The M40 has been rated the motorway with the best journey experience in England in a survey of drivers by the independent watchdog, Transport Focus.
In the latest Strategic Roads User Survey the motorway between London and Birmingham had the highest overall satisfaction at 79 per cent, with motorists particularly praising the road surface.
Rhinophalt® has been applied incrementally to the M40 since 2008, to protect and preserve it, keeping the road surface in good condition for longer.
Rhinophalt® can double the asphalt surface course service life of a road for half the cost compared to resurfacing, therefore reducing the demand for reactive maintenance, with fewer potholes and less claims. It preserves, protects and extends the life of the asphalt infrastructure and is proven to withstand all extreme weather conditions. Rhinophalt® was developed by ASI Solutions over 25 years ago and has proven time and again to significantly reduce reactive maintenance and extend the life of the asphalt, according to the company.
As well as being used on all types of roads, including the M40, Rhinophalt® has also been successfully applied to local roads, bridges, airports and test tracks in over 70 countries around the world.
Craig Marshall, Head of Commercial at ASI Solutions said: “It is great to see the M40 come top of the table again. The entire length of the M40 has been treated three times since 2008 with Rhinophalt® delivering significant reductions in maintenance costs and removing the need for major resurfacing works and interventions.”
He added: “Rhinophalt® asphalt preservation always leads to; reduced cost, reduced carbon, reduced reactive maintenance as well as less traffic management and greatly reduced disruption to the road user. Reduced disruption improves the safety of road users and contractors in addition to improving planned journey times.”
Rhinophalt® is applied at night during low traffic volumes. Also, areas in excess of 30,000m2 can be completed in one shift, re-ligned and open to traffic the following morning.
Mr Marshall went on to say: “The prevention of pothole formation and early-life failures through the adoption of Rhinophalt® helps create a smoother and safer road surface for the road user. Using Rhinophalt as part of your asset management strategy, kicks potholes into the long-grass!”
The Strategic Roads User Survey asked more than 9,000 road users about their last journey on a motorway or major ‘A’ road managed by National Highways.
Alex Robertson, Chief Executive at the independent watchdog Transport Focus said:“Drivers tell us that the maintenance of motorways and major roads – how most of us get around the country – is more important to them than building new roads. With road user perceptions of road surface quality deteriorating since 2022 and declining satisfaction with journey times, National Highways must continue to focus on delivering safe, smooth journeys.
“We’re committed to working with the Government and National Highways to help them to deliver on road users’ top priorities – improved journey times and satisfaction with surface quality.”
The M42’s place at the bottom of the league table comes after it scored 56 per cent for overall satisfaction from road users. This follows a significant period of roadworks around Birmingham airport. One of those dissatisfied said “Roadworks, potholes and delays. Terrible road to drive on.”
Key findings of the latest survey were:
*Overall, 71 per cent of road users were satisfied with their journey, this is a decrease from 73 per cent last year.
*Road user satisfaction with journey time has declined to 68 per cent, down from 71 per cent last year.
*Satisfaction with road surface quality has also declined to 68 per cent compared with 73 per cent last year.
*Management of roadworks continues to be one of the weaker performing areas with 49 per cent of drivers that passed through roadworks on their journey satisfied with their management, similar to last year.
*Regionally from the seven National Highways regions it was the South West that was the highest rated with an overall user satisfaction score of 76 per cent. The M25 region is lowest at 68 per cent.
*The most improved region is the North West. It is the only region to have seen an increase in overall satisfaction and has moved from joint bottom in 2022/2023 on 70 per cent, to second on 73 per cent.
pic-ASI SOLUTIONS
