Perceptions of trunk roads

Frequency of use and satisfaction

Respondents were asked to select the trunk roads they travelled on most frequently. The commonly used road was the M8 (35%), followed by the A90 (19%), M74 (16%), M77 (13%) and the A9 (13%).

Just over half (53%) of respondents were satisfied with the trunk roads they used most often, while a quarter (25%) were dissatisfied. This is consistent with the findings from 2024 (Figure 2.1).

Figure 2.1: Overall satisfaction with trunk roads (2024 and 2025), as described in the preceding text
Figure 2.1: Overall satisfaction with trunk roads (2024 and 2025)

Overall satisfaction was higher than average among respondents in the South East (60% satisfied compared with 53% overall). In line with the findings from 2023 and 2024, those in the North West were less likely than average to be satisfied (38% satisfied compared with 52%) (Figure 2.2).

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

Dissatisfaction was higher than average among older respondents, aged 65 and above (29%, compared to 25% overall).

Perceived importance of aspects of trunk road management and maintenance

Respondents were shown a list of specific aspects of trunk road management and maintenance. For each aspect, respondents indicated how important they perceived it to be. In line with previous years, the aspects which were perceived as most important (rated as either ‘essential’ or ‘very important’) were the quality of repairs (89%), the speed with which defects are repaired (88%), the general condition of road surfaces (87%) and the drainage of water and flooding from road surfaces (83%) (Figure 2.3).The management of vegetation was the least important aspect, mentioned by 36% of respondents.

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

Satisfaction with general condition of trunk roads

Satisfaction with the general condition of trunk roads was mixed, with 44% saying they were satisfied and 38% dissatisfied. The level of satisfaction increased between 2023 and 2025 (from 36% to 44%) (Figure 2.4).

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

Satisfaction was highest among trunk road users in the South East (54%, compared to 44% overall), and lowest among those in the South West (36%) (Figure 2.5).

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

Respondents aged 65 and above were more likely than average to be dissatisfied with the general condition of trunk roads (45%, compared to 38% overall).

Respondents 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 (18%), A90 (14%), and A9 (12%).

Among those who were dissatisfied with the general condition of trunk road surfaces, 79% said they ‘always’, ‘usually’, or ‘sometimes’ encountered defects they regarded as unsafe. Consistent with previous years, potholes were the most commonly encountered defect (56%) (Table 2.1).

Table 2.1: Defects encountered on the trunk road network (% encountered in past year)
Defects 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2023 2024 2025
Potholes 71% 71% 64% 73% 69% 62% 55% 56%
Uneven/bumpy surfaces 9% 10% 12% 10% 12% 14% 12% 15%
Poor repairs 8% 8% 10% 7% 8% 12% 11% 12%
Water on roads 3% 2% 3% 2% 3% 2% 7% 7%
Poor road markings 1% 1% 2% 1% 1% 2% 5% 3%
Slippery roads caused by ice/snow 2% 2% 2% 2% 2% 3% 3% 3%
Deterioration of road edge 2% 1% 2% 1% 2% 1% 3% 1%
Cracking 1% 2% 2% 1% 1% 1% 2% 1%
Ironwork in need of repair 1% 1% 1% 1% <0.5% 2% 1% 1%
Poor skid resistance 1% <0.5% 1% <0.5% <0.5% 1% <0.5% <0.5%
Base: All who had encountered defects 723 895 643 878 753 605 517 437

Respondents who had experienced at least one defect were asked about the specific road they encountered these on. The most commonly mentioned roads were the M8 (19%), A90 (15%) and A9 (12%).

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 (50%) and least satisfied with the speed with which road defects, such as potholes, are repaired (23%) (Figure 2.6).

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

These findings were broadly consistent with those from 2023 and 2024 (Figure 2.7).

Figure 2.7: Trends in satisfaction with other aspects of trunk road management and maintenance, as described in the preceding text
Figure 2.7: Trends in satisfaction with other aspects of trunk road management and maintenance

Trunk road users in the South East were more likely to be satisfied with the management of vegetation (58% compared to 50% overall) and the drainage of water from road surfaces (56% compared to 47%). Those in the North East were more likely to be satisfied with the amount of traffic congestion (35% compared to 27% (Figure 2.8).

Meanwhile, users in the South West were less likely than average to be satisfied with the amount of traffic congestion (22%, compared to 27% overall) and the speed with which road defects are repaired (17%, compared to 23%).

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

Perceived changes in the trunk road network

Respondents were presented with a list of aspects of service provision on the trunk road network and asked if they thought these had got better, worse or stayed the same over the past two years. Almost half felt that the frequency of roadworks (49%) and the general condition of road surfaces (45%) had got worse. For all of the other aspects, a majority (between 62% and 67%) felt that there had been no change.

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

Since 2023 there was a decrease in those who thought the general condition of road surfaces had got worse (45%, compared to 53% in 2023). Since 2024 there was a decrease in those who thought the drainage of water from road surfaces had got worse (27%, compared to 22%). The other findings were broadly in line with those from 2023 and 2024 (Figures 2.10 and 2.11).

Figure 2.10: Trends in perceptions that aspects of the trunk road network have improved, as described in the preceding text
Figure 2.10: Trends in perceptions that aspects of the trunk road network have improved
Figure 2.11: Trends in perceptions that aspects of the trunk road network have worsened, as described in the preceding text
Figure 2.11: Trends in perceptions that aspects of the trunk road network have worsened

Those in the South West were more likely than average to say the frequency of roadworks (56%, compared to 49% overall), the general condition of trunk roads (53% compared to 45%) and the visibility of road markings (37%, compared to 28%) had got worse over the past two years.

In terms of aspects relating to winter maintenance, those in the North West were more likely than average to say the promptness with which roads are gritted in winter had got worse (27%, compared to 18% overall). Those in the South East were more likely to be positive about winter maintenance – 16% said the promptness with which roads are gritted had got better (compared to 11% overall) and 15% the promptness with which roads are cleared had got better (compared to 10%).

Respondents aged 55 and above were more likely than younger respondents to say that the frequency of encountering roadworks (58%, compared to 43% aged under 55) and the general condition of road surfaces (52%, compared to 40%) had got worse.

Addressing trunk road defects

  • Respondents were shown images of eight types of road defect (Figure 2.12) and asked how quickly, if at all, they felt each one should be repaired.
Pothole near the edge of the road Road fretting along the edge of the road Road flooding the left lane of the road Foliage obscuring the bottom of a road sign Cones surrounding a broken barrier between dual carriageway lanes Cracked slabs of tactile paving on a pavement Marker post next to road knocked over
Road with missing or severely faded lane markings
Figure 2.12: Images of defects shown to respondents

A majority of respondents (at least 68%) said that each of the defects should be addressed within a month (Figure 2.13). The most immediate priorities for repair were broken slabs, potholes, flooding and faulty signage – 75%, 72%, 56% and 56% respectively thought that these should be repaired within a week. These priorities were consistent with those from 2024.

Figure 2.13: Acceptable timeframes for repairing defects, as described in the preceding text
Figure 2.13: Acceptable timeframes for repairing defects
  • Respondents in the North West were more likely than average to say that repairs to fretting should be made within 24 hours (17%, compared 9%).
  • Older respondents, aged 65 and above, were more likely than average to say that the following defects should be repaired within 24 hours:
    • broken slabs on footways (47%, compared to 40% overall)
    • faulty signage (31%, compared to 23%)
    • potholes (29%, compared to 22%).