A27 ranks among England’s lower-rated major roads as drivers voice frustration over roadworks

​​​​​​​The A27 has been ranked among the lower-performing major roads in England in a new survey of drivers, as motorists continue to raise concerns about journey times, road surfaces and disruptive roadworks.

The route, which runs through East and West Sussex and along the south coast towards Hampshire, recorded an overall satisfaction score of 69 per cent.

That placed the A27 25th out of the 32 motorways and major A-roads included in the Strategic Roads User Survey, carried out by independent watchdog Transport Focus.

More than 9,500 drivers were asked about their most recent journey on a road managed by National Highways.

Although the A27’s score matched the national result for several other routes, including the A1 and A47, it remained below the overall satisfaction rate of 71 per cent.

Other southern roads performed significantly better. The A30 was named England’s highest-rated major A-road, with 79 per cent of drivers satisfied with their journey.

The M20 in Kent also achieved a score of 79 per cent, making it the highest-rated motorway in the country.

The A23, which links Brighton and Sussex with London, recorded a satisfaction score of 77 per cent, placing it sixth in the overall rankings.

The M3 and A3 both received scores of 72 per cent, while 70 per cent of motorists were satisfied with journeys on the A34.

However, several other routes across the South and South East were among the worst rated.

The M27, which runs through Hampshire between Portsmouth and Southampton, was named England’s worst motorway and the lowest-ranked road overall.

Just 56 per cent of drivers using the M27 said they were satisfied with their journey, with roadworks and journey times among the biggest concerns.

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.”

The M25 was also towards the bottom of the table, with a satisfaction score of 65 per cent.

The A12, which serves parts of Essex and East Anglia, was named the country’s worst-rated major A-road. It recorded an overall satisfaction score of 64 per cent, while just 52 per cent of drivers were satisfied with its road surface.

Across England, overall satisfaction increased from 69 per cent last year to 71 per cent this year.

However, roadworks remained a major source of frustration, with only half of drivers who encountered them saying they were satisfied with how they were managed.

Motorists who passed through roadworks recorded overall journey satisfaction of 58 per cent, compared with 77 per cent among those who did not encounter any works.

One driver, frustrated by a lack of information, 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 findings come as National Highways prepares for a major five-year programme to repair and renew England’s motorways and major A-roads.

The programme is expected to lead to more roadworks as parts of the network, including bridges and other structures built during the 1960s, reach the point where major repairs or replacement are needed.

Transport Focus has called on National Highways to ensure the schemes are carefully planned, clearly communicated and completed as efficiently as 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.”

Journey time remained the factor with the greatest influence on overall satisfaction, while potholes continued to feature prominently in drivers’ comments about road conditions.

The number of motorists who encountered roadworks fell from 31 per cent last year to 24 per cent this year.

Drivers in the South West reported the highest regional satisfaction rate at 75 per cent, while the M25 region was among the lowest-rated areas, with an overall score of 69 per cent.

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