Do we have the worst roads in Europe? New research shows that 62% of drivers think they are much better off on the continent

Three in five motorists believe that roads across the Channel are much better maintained than those in Britain.

New research from RAC Europe asked drivers who have travelled abroad what they thought of the continent’s roads compared to those in the UK. The results show just how bad the British have it.

These telling results come just weeks after a damning report from the National Audit Office (NAO) found the government was “unaware of the state of local roads” or how effectively councils were using available funding to tackle potholes.

A damning report from the National Audit Office (NAO) a few weeks ago concluded that the government ‘does not know the state of local roads’ or how effectively councils are using the funds available to tackle potholes. The RAC estimates that there are more than 1 million potholes in the UK

The RAC surveyed 1,778 drivers, 95 per cent of whom had driven a car or motorbike in Europe. It found that 62 per cent of drivers said local roads in Europe were in better condition than similar roads in the UK, with fewer potholes.

Even more worrying is that more than half (57 percent) think there are fewer and shallower potholes on European motorways than on British motorways where high speeds are driven.

Only a fifth (17 percent) believe local roads in the UK are in better condition than those in Europe, and only 19 percent say Britain’s motorways are in better condition.

About 14 percent said there was little or no difference.

Rod Dennis, spokesman for RAC Europe, said: ‘There is a lot of talk about how bad the state of the UK’s roads is, but it is shocking to hear that motorists think the roads are significantly worse than elsewhere in Europe.

This begs the question: if other countries have good highways, why don’t we?

‘It is even more worrying from a safety perspective to hear how many drivers find the UK motorways to be full of potholes, compared to the smooth surfaces of European motorways. After all, these are the motorways that carry the most traffic.’

The NAO pointed to industry estimates of a £15.6 billion backlog in road maintenance across the country, which it said was preventing local authorities from carrying out ‘preventative works’.

Analysis of DfT data shows the percentage of road length maintained each year in England is falling

The shocking comparison with Europe is the latest in a series of alarming studies highlighting the poor state of Britain’s roads.

The NAO report published last month found that the government was ‘unaware of the state of local roads’.

The report blames the Department for Transport’s (DfT) failures on the department’s decision to restrict data collection on local roads in a bid to reduce administrative burdens.

The UK’s independent public spending watchdog has revealed that local authorities are not even required to report the condition of unclassified roads, which make up 62 per cent of their road network.

The NAO has revealed the DfT spent £1.1 billion in the 2022/23 financial year but “does not know” what impact this has had on England’s roads and bridges.

The report continues: ‘There is no reporting requirement for unclassified roads, which make up 62 per cent of the local network, although around 70 per cent of local authorities will have provided this data by 2023.

‘This means that DfT does not maintain information across a large part of the network.’

A recent RAC and Channel 4 Shipments Joint research found 206 local councils when it comes to identifying and repairing potholes

Edmund King, AA President, responded to the audit by saying: ‘The NAO report is a damning indictment of the state of the UK’s local roads and their maintenance. The condition of local roads has deteriorated, but the backlog is increasing and the budget has fallen.

‘Before the election, 96 percent of AA members cited poor road conditions as the biggest transportation problem.’

In April, the RAC reported that the UK’s pothole epidemic was on the rise, with breakdown services called out to drivers driving through potholes 10 percent more times than a year ago.

There were 27,205 callouts due to poor road conditions in the UK at the end of March 2024, compared to 24,906 in the previous 12 months, the RAC said.

The RAC estimates that there are over 1 million potholes in the UK.

The future of Britain’s roads remains uncertain as the road transport sector grows increasingly concerned after the Chancellor said she would delay investment in road infrastructure due to overspending by the previous government, leaving the UK with a ‘£22 billion gap in public spending’.

One of the projects being scrapped is the A303 Stonehenge Tunnel, as part of a “major review” of “£1 billion of unfunded transport projects”.

There is no mention of whether the cancelled northern section of HS2 – an £8.3bn fund – will be spent on local road maintenance (as promised by the previous government), leaving the funding plan for the next ten years unclear.