A new list has revealed which UK roads van drivers deem the worst and would avoid altogether.
Car and van hire comparison site StressFreeCarRental.com have researched and asked their customers across the UK which roads they find dangerous, highly congested, or have general poor conditions.
Van drivers are some of the most experienced motorists on Britain’s roads, but now a new list has revealed which UK roads van drivers deem the worst and would avoid altogether.
Among the responses of roads to avoid were well known trouble spots such as A285 in Sussex, and the A4 in London. Some country roads also pose danger such as the Horseshoe Pass in North Wales, and the Snake Pass in the Peak District also made the list.
In Wales, the Horseshoe Pass is a well-known scenic, but treacherous, mountain pass with a vast drop to its continually curving side. It’s not for the faint-hearted. Snake Pass, in Derbyshire’s Peak District, has a bad accident record thanks to its winding roads and blind summits. It is also often closed in the winter due to snow.
The Hog’s Back, part of the A31 in Surrey, joins the list for its pesky habit of melting in summer months.
StressFreeCarRental.com says: “Delivery drivers don’t have a lot of time to spare when they’re on the road delivering parcels, especially with the recent rise in online shopping. They often need to get to the job as quickly as possible. But there are many routes that van drivers really do dislike having to drive. With many of these roads, drivers need to take extra caution, stay vigilant and make smart decisions.
“For van drivers, sometimes it makes sense to avoid a road altogether if there’s an alternative route that has less traffic, or fewer hazards.
“Some of the roads revealed will be well known to UK drivers, but some may also come as a surprise. So, make sure when planning the next long journey to take these roads into consideration.”
The ten UK roads van drivers avoid (in no order) are:
1. Snake Pass, Derbyshire This winding road pass crosses the Pennines. It is an accident blackspot, and often closes in winter because of snow and is susceptible to subsidence.
2. A285, West Sussex Stretching 12 miles from Chichester to Petworth, it has sharp turns and junctions and is not uneven.
3. A82, Scotland Connecting Glasgow and Inverness via the renowned Fort William, this road is disliked by many van drivers for its hairpin bends and bad surface conditions.
4. A52, Lincolnshire This stretch of the A52 is a single carriageway for miles, which makes it a congestion hot spot especially in rush hour.
5. M60, Manchester With heavy traffic and closely spaced junctions, it’s not surprising that motorists prefer to stay off this motorway.
6. Horseshoe Pass, Wales This has a continual curved road running around the sides of a valley in Denbighshire, with a steep drop to the side. Not even stunning mountain views will get some van drivers on this road.
7. A4, LondonMany UK van drivers avoid this road when they can, but this is still not enough – since it’s known for its terrible traffic.
8. A956, Aberdeen It’s not even eight miles long but it’s still an accident blackspot.
9. Hog’s Back, A31, Surrey This road has been known to melt in the summer months, and any road that’s known for melting in hot weather is on to avoid.
10. M1 around Luton Connecting London and Leeds, the M1 is arguably one of Britain’s busiest roads and one road that is often unavoidable. If you are to avoid any section, then the traffic around the Luton point is terrible and one to avoid.
