Perceptions of trunk roads

Trunk roads used most frequently and overall satisfaction

To provide context for their perceptions of trunk roads, respondents were asked which trunk roads they travelled on most frequently. The most common responses were the M8 (35%), A90 (19%), M74 (15%), A9 (13%) and M77 (12%).

Just over half of respondents (52%) said they were satisfied with the trunk roads they used most often, while a quarter (25%) were dissatisfied. There has been a slight decrease in satisfaction since 2019 (Figure 2.1). However, as noted above, this is most likely due to the change in mode, with a greater proportion selecting ‘neither satisfied nor dissatisfied’.

Figure 2.1: Overall satisfaction with trunk roads (2019 and 2023), as described in the text above
Figure 2.1: Overall satisfaction with trunk roads (2019 and 2023)

Satisfaction was highest among respondents in the North East (59%, compared with 52% overall) and lowest among those in the North West (39%) – this is in line with the findings from 2019.

Figure 2.2: Overall satisfaction with trunk roads, by region, as described in the text above
Figure 2.2: Overall satisfaction with trunk roads, by region

In line with previous years, dissatisfaction was lowest among younger respondents – those aged 18-24 were almost three times less likely than average to say they were dissatisfied with trunk roads (9%, compared with 25% overall).

Perceived importance of aspects of trunk road management and maintenance

Respondents were asked how important or otherwise they regarded various aspects of trunk road management and maintenance. Consistent with previous years, the four most important aspects (rated as either ‘essential’ or ‘very important’) were: the speed with which defects are repaired (89%); the quality of repairs (88%); the general condition of road surfaces (87%); and the drainage of water and flooding from surfaces (82%) (Figure 2.3).

Figure 2.3: Perceived importance of aspects of management and maintenance, as described in the text above
Figure 2.3: Perceived importance of aspects of management and maintenance

Satisfaction with general condition of trunk road surfaces

Almost half (46%) of respondents said they were dissatisfied with the general condition of trunk road surfaces, compared with 35% who said they were satisfied. As shown in Figure 2.4, there has been a decrease in the overall levels of satisfaction since 2019.

Figure 2.4: Satisfaction with the condition of trunk road surfaces, as described in the text above
Figure 2.4: Satisfaction with the condition of trunk road surfaces

Trunk road users in the North West and South West were most likely to be dissatisfied with the general condition of trunk road surfaces (59% and 52% respectively’) (Figure 2.5).

Figure 2.5: Satisfaction with the condition of trunk road surfaces, by region, as described in the text above
Figure 2.5: Satisfaction with the condition of trunk road surfaces, by region

Older respondents, aged 55 and over, were also more likely to be dissatisfied with the condition of trunk roads (55%, compared with 41% of those aged under 55).

Users who were dissatisfied with the general condition of trunk road surfaces were asked to identify the roads they were most dissatisfied with. The most commonly identified roads were the M8 (17%), A9 (13%) and A90 (13%).

Almost all (97%) of those dissatisfied with the general condition of trunk roads surfaces said they ‘always’, ‘usually’, or ‘sometimes’ encountered defects they perceived to be unsafe, with potholes being the most commonly encountered defect (62%) (Table 2.1).

Table 2.1: Defects encountered on the trunk road network (% ‘Always’, ‘Usually’ or ‘Sometimes’ encountering each defect)
Defect 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2023
Potholes 77 75 76 72 71 71 64 73 69 62
Uneven/bumpy surfaces 8 8 7 9 9 10 12 10 12 14
Poor repairs 8 8 8 8 8 8 10 7 8 12
Slippery roads caused by ice/snow 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3
Water on roads 1 1 2 2 3 2 3 2 3 2
Poor road markings <0.5 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 2
Ironwork in need of repair 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 <0.5 2
Deterioration of road edge 1 1 1 1 2 1 2 1 2 1
Cracking 1 2 1 1 1 2 2 1 1 1
Poor skid resistance <0.5 <0.5 1 <0.5 1 <0.5 1 <0.5 <0.5 1
Base: All who had encountered defects 1,221 947 1,061 885 723 895 643 878 753 605

Respondents who had experienced defects were asked which specific road they encountered these defects on. The most common responses were the M8 (18%), A90 (14%) and A9 (13%).

Satisfaction with other aspects of trunk road management and maintenance

In terms of the other aspects of trunk road management and maintenance, users were most satisfied with the management of vegetation on verges and central reserves (47%) and least satisfied with the speed with which road defects, such as potholes, are repaired (18%) (Figure 2.6).

Figure 2.6: Satisfaction with other aspects of trunk road management and maintenance, as described in the text above
Figure 2.6: Satisfaction with other aspects of trunk road management and maintenance

As shown in Figure 2.7, while there has been a decrease in satisfaction with each aspect of trunk road management and maintenance since 2019, the relative importance of the different aspects has remained largely the same. For example, the speed with which defects are repaired has consistently been ranked the lowest in terms of satisfaction since 2009.

Figure 2.7: Trends in satisfaction with aspects of trunk road condition and maintenance, as described in the text above
Figure 2.7: Trends in satisfaction with aspects of trunk road condition and maintenance

Levels of satisfaction with the various aspects of management and maintenance across each region were largely consistent (Figure 2.8), although there was some variation – users in the South East were more likely than average to be satisfied with the drainage of water and flooding from road surfaces (50%, compared with 43% overall), and users in the North East were more likely to be satisfied with the amount of traffic congestion (38%, compared with 30%).

Figure 2.8: Satisfaction with aspects of trunk road management and maintenance, by region, as described in the text above
Figure 2.8: Satisfaction with aspects of trunk road management and maintenance, by region

Perceived changes in the trunk road network

Respondents were asked whether they felt particular aspects of service provision on the trunk road network had ‘got better’, ‘got worse’ or ‘stayed the same’ over the past two years. Around half felt that the general condition of trunk roads (53%) and the frequency of road works (45%) had got worse. In terms of the other aspects, the majority (between 61% and 65%) felt that there had been no change (Figure 2.9). Only a small number of respondents (between 5% and 11%) thought that any of the aspects had improved.

Figure 2.9: Changes in aspects of the trunk road network over the past two years, as described in the text above
Figure 2.9: Changes in aspects of the trunk road network over the past two years

Compared with 2019, fewer respondents reported improvements to any of the different aspects of service provision while the proportions saying they had got worse was broadly the same. However, there has been a slight increase in the number of people who believe that the general condition of road surfaces (47% in 2019, to 53% in 2023) and the frequency of road works (41%, to 45%) has worsened (Figures 2.10 and 2.11).

Figure 2.10: Percentage reporting each aspect had ‘got better’ over the past two years, 2009 – 2023, as described in the text above
Figure 2.10: Percentage reporting each aspect had ‘got better’ over the past two years, 2009 – 2023
Figure 2.11: Percentage reporting each aspect had ‘got worse’ over the past two years, 2009 – 2023, as described in the text above
Figure 2.11: Percentage reporting each aspect had ‘got worse’ over the past two years, 2009 – 2023

Respondents in the South West were more likely than average to say that the general condition of roads had got worse over the past two years (61%, compared with 53% overall) and that the frequency of road works had increased (52%, compared with 45%). Those in the North West were more likely to mention the drainage of water from road surfaces (31%, compared with 24%).

Meanwhile, those in the North were more likely than those in the South to say that winter maintenance had deteriorated over the past two years – 27% in the North East and 24% in the North West said that the promptness with which roads are cleared in winter had got worse (compared with 14% of those in the South combined). Similarly, 23% in both the North East and North West reported a decline in the promptness of road gritting in winter (compared with 14% in the South).

Addressing trunk road defects

Respondents were shown images of eight different types of road defect (Figure 2.12) and asked how quickly they felt it should be repaired.

Potholes Faulty signage Fretting Faulty or broken barriers Flooding Broken slabs on footways Missing marker posts
Missing road markings
Figure 2.12: Images of defects shown to respondents

A majority of respondents said that each of the defects should be addressed within a month (Figure 2.13). Broken slabs, faulty signage, broken barriers and flooding were seen as the most important of these to repair promptly – 79%, 63%, 59% and 56% respectively thought that these should be repaired within a week.

Figure 2.13: Timeframes within which respondents felt various defects should be addressed, as described in the text above
Figure 2.13: Timeframes within which respondents felt various defects should be addressed

Respondents in the South West were more likely than average to say that faulty signage (31%, compared with 25% overall) and broken barriers (34%, compared with 28%) should be addressed within 24 hours (Table 2.2).

Table 2.2: Speed with which defects should be addressed, by region (% saying “within 24 hours”)
Defect All North West North East South West South East
Broken slabs on footways 46 49 40 50 42
Flooding 32 36 31 34 30
Faulty or broken barriers 28 23 22 34 30
Faulty signage 25 26 18 31 26
Missing marker posts 14 17 10 13 14
Missing or faded road markings 13 14 12 12 13
Potholes 11 15 10 12 10
Fretting 5 5 5 5 4
Base: All who had used trunk roads at some point in the last year 1,259 126 333 404 362

In line with previous waves, older respondents were more likely than average to say that defects should be repaired promptly. Those aged over 65 were more likely to say that all of the defects, with the exception of broken barriers and missing marker posts, should be repaired within, at most, a week.