Survey findings from Transport Focus show that less than half of truck and coach companies are satisfied with England’s major roads. This is deeply concerning, according to the Road Haulage Association (RHA).
In a statement, it said: “National Highways must place greater priority on the experience of users. Road freight and coach industries should be at the heart of decisions relating to the Strategic Road Network. With 79 percent of freight moved on our motorways, road freight plays an irreplaceable role in our supply chains. Reliable and predictable journeys are essential for our productivity and economic growth. Increased satisfaction measures on the issues most important to users including: improved road surfaces; better information about roadworks, unplanned disruptions and unplanned delays; should be monitored and evaluated. We look forward to user satisfaction measures being linked to the objectives for National Highways.”
Transport Focus’ survey measures the satisfaction from businesses on a variety of metrics related to motorways. Overall motorway satisfaction in the freight sector sits at around 49 percent, below 2020-21 levels at 55 percent.
The RHA will continue to press National Highways and the Department for Transport to make these issues a priority.
Key survey findings from Transport Focus Logistics and Coach Survey 2023:
- Overall 49 percent of the freight sector is satisfied and 46 percent of the coach sector
- Less than half of freight and coach businesses are satisfied with the availability of live travel information or advance planning information
- Information about overrunning roadworks is particularly low, with only 22 percent rating it good
- Rest facilities had low ratings. Less than one in ten rated the value for money of rest stops as good (8 %)
- On the day-to-day management of National Highways’ roads, safety scored highest with 60 per cent rating it good
- Asked what they want done better, businesses said they wanted National Highways to:
- reduce the length of the roadworks and do roadworks in smaller bites
- improved roadside facilities including more secure parking and toilet facilities
- clear incidents more quickly