A27 named among worst roads in the country

Potholes and delays are among the key concerns, according to a new survey

Author: Ryan BurrowsPublished 14th Oct 2024

A major route in the South has been named among the worst roads in England in a survey of more than 9,000 motorists.

The A27, which runs between Whiteparish near Salisbury and Pevensey in East Sussex, was placed second-from-last in the survey by watchdog Transport Focus.

More than a third of those using the road stated they were unhappy with their journeys on the carriageway.

It scored an overall satisfaction rating of 63%, above only the A12, which connects Lowestoft in Suffolk to London.

The main point of contention was the state of the road's surface, with just 58% rating that as satisfactory, while more than a third didn't think their journey times were good enough.

The same report also revealed that two other routes in Hampshire fared little better.

The A3 between Portsmouth and London scored 64%, as did the A34, which runs from just north of Winchester to the A6 in Salford.

The survey was designed to give National Highways and the government an idea of people's experiences on major roads and motorways and to show where improvements were needed.

Alex Robertson, chief executive at Transport Focus, said:

"Drivers tell us that the maintenance of motorways and major roads – how most of us get around the country – is more important to them than building new roads.

"With road user perceptions of road surface quality deteriorating since 2022 and declining satisfaction with journey times, National Highways must continue to focus on delivering safe, smooth journeys.

"We’re committed to working with the Government and National Highways to help them to deliver on road users’ top priorities – improved journey times and satisfaction with surface quality."

Overall, 71% of road users were satisfied with their journey, a decrease from 73% last year. 

Satisfaction with road surface quality has also declined to 68% compared with 73% last year.

A spokesperson for National Highways said:

"Maintaining and investing in our roads is a priority and our most recent assessment shows that over 96 per cent of them are in good condition.

"We have a robust programme of improvements which will provide long term benefits for motorists, including shorter and more reliable journeys."

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