Watchdog tells government agency to improve roadworks management

Published: 10/07/2025

National Highways must consistently manage future roadworks to minimise the impact on drivers, says official independent watchdog, Transport Focus. 

The government agency, which despite its name only covers England, is responsible for motorways and major ‘A’ roads.

The recommendation follows a drop in satisfaction, mainly due to extensive roadworks to add extra emergency areas to smart motorways.

In Transport Focus’ annual survey of 9,000 drivers’, the London-Sheffield M1 was rated as England’s worst motorway with 69% saying they were “satisfied”, down from 71% last year.

The Strategic Roads User Survey asked drivers about their last journey on a motorway or major ‘A’ road.

The London-Birmingham M40, retains its place as the highest-rated motorway (75% satisfied). The good road surface, lack of delays and service station quality were frequently cited.

The M1’s place at the bottom of the league table comes after drivers faced miles of roadworks and 50mph average speed limits as extra smart motorway emergency areas were built.

National Highways’ National Emergency Area Retrofit (NEAR) programme, to install more than 150 new emergency areas on smart motorways, is the key reason for the satisfaction decline. 

The main issues raised related to the works taking a long time to complete and affecting long stretches of road, with drivers not seeing work being done, or they didn’t know what was being done.

Transport Focus says that although the NEAR programme is now complete, National Highways “must consider how to consistently manage future roadworks to minimise the impact on drivers.”

The Exeter to Penzance A30 from was rated the best ‘A’ road in England with the highest overall satisfaction at 85%, following its recent upgrade to a dual carriageway (reducing journey times) and new surfacing.

The Leicester to Norwich A47 came bottom of the ‘A’ road table, at 56% satisfaction with a common cause of complaint being its poor road surface and numerous potholes, especially on roundabouts.

Download the report: https://www.transportfocus.org.uk/publication/strategic-roads-user-survey-2024-25/
 

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