Anger at one of many longest roadwork diversions in historical past – this A-road has a 96-mile detour…

A diversion is one of the most dread-inducing signs a driver will come across; one yellow board with a black arrow and plenty of time can be added to your journey.

Yet this could be a constant nightmare of the future as new research has found that the UK is moving towards ‘roadwork gridlock’ due to a ‘road and street work crisis’.

It comes as a potential new ‘record’ diversion has been brought to the attention of the government after a local MP was so frustrated at the 96-mile diversion in his constituency that he invited the Department for Transport to drive the route to experience the ‘hell’ themselves.

Just how much worse it could it get? We take a look at the most frustrating diversions over the years and the predicted rise in roadworks.

Diversions are only set to get worse

New data from leading digital construction and maintenance technology provider Causeway Technologies has found that the UK is ‘heading for roadwork gridlock in the face of rapid infrastructure upgrades, increasing road usage and poor cross-country collaboration’.

The report, which was developed in partnership with The Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport (ADEPT), shows that the number of roadworks across the UK increased by a whopping 42 per cent between 2019 and 2023.

Last year alone there were over 203,000 miles of roadworks taking place.

Causeway found that 72 per cent of utility and 62 per cent of local highway authority (LHA) leaders ‘believe that we are headed for a road and street work crisis by 2030 without greater industry collaboration’.

When asked why, 81 per cent of LHA respondents believe management and communications in roadworks and street works could be improved, while seven in 10 utilities respondents (71 per cent) believe roadworks and street works are currently planned in a disjointed way.

And worryingly it’s only set to get worse as the DfT predicts there will be a 54 per cent road usage increase by 2060.

However, the slight good news is that the average time taken to complete individual works was down by 15.8 per cent between 2019 and 2023.

Current worst diversion in Britain – 96 miles on the A75

Dumfries and Galloway MP John Cooper has invited government officials to drive the diversion on the A75, which he describes as ‘record’ because it is so disruptive.

The diversion between Newton Stewart and Castle Douglas in Scotland was caused by overnight works and meant a 40-minute journey took up to 2.5 hours.

Raising the issue at a Westminster Hall debate Mr Cooper said: ‘A journey which normally takes 40 minutes will become a two-and-a-half hour epic.’

‘Maintenance is welcome, but diversions such as this treat the public with contempt. Surely we can do better?’

As well as being a pain for locals, the A75 has national importance because of its links Dumfries and Galloway with the rest of Scotland, England and crucially Northern Ireland.

Mr Cooper said: ‘The A75 – grandly titled ‘the EuroRoute’, though it’s often more akin to a cart track – has significance for every one of our constituents.

‘Sir Peter Hendy’s Union Connectivity Review identified the A75 as the key link between Northern Ireland, Scotland and England as it serves the busy ferry port of Cairnryan.

‘Estimates vary, but perhaps as much as 60 per cent of Northern Ireland’s trade grinds along that road.’

Kevin Harris of Donaghadee in Northern Ireland told the BBC: ‘We use the road two or three times a month to get to and from the Belfast ferry at Cairnryan.

‘The diversion is a real pain as other roads around there are often very small.’ 

Pete Barraclough from North Yorkshire slammed the lack of signage saying: ‘There was no signage on the A75 warning that it would close at 20:00 and no diversion signage when it did.

‘Eventually figured out a route via New Galloway but added considerably to the journey.’

Record for the worst diversion in the UK: 130-mile detour on the A890

This diversion will be hard to beat.

In December 2011, the A890 at the Stromeferry Bypass in Scotland was closed for several months after a rock fall.

There was major disruption for motorists with some drivers forced to follow a 130-mile diversion.

Just one landslide caused the four-month closure, from 22 December 2011 to 23 April 2012 – and cost Highland Council £2.8million to deal with.

The Bypass area is prone to landslides and rockfalls with the being subsequent other closures in 2014.

While diversions on A890 are the most disruptive, the re-routing options will forever be the best.

In 2014 a small car ferry was hired to help local motorists avoid the detour and get between the mainland and Skye, while school pupils used train services and small hired pleasure boat to get to school.

Highbridge, via a 47-mile detour across Somerset: the worst of the 2010s

In 2012 motorists who wanted to travel through Highbridge, near the mouth of the River Brue, were asked to take a 47-mile diversion across Somerset.

Described at the time as the ‘UK’s longest diversion route’ the alternative route directed drivers on a massive almost two-hour journey.

The diversion took place over eight days despite only 750 yards needing to be resurfaced.

Motorists approaching Highbridge from the south were signed to turn around and go back along the A38 to Pawlett, then drive inland along the A39 to Glastonbury and Wells, before travelling north to Axbridge along the A371 then to Rodney Stoke, before picking up the A38 at East Brent and travelling southbound to Highbridge.

Phil Harvey, Burnham and Highbridge town councillor, at the time hit out at the county council for authorising roadworks that will cause such lengthy delays.

He said: ‘This has to qualify as the UK’s longest-ever diversion route caused by such a minor set of roadworks.

‘It is just laughable that Somerset County Council really expects motorists to drive almost 50 miles across the region to avoid a few hundred metres of road.

‘There are plenty of shorter, more sensible, local routes to take.’

Current longest diversion in England: A3 35-mile closure

Traffic misery hit drivers at the end of October as the southbound A3 was shut for resurfacing.

The work carried out on the 4.5km stretch was one of Hampshire’s major roads meant that motorists had to take a 35-mile detour.

Traffic was diverted onto the A27 towards Cosham – through the A272, A32 and A27 – before eventually joining back up with the A3M.

That section of the A3 is a vital link between Portsmouth and London.