Nominate your worst road

[Osthagen]

The A89, particularly the section across West Lothian, has to be one of the worst as far as classified routes go. What a boring and decrepit road.

[Goldberg]

A lot of people complain about the A690 out of Sunderland. I know a lot of people who when heading for the A19, will go out of their way to avoid the stretch between the city centre and the A19 junction.

[A303Chris]

If listing roads that are mind-numbingly dull to drive along, I would nominate the M4 between Swindon and Reading. Not sure what it is about the section, lack of views/landmarks possibly, it just seems to go on and on and on and on...

I like that section through the Berkshire downs. It is 16 to 18 which I find dull especially across the flat plain between J16 and the River Avon

[Glenn A]

The M6 south of Jct 26, just one hellishly congested road and passes some of the ugliest places in Britain( Walsall and the east end of Birmingham). I've driven once on this section on a Friday afternoon and it was the most stressful and unpleasant drive I've ever done.

[Norfolktolancashire]

The M6 south of Jct 26, just one hellishly congested road and passes some of the ugliest places in Britain( Walsall and the east end of Birmingham). I've driven once on this section on a Friday afternoon and it was the most stressful and unpleasant drive I've ever done.

I have to agree with the section between the M58 junction and M56, the only point of interest is the Thelwall viaduct. The route south from there has always been congested on a Friday, usually northwards, hence the works to "upgrade" to Smart motorway.
On a purely urban planner mode I do enjoy driving on the M6/M5 through the West Midlands conurbation, the massive concrete structures are still impressive. I love the fact that there is a working canal directly under the M5 viaduct between junction 2 and 3.

[rotherham]

So the most nominated so far:-

A51 (4 times)
M6 (3 times)
M4 [swindon] (twice)
A638 [redhouse] (twice)
A1/18 [darrington] (twice)
A548 (twice)

[M56phil]

The A51 between Nantwich and Chester is slowly becoming a nightmare with increasing traffic between the M6-A55. Its not fit for purpose and the section between Tarvin and Chester is frankly ghastly in rush hour.

But my least favourite at the moment is the northern quadrant of the M60. Its frankly downright dangerous with the narrow lanes and heavy stuff - but it's the sheer volume of stuff that basically going fast. Driving doesn't phase me but I did that section in the dark and heavy rain at rush hour in a Ford Ka - and it was frankly scary.

[Owain]

So the most nominated so far:-

A51 (4 times)
M6 (3 times)
M4 [swindon] (twice)
A638 [redhouse] (twice)
A1/18 [darrington] (twice)
A548 (twice)

Maybe this should have been done as a poll?!

[Robert Kilcoyne]

The A51 between Nantwich and Chester is slowly becoming a nightmare with increasing traffic between the M6-A55. Its not fit for purpose and the section between Tarvin and Chester is frankly ghastly in rush hour.

I wonder whether the increase in traffic has been caused at least in part by the 20 miles of roadworks on the M6. Even though drivers are advised to use the M6 and M56 to travel to Chester and North Wales, the combination of a 50 mph limit, numerous HGV's in narrow lanes and frequent delays resulting from accidents and breakdowns has probably led many drivers to decide that the A500 and A51 is the better route from Stoke-on-Trent and the M6 to Chester.

[Glenn A]

The M6 south of Jct 26, just one hellishly congested road and passes some of the ugliest places in Britain( Walsall and the east end of Birmingham). I've driven once on this section on a Friday afternoon and it was the most stressful and unpleasant drive I've ever done.

I have to agree with the section between the M58 junction and M56, the only point of interest is the Thelwall viaduct. The route south from there has always been congested on a Friday, usually northwards, hence the works to "upgrade" to Smart motorway.
On a purely urban planner mode I do enjoy driving on the M6/M5 through the West Midlands conurbation, the massive concrete structures are still impressive. I love the fact that there is a working canal directly under the M5 viaduct between junction 2 and 3.

I will admit the elevated section through Birmingham is a fantastic piece of engineering and, of course, Spaghetti Junction was a tremendous achievement. Pre M6 Toll, it was interesting being stuck in a traffic jam and seeing into the council flats and catching a bit of This Morning, when it was good, from your car.

[WHBM]

The A51 between Nantwich and Chester is slowly becoming a nightmare with increasing traffic between the M6-A55. Its not fit for purpose and the section between Tarvin and Chester is frankly ghastly in rush hour.

I have to tell you it was 50 years ago as well. No M56, no A55 Chester bypass, traffic backed up most of the way from the A41 roundabout at Chester towards Tarvin, far more industrial HGVs from local industry (there's a lot). The A54 ascent of un-bypassed Kelsall hill eastbound in the morning was often at walking pace.

[Glenn A]

The A51 between Nantwich and Chester is slowly becoming a nightmare with increasing traffic between the M6-A55. Its not fit for purpose and the section between Tarvin and Chester is frankly ghastly in rush hour.

I have to tell you it was 50 years ago as well. No M56, no A55 Chester bypass, traffic backed up most of the way from the A41 roundabout at Chester towards Tarvin, far more industrial HGVs from local industry (there's a lot). The A54 ascent of un-bypassed Kelsall hill eastbound in the morning was often at walking pace.

Some people are under the impression that because they've seen film of a quiet M1 from the sixties and seventies, it was a golden era for driving with very little congestion. Try driving on the A69 from Newcastle to Hexham before it was by passed, an extremely slow slog through places like Corbridge and its 18th century streets, and also you had to negotiate the western suburbs of Newcastle with buses, parked cars and schools to contend with.

[rotherham]

It does seem to me that road improvement schemes have fallen behind compared to other priorities such as housing and businesses.

[Glenn A]

In terms of scenery rather than an awful driving experience, I'd consider the M180 to be completely awful. There is no scenery to speak of, as the road passes through flat, featureless countryside and passes the ugliness of Scunthorpe before becoming a D2. Mind you, the M18 originates from is little better as it passes through equally i featureless countryside between the A1(M) and the M62. It does seem most of the area that used to form Humberside and the Lincs/ S Yorks border area is totally devoid of anything scenic.

[M19]

For me it's the A43 between Kettering and Northampton: part of my commute.

Coming off the A14 eastbound, to head south onto the A43 you have to watch for drivers using the left lane to undertake you around the roundabout. Usually for the numpties concerned, it's pretty futile, as 9/10 times there's a HGV crawling up the incline from the roundabout with a line of traffic behind.

The road surface has deteriorated badly, so it's a case of dodging potholes. Northamptonshire Highways don't believe in resurfacing. It likes to manage decline, even more so now that the County Council have run out of money. The recently completed first phase of the Moulton bypass is slower than the S2 section it replaced, and the roundabouts are awful. Crap entry geometries that encourage drivers to cut across lanes, than go round in the lane they should be in.

Then there's the Round Spinney Roundabout. The lane allocation approaching from the south catches too many people out, who then cut across at the last second into your space (cue lots of horn leaning). It's worse now that the lining has faded.

[Glenn A]

The A406 North Circular, one miserable experience even on a Sunday, I feel sorry for the people who live in the thirties semis in Neasden along the road as their houses are black with pollution and backing out of the drive must be a nightmare.

[nearM65]

top side of M60. They should of left the M62 alone and made the M60 a complete ring road. The bottom half of the M61 is terrible in the morning as no matter what time you head south its a dogs dinner.Its plonker drivers weaving lanes trying to make there drive to work about 5 second faster and making drivers want to give them 100 lashes. .they deserve evey single one