A major route that runs through the heart of Essex has been named one of England’s worst roads. The A12 ranked fourth from bottom for overall satisfaction after a survey of road users.

According to Essex Live the A12 remains one of the lowest-rated roads in the country with 64 per cent overall satisfaction and just 52 per cent satisfied with the road surface. National Highways said work is ongoing to resurface the A12 between Chelmsford and Colchester, following on from earlier work between the latter and Ipswich.

The research was compiled by independent watchdog Transport Focus, after a poll of more than 9,500 drivers on their last journey on a motorway or major ‘A’ road managed by National Highways. The research found one driver describing the A12 as “a horrible road, lots of traffic, poor flow”.

Another said: “It’s a rare treat to have a pleasant journey on the A12 and I’ve sadly had to travel on it regularly for the last 34 odd years. A lot of wasted life hours.”

In the East of England, 72 per cent of drivers were satisfied with their journey, compared with 71 per cent nationally. Satisfaction with journey time was 70 per cent, while 82 per cent said they felt safe.

A report by the group said the A12 showed significantly improved road surface scores last year, but has not continued this upward trajectory, with 52 per cent satisfied with the road surface this year versus 56 per cent last year. National Highways said they are currently carrying out resurfacing work between Chelmsford and Colchester, having previously done work between Ipswich and Colchester, to improve journeys. They also said overall satisfaction increased from 69 per cent last year to 71 per cent with satisfaction on smart motorways increasing by six per cent to 66 per cent in the last year.

A National Highways spokesperson said:

“We manage our roads to ensure the highest levels of safety while minimising disruption to drivers. The survey results show our work to improve road conditions and incident response times have had a positive impact for drivers. When roads are well maintained, businesses and communities feel the benefit, and we are committed to tackling an ageing network head-on to keep the country moving and give drivers better experiences.”

(Picture: National Highways)