The Worst Roads · Edition 32 · Updated 3 August 2026
The 10 worst roads
in Britain this week.
Calculated from Department for Transport Street Manager permits — the same data used by councils and contractors — with the formula score = Σ impact × duration. Permits are clustered by location, so one town's High Street never merges with another's, and no council may take more than two of the ten places.
1
RYE LANE
LONDON BOROUGH OF SOUTHWARK
32 active permits · 32 medium.
192
Score
2
UXBRIDGE ROAD
LONDON BOROUGH OF EALING
31 active permits · 28 high-impact closures · 3 medium.
175.4
Score
3
OXFORD STREET
TRANSPORT FOR LONDON (TFL)
23 active permits · 2 high-impact closures · 17 medium.
117.8
Score
- 4 GREENFORD ROAD LONDON BOROUGH OF EALING 19 permits 100.4
- 5 SHAFTGATE AVENUE Somerset Council 11 permits 99
- 6 NEW CHESTER ROAD WIRRAL BOROUGH COUNCIL 12 permits 97.6
- 7 BROADLAND NORTHWAY NORFOLK COUNTY COUNCIL 21 permits 96.3
- 8 THORNTON ROAD CITY OF BRADFORD METROPOLITAN DISTRICT COUNCIL 17 permits 90.9
- 9 LOUGHBOROUGH PARK LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH 10 permits 90
- 10 VICTORIA EMBANKMENT TRANSPORT FOR LONDON (TFL) 15 permits 88.7