Have motorways become our worst roads? Closures, potholes and poor driving is marring our fastest routes

Daily Mail​

17 hours ago

The nation's motorways are in drastic need for improvement to bolster journey times and make them safer, according to a new survey.
From rampant dangerous driving going unpunished to misleading and poor signage, deteriorating road conditions, and an abundance of closures in the last 12 months, motorists have plenty to complain about when detailing their recent experiences when using Britain's fastest-moving routes.
The AA, which polled over 14,000 drivers about their opinions on the country's 'M' roads, says they are marred by a variety of issues and are in need of 'urgent improvement' - as well as increased enforcement.
And the motoring group also called for a dedicated education drive to ameliorate illegal behaviour, with middle-lane hogging, undertaking, tailgating and phone use all dangerous antics that are rife while vehicles travel at speeds of 70mph.
It comes in the wake of new figures published this week that show motorway closures in England rose by 18 per cent in 2024.
Do you agree with everything drivers had to say about the worsening state of the nation's M roads today?
Dangerous driving on the rise
Drivers are said to be 'fed up with the reckless antics of others' on motorways.
Top of the most common frustration is middle lane hogging - when motorists refuse to move over to lane one and cruise, often driving well below the speed limit in the middle lane.
Of the 14,000 people polled, almost nine in ten (88 per cent) said they have observed this behaviour, which causes both congestion and frustration among other road users.
The same percentage of motorists polled said they've also experienced tailgating while driving on the fastest-moving roads, ramping up the risk of accidents.
Undertaking, swooping (weaving between lanes at speed) and changing lanes without indicating is also prevalent, with more than four in five motorists witnessing this regularly when they've taken to the motorway.
The survey also exposes critical safety concerns around people handling their phones (63 per cent) and failing to wear seatbelts (15 per cent drivers, 14 per cent passengers), despite the risk of facing enormous fines and penalty points if caught - and new roadside cameras now capable of identifying and enforcing this type of illegal activity.
Other frustrating and downright dangerous antics seen regularly include drivers crossing chevrons to make an exit slip road at the last second, which three in five motorists have spotted in the last 12 months.
Drivers trying to force their way into slow-moving lanes during traffic jams and heavy congestion (79 per cent) and not allowing other traffic to merge at junctions (63 per cent) were also identified by the licence-holding panel.
Misleading signage
The survey revealed significant frustrations among drivers regarding the accuracy and reliability of motorway signage.
Three quarters of those polled told the AA they have encountered lane closure signs with no incident occurring when they passed the affected area.
Additionally, two thirds reported experiencing signs indicating congestion blockage, only to find no clear and obvious reason for long queues when they eventually travelled through the stretch impacted.
Other areas of concern include two thirds reporting seeing signs warning of debris in the road but then not seeing any, two in five experiencing speed limit signs being removed and changed to 'end' while the traffic was still stationary or slow-moving, and a third coming across breakdowns and collisions without any warning from overhead gantries.
Almost a third of drivers say they are sickened by the volume of litter they've seen at the side of motorways in the last 12 months
Deteriorating road conditions
Another gripe that triggered widespread dissatisfaction among drivers is the state of road surfaces on motorways.
One in ten said they had seen road markings fading to almost nothing.
Another fifth remarked on the dangerously poor condition of tarmac, including potholes on these fast-moving routes.
And almost a third were sickened by the volume of litter they've seen at the roadside during journeys.
Data provided by National Highways shows that instances of motorway closures increased by almost a fifth last year, causing huge delays for millions of people
MOST CLOSED MOTORWAY JUNCTIONS IN 2024
Rank Junction Location Direction Total number of road closures Region
1 A1M J63 Northbound 127 North East
2 M53 J8 Northbound 99 North West
3 M6 J21/J21a Northbound 72 North West
4 M621 J7 Southbound 56 Yorkshire and Humber
5 M621 M1/J7 Eastbound 55 Yorkshire and Humber
6 M62 J37/38 Eastbound 52 Yorkshire and Humber
7 M621 J27/1 Eastbound 52 Yorkshire and Humber
8 M25 J28/27 Anti-clockwise 50 South East
9 M53 J12/11 Northbound 47 North West
10 M3 J5/4A Eastbound 46 South East
Source - Co-op Insurance FOI request to National Highways
Motorway closures up a fifth last year
A separate study by Co-op Insurance this week revealed that road closures on England's motorways rose by 18 per cent in 2024, causing huge delays and plenty of headaches for millions of people.
Data from National Highways - the Government-owned company responsible for England's motorway network - obtained using a Freedom of Information request highlighted that the number of closures increased to more than 6,870 last year.
Incidents where there was a total closure of both carriageways, grinding the entire stretch of trunk road to a halt, rose by 14 per cent with just over 280 shutdowns recorded.
The worst affected stretches included parts of the A1M and M6 where motorists faced the most disruption.
So far this year (to the end of April), the M6 between Junction 6 and Junction 7 near Birmingham is the section drivers have needed to avoid like the plague due to the highest volume of road closures.
Motorways statistically safest roads - but there's 'room for improvement'
Jack Cousens, head of roads policy at the AA, says road casualty statistics suggest motorways are the safest type of road, but there remain 'several reasons that need addressing to make them safer'.
Official road casualty data for 2023 shows that despite motorways accounting for a fifth of all road traffic journeys, they see the lowest proportion of road deaths (5 per cent) and casualties as a whole including injuries (4 per cent).
By contrast, rural road fatalities (60 per cent) are overrepresented compared to the proportion of rural road traffic (44 per cent). Similarly, urban roads account for a much higher proportion of road casualties (63 per cent) than their relative traffic level (35 per cent).
Cousens says responsibility lies with drivers to help improve conditions on motorways.
'Middle lane hogging and tailgating are everyday occurrences, while two thirds are spotted using a hand-held mobile phone at speeds around 70mph. The prevalence of dangerous driving behaviours is alarming and highlights the need for stricter enforcement and better driver education,' he commented.
'Additionally, the high incidence of misleading signage, particularly around breakdowns and potential obstacles in the lane, alongside poor road conditions is a major frustration for drivers.
'Ensuring that motorway information is accurate and timely, and that road conditions are regularly maintained, is crucial for safety as well as improving the overall driving experience.'
A National Highways spokesperson told This is Money: 'Middle-lane hogging and tailgating frustrates drivers, increases congestion and can lead to collisions, which is why we regularly display advice to help improve driving habits.
'This issue also forms part of our Little Changes campaign to highlight the small steps we can all take to make motorways safer, reduce congestion and keep traffic flowing.
'The message is simple – always allow plenty of room between you and the vehicle in front, and unless overtaking move into the left-hand lane.'