M42 named England's worst motorway as drivers fume over poor conditions

Drivers have slammed the M42 for its "roadworks, potholes and delays" as the 40-mile-long motorway was ranked last in a survey of more than 9,166 road users

The M42 has been dubbed England's worst motorway by drivers, who have criticised it for having reduced speed limits "for no apparent reason" and a mix of "roadworks, potholes and delays". The 40-mile stretch, linking Birmingham with areas such as Nottingham, Solihull, Tamworth, and Redditch, came in last place in a survey by Transport Focus, which involved more than 9,166 participants.

The poll, conducted up to the end of March, coincided with significant roadworks near Birmingham Airport. One driver described the M42 as a "terrible road to drive on" due to its "roadworks, potholes and delays", while another lamented the variable speed limits that "do not always reflect the traffic conditions" and seemed arbitrary.

The overall satisfaction score for the M42 stood at 56%. In contrast, the M40, connecting London and Birmingham, was hailed as England's most popular motorway with a 79% satisfaction rating, with one user noting it is "one of the few motorways that has few delays when I travel on it".

The A19, from Seaton Burn near Newcastle to Doncaster, topped the list as the best A road with an 85% score, whereas the A12 between London and Lowestoft, Suffolk, was at the bottom with 55%. National Highways, a government-owned company, oversees England's motorways and major A roads.

According to Transport Focus chief executive Alex Robertson: "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."

Motorway user satisfaction has decreased, with the overall satisfaction score for respondents' last journeys on motorways or major A roads declining from 73% in 2022/23 to 71% in 2023/24. There was also a drop in satisfaction with journey times, from 71% to 68%.

Recent data from the Department for Transport revealed record delays on National Highways, with an average delay of 11 seconds per vehicle per mile in the year to June - the highest since records began in 2016. Although traffic on motorways and A roads increased by 2.3% from 2022 to 2023, it still remains 1% below pre-pandemic levels.

Ongoing roadworks, including the installation of 150 additional emergency stopping areas on smart motorways, pose an added challenge. The watchdog's research indicated a decline in satisfaction with road surface quality, falling from 73% to 68%.

Only 49% of those surveyed expressed satisfaction with how roadworks are managed, a figure that remains consistent with last year's findings. A spokesperson for National Highways said: "Maintaining and investing in our roads is a priority and our most recent assessment shows that over 96% of them are in good condition."

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

The top five motorways for overall satisfaction were listed as follows:.

1. M40 (79%).

2. M4 (78%).

3. M5 (77%).

4. M56 (73%).

5. M3 (73%).

Conversely, the bottom five ranked motorways for overall satisfaction were:

1. M42 (56%).

2. M62 (60%).

3. M25 (67%).

4. M11 (68%).

5. M1 (69%).