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M25 Junction 19 Customer Survey Report
Report Summary
In February this year the Highways Agency began a trial road layout at junction 19 of the M25 to reduce congestion on the M25 in the anticlockwise direction. The slip road at J19 was reduced from two lanes to one with the aim of easing traffic flows on the motorway.
The purpose of this survey was to see if those travelling on the M25 and joining at J19 had noticed changes to their journeys and to establish if those using roads local to this junction had noticed any changes to their journeys. The survey also sought to gauge people's reactions to the changes.
The results of this survey are summarised here under the following headings:
- Methodology;
- Awareness of changes to journeys around J19;
- Reaction to the changes; and
- Conclusion
Methodology
618 face to face interviews were carried out on the street with respondents who:
- Travel on the M25 past J19;
- Join the motorway at J19 or used to join at J19 prior to the trial layout; and
- Travel on roads local to J19.
Some respondents were eligible to answer from a local and M25 user perspective. Only those travelling in morning peak (7am to 10am) traffic were included in the survey.
Awareness of Changes to Journeys Around J19
Respondents were asked if they had noticed any changes to their journeys around J19 of the M25. 38% of those travelling on the M25 past J19 had noticed changes to their journey whereas 68% of those joining at J19 had noticed a difference in their journeys. 41% of people travelling on local roads had also noticed changes to their journeys. Those travelling on local roads in particular reported their journeys being slower/busier (24%).
Respondents that had noticed a change to their journeys when joining the M25 at J19 generally associated these changes with the trial at J19 (69%) as did 47% of those travelling on local roads. However, 40% of those who had noticed any change and were travelling on local roads thought the changes to their journey were due to other factors.
Reaction to the Changes
Respondents were briefed about the changes and asked what they thought of them. Only 10% of respondents that travelled past J19 thought the changes were a good idea as did 13% of those that join the M25 at J19. 10% of those travelling on local roads also thought the changes were a good idea.
The majority felt the changes were a bad idea:
- 57% of those travelling past J19;
- 73% of those joining at J19; and
- 61% of local road users.
When asked whether the changes should be made permanent, over 60% said the junction should be returned to its original layout:
- 61% of those travelling past J19;
- 77% of those joining at J19; and
- 65% of users of local roads.
Conclusion
Neither local or through travellers are in favour of the trial arrangements at J19. Those who were expected to benefit, i.e. through traffic at J19 do not appear to have noticed any time savings and some feel delays elsewhere have increased, for example at junctions upstream of J19.
Full Report
Download the full M25 Junction 19 Customer Survey Report (888KB PDF)
