit from losing the hard shoulder, with many claiming it’s led to more congestion.’
This chart shows how much of the hard shoulder has been removed from England’s motorway network in the last decade or so
National Highways last month published its fourth annual stocktake report into the safety of smart motorways with analysis by the Office of Road and Rail (ORR).
It showed a third of radar detection schemes tested failed to meet the standard required.
These systems are designed to detect cars that have broken down by using automated signalling (Midas) software but the report found two failed and worsened in a 12-month period.
The motorway incident detection software failed completely on a stretch of the M62 between J10 and J12 and was out of service for 28 days, from 7 August, causing National Highways to lower the speed limit on almost nine miles of the M62 until it was fixed.
The ‘unplanned’ loss of this safety technology was due National Highways ‘discovering a software fault’.
There are three different types of smart motorway in the UK. You can find ‘smart’ stretches on these motorways
Construction of any new smart motorways was axed in 2023 by Rishi Sunak’s government due to financial pressures and a lack of public confidence.
The decision came after a number of high-profile deaths on smart motorways, which led to probes into their safety.
This included the Daily Mail’s 2021/22 campaign to have them axed after a reporter went undercover at a National Highways control room for six weeks and uncovered a number of alarming issues.
The 2023 decision meant any smart motorways planned into the Road Investment Strategy for 2025 to 2030 – and all previously paused schemes – were cancelled with immediate effect.
However, the Government has rejected calls for hard shoulders to be reinstated on existing smart motorways where they have been removed.
Respondents to the AA poll were also asked to rate the condition of the UKs motorways: a third reported the congestion as being poor; one in five said that the condition of the road surface was poor, although a similar number said the surface was excellent.
National Highways spends around £500,000 on maintenance of the motorway network each year.
A £390m programme to retrofit more than 150 additional emergency stopping areas on smart motorways in England has been completed, National Highways said
More than 150 new emergency areas added to smart motorways, costing almost £400m
A £390million programme to add more than 150 additional emergency stopping areas to smart motorways in England has been completed, National Highways confirmed this week.
Construction work began in June 2023 after concerns that existing emergency areas on motorways without a hard shoulder were too far apart.
New stopping areas have been added to stretches of the M1, M3, M4, M5, M20, M25 and M27.
The work has been blamed for extended delays in some areas, which likely contributes to so many of these motorways being named the worst in the UK by drivers in the AA survey.
ERAs are designed to be a safe place to stop in the event of a breakdown or emergency on smart motorways with no hard shoulder. Drivers should see them at least every 1.5 miles on stretches, though analysis found that not all motorways met this minimum requirement
National Highways chief executive Nick Harris said: ‘All new emergency areas have now been installed, marking the end of this important safety scheme.
‘Emergency areas provide drivers with more frequent opportunities to pull over should they break down or experience difficulties.
‘The latest analysis continues to show that overall, smart motorways remain our safest roads.
‘I’d like to thank drivers for their patience throughout the work.’
Future of roads minister Lilian Greenwood said: ‘We take road safety seriously, and that’s why I’m pleased to see the installation of more than 150 additional emergency areas on smart motorways across the country, helping to keep people safe.
‘We’ve been clear we will not roll out any new smart motorways.’
National Highways previously said the project would result in around 50 per cent more emergency refuge areas on all lane running smart motorways compared with the total in January 2022.
What are the three types of ‘smart’ motorways and how do they work?
ALL LANE RUNNING (ALR)
All lane running schemes permanently remove the hard shoulder and convert it into a running lane.
On these types of motorway, lane one (formerly the hard shoulder) is only closed to traffic in the event of an incident.
In this case a lane closure will be signalled by a red X on the gantry above, meaning you must exit the lane as soon as possible.
All running lane motorways also have overhead gantry signs that display the mandatory speed limit.
Should drivers break down or be involved in an accident there are emergency refuge areas at the side of the carriageway for them to use.
Miles in total: 249.5 miles
Percentage of smart motorways in England: 55.1%
Percentage of all motorways in England: 13%
CONTROLLED MOTORWAY
Controlled motorways have three or more lanes with variable speed limits, but retains a hard shoulder. The hard shoulder should only be used in a genuine emergency.
These variable speed limits are displayed on overhead gantry signs – if no speed limit is displayed the national speed limit is in place. Speed cameras are used to enforce these.
Miles in total: 140.2 miles
Percentage of smart motorways in England: 31.0%
Percentage of all motorways in England: 7.3%
DYNAMIC HARD SHOULDER (DHS)
Originally referred to as Hard Shoulder Running smart motorways, dynamic hard shoulder running involves open the hard shoulder as a running lane to traffic at busy periods to ease congestion.
On these stretches a solid white line differentiates the hard shoulder from the normal carriageway. Overhead signs on gantries indicate whether or not the hard shoulder is open to traffic.
The hard shoulder must not be used if the signs over it are blank or display a red X, except in the case of an emergency.
A red X on the gantry above means you must exit the lane as soon as possible.
Overhead gantries on these types of motorway also display the mandatory speed limit which varies depending on the traffic conditions. Speed cameras are used to enforce these – no speed limit displayed indicates the national speed limit is in place.
Miles in total: 62.6 miles
Percentage of smart motorways in England: 13.8%
Percentage of all motorways in England: 3.3%
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