Motorists have hit out at the M1 motorway just weeks after it was voted the worst in the UK, even exceeding concerns around the M25. A poll from Transport Focus found that just 57% of drivers were satisfied with their journey on the M1.
This was down from 69% in 2023/24 with miles of roadworks proving to be a major concern for commuters and tourists. The road was even considered worse than the nightmare M25, often considered the busiest and most congested motorway in the country. The Transport Focus study of 9,000 individuals found individuals had complained of “miles of coned off road with little or no sign of actual work being done.”
Meanwhile, others stressed that the M1 was a “very difficult road to plan time-wise” due to roadworks and speed checks. However, more road users have since come forward to express their displeasure at the route.
HGV driver Jeff Alstead admitted he had previously been stuck in a traffic jam for four hours which spanned over 20 miles in length.
He said: “There are always traffic jams on the M1. I can tell you exactly where they’ll be each time, too. There’s always one at Canterbury.”
Daniel Ward, who regularly uses the M1 to drive to offices in London, blasted the smart motorway section of the road as “incredibly dangerous”.
Daniel told The Daily Mail: “It’s absolute chaos. There’s always traffic. We’re heading back to Manchester today and it should be about a three-and-a-half-hour journey, but we checked the route, and it says five hours.”
The M1 motorway was Britain’s first full-length motorway with the route opening to road users back in 1959. The route is one of the most significant in the UK, with between 130,000 and 140,000 vehicles per day using the route.
Louise Collins, Director at the independent watchdog Transport Focus blamed the poor opinion of the route on roadworks and delays.
Louise explained: “Long stretches of roadworks, sometimes one after another, and miles of cones have had a significant impact on road user satisfaction with England’s motorways, with a disappointing downward trend over the past couple of years.”
