A recently published survey of road users showed that, while 71% are satisfied overall with the strategic road network, only 49% were happy with the way that roadworks are managed.
The Strategic Road User Survey was published by Transport Focus, the independent watchdog for transport users, on 9 October. The figures were collated from a representative sample of over 9,000 road users over the year to March 2024, who were asked about their most recent journey on motorways and A roads in England.
The survey findings demonstrate that National Highways, like all road authorities, is stuck between a rock and a hard place when it comes to keeping our roads in good condition. Road users want surfaces to be in good repair, but they don’t want the inconvenience of roadworks.
A further survey of lorry and coach operators by Transport Focus, published on 24 October, highlighted the issues that they find most troublesome – and again the impacts of roadworks feature. Only 44% were satisfied overall with the strategic road network (SRN), with 28% neither satisfied nor dissatisfied. Roadworks issues highlighted include the accuracy of estimated journey times where roadworks were involved, alternative routes offered and roads not reopening when expected.
Causes for satisfaction
Transport Focus analysed what factors had the biggest impact on overall satisfaction. In the Strategic Road User Survey, journey times came out on top, while it is interesting to note that the condition of the road surface is quite a long way down the list:
1 Satisfaction with journey time
2 Journey time compared to expectation
3 Whether there were delays caused by things other than roadworks
4 Level of traffic
5 Road markings
6 How safe it felt on the road
7 Road surface
For lorry and coach drivers and fleet operators, the survey is structured differently. Factors that drive overall satisfaction are somewhat different and road surface condition comes higher up in the list:
1 How National Highways manages the network
2 Route planning information
3 Road surface
4 Real time information
5 Rest stops
6 Accident handling
Considering road surfaces, the general road users’ survey, showed that satisfaction with road condition among road users was at 68% in March 2024, down from 73% in March 2023. Lorry and coach drivers appear less satisfied. When asked about road surfaces with respect to wear and tear on tyres, 19% said they were good and 27% said they were neither good nor poor.
New approaches
Many highways authorities are actively looking for new ways to carry out repair, maintenance and other roadworks on their networks. For instance, some authorities are deploying Thermal Road Repairs’ technology in urban areas at night, since it is very quiet compared to conventional technology.
National Highways is investigating how information engineering can help reduce delays due to roadworks. The outcomes of a recent technology trial by National Highways do suggest that better planning of roadworks could lead to fewer disruptions for road users.
Technology from Cambridge company Alchera which uses AI to plan roadworks, taking into account traffic flow predictions and balancing financial efficiencies and road user experience was trialled on the M6. Over two months, this led to 2,100 fewer journeys being delayed, according to National Highways. It also estimates that the trial saved £45,000 by consolidating work and enabling the cancellation of one in 28 shifts.
By deploying new technology to both plan and carry out work on our networks, it is possible to drive up levels of road user satisfaction.
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