Skip advert
Advertisement

Roads abroad are better than ours in almost every way, say UK drivers

Six-out-of-ten UK drivers rate foreign roads as better than at home - but our road signs are easier to understand

UK road sign

If you’re preparing for a jaunt overseas, take heart from research by the RAC that confirms what you probably already suspected. 62 per cent of drivers who have gone before, say that local roads elsewhere in Europe are in better condition than our own UK thoroughfares.

More surprising perhaps, is the 17 per cent of respondents who think UK roads are in a better state of repair than in neighbouring countries ‘on the continent’, and there’s a similar split when it comes to comparing motorways. According to the RAC, 57 per cent of drivers think there are fewer potholes on majour routes across La Manche, with 19 per cent giving the win to motorways here.

RAC Europe says it asked drivers to compare a range of five different aspects of driving in the UK and elsewhere in Europe, and the UK came out top on just one of them. When asked how easy road signs are to understand both here and abroad, 55 per cent reckoned there wasn’t much difference, 10 per cent said the continental Europeans do it better, but 30 per cent gave the nod to British road signs. Of course, familiarity and use of most respondents’ native language may have been factors in this. 

Advertisement - Article continues below
Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

Painted road markings were also up for driver ratings, and once again roads abroad took top marks with 37 per cent of UK drivers saying foreign versions are easier to read. 21 per cent throught UK road markings are superior, while 32 per cent said there was little difference.

The final question in the RAC survey addressed roadside litter, the scourge of many local councils in the UK who battle with fly-tippers, as well as ignorant drivers who chuck rubbish out of their car windows into hedgerows and verges. 34 per cent of the RAC’s respondents said the problem was less of an issue abroad, and only 11 per cent believed the roads over here to be more litter free.

“To hear drivers think they (roads) are significantly worse than elsewhere in Europe is shocking,” says RAC spokesman Rod Dennis. “If other countries can manage to have decent quality highways to drive on, why can’t we? It’s even more concerning from a safety perspective to learn just how many drivers think the UK’s motorways are plagued with potholes compared to the smooth surfaces of their European counterparts, as it’s these high-speed routes that carry most traffic.”

Do you think the UK has the worst roads in Europe? Let us know in the comments section below...

Skip advert
Advertisement
Current affairs and features editor

Chris covers all aspects of motoring life for Auto Express. Over a long career he has contributed news and car reviews to brands such as Autocar, WhatCar?, PistonHeads, Goodwood and The Motor Trader.

Find a car with the experts

Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Toyota GR Corolla hot hatch is on the way to the UK
Toyota GR Corolla - front cornering

Toyota GR Corolla hot hatch is on the way to the UK

The success of the GR Yaris has persuaded Toyota that there’s room in its UK range for the high performance Corolla
News
19 Jun 2025
Citroen recall sees owners told to stop driving “immediately”
Citroen C3 Mk2 - front tracking

Citroen recall sees owners told to stop driving “immediately”

A ‘Stop-drive’ order has been issued by Citroen following a fatality that may have been caused by a faulty Takata airbag
News
20 Jun 2025
Car Deal of the Day: a potent 335bhp Volkswagen ID.7 GTX for a rock bottom price
Volkswagen ID.7 GTX - front static

Car Deal of the Day: a potent 335bhp Volkswagen ID.7 GTX for a rock bottom price

GTX Plus gives some extra punch to an already excellent electric saloon. It’s our Deal of the Day for 20 June.
News
20 Jun 2025