altezza
09-12-2003, 06:53 PM
(press release)
Owners of Britain’s world famous Caterham 7 sportscar have named the UK’s seven best – and worst - driving roads.
With half-a-million traffic jams every year, a seventy percent increase in traffic since 1983 and an £8.3bn backlog of repairs, Britain’s roads are regularly billed as a driving nightmare.
But, in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Caterham 7, the Surrey based firm has revealed the real gems hidden away amongst the 230,000 miles of asphalt linking Britain’s villages, towns and cities.
Predictably, the open expanses and sweeping hillside paths that go to make up the 55,000 miles of roads in Scotland and Wales dominate the Seven Best Driving Roads, with the top four spots, according to Caterham owners. In fact, the Welsh countryside was responsible for 30 percent of the Top 30 nominations, with the South Western most tip of England delivering 24 percent.
Thanks to its stunning scenery, challenging twists and turns and almost traffic free motoring, the most votes went to the A87 between Invergarry and the Isle of Skye in North West Scotland. In second spot is the A4086 Pass of Llanberis in Snowdonia National Park in North Wales with another Scottish entrant, the A827 around Loch Tay, taking third.
Seven Best Driving Roads in Britain As Voted By Caterham 7 Owners
[Pos.] [Road]
[Reasons offered….]
1 A87 Invergarry to Isle of Skye, Scotland
"As breathtaking as it is challenging"
2 A4086 "Pass of Llanberis" from Caernarfon to Capel Curig, North Wales
"Popular destination but twisty roads and Snowdonia backdrop make it a must drive"
3 A827 Killin to Ballinluig, Scotland
"Clear roads and just fun, fun, fun"
4 B4407 Ffestiniog to Pentrefoelas, North Wales
"A demanding drive but clear views for miles"
5 A686 Penrith to Hayden Bridge through Gilderdale Forest, Pennines
"English countryside at its finest"
6 B3223 across the Brendon Hills & Exmoor Forest
"Narrow but flowing bends that beg to be driven"
7 B3306 St Just to St Ives, South West
"Can be busy with tourists but worth an early start any day"
"Most children are growing up thinking that motoring is one long traffic jam or a quick trip to the shops, but it doesn’t have to be like that," says Simon Nearn, managing director of Caterham Cars. "Too many people have forgotten how much pleasure you can get from driving down a quiet country road with its variety of corners, views and challenges. With all the headlines about congestion, speed cameras and poor road surfaces, it’s easy to forget that driving can be such a positive experience."
Nearn admits what denotes the best driving road is subjective, but believes Caterham owners are ideally placed to suggest what merits a good and bad driving experience. "The car was designed by Chapman back in 1957, but remains one of the purest driving machines on the modern motoring landscape."
The unsurprising custodian of the Worst Driving Road in Britain is the M25, and most notably the stretch from Junction 5 to Junction 21. The London Orbital narrowly out placed the A303, the main artery for commuters escaping to the South West, which, despite some wonderful scenery, was repeatedly dubbed as ‘the most frustrating stretch’ of road in the country thanks to the convoys of caravans.
Black marks also went to the A34 from Bloxwich to Cannock with its endless stream of speed cameras, and the M1 - all 187 miles of it!
7 Worst Driving Roads in Britain As Voted By Caterham 7 Owners
[Pos.] [Road]
[Reasons offered…]
1 M25 stretch between Junctions 5-21
"The antithesis of driving"
2 A303 from Andover onwards
"Single-carriageway and caravan hell"
3 M1
"All of it!"
4 A34 Bloxwitch to Cannock
"A feast of speed cameras"
5 M6 between Junctions 6-12
"Concrete views and nose to tail jams"
6 A350 Shaftsbury to Blandford
‘Every imaginable obstacle makes it a stop-start bore’
7 A8000 from M9 to Forth Bridge
‘Spine-jarring road surface even in a traffic jam and there’s always one of those!
Owners of Britain’s world famous Caterham 7 sportscar have named the UK’s seven best – and worst - driving roads.
With half-a-million traffic jams every year, a seventy percent increase in traffic since 1983 and an £8.3bn backlog of repairs, Britain’s roads are regularly billed as a driving nightmare.
But, in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Caterham 7, the Surrey based firm has revealed the real gems hidden away amongst the 230,000 miles of asphalt linking Britain’s villages, towns and cities.
Predictably, the open expanses and sweeping hillside paths that go to make up the 55,000 miles of roads in Scotland and Wales dominate the Seven Best Driving Roads, with the top four spots, according to Caterham owners. In fact, the Welsh countryside was responsible for 30 percent of the Top 30 nominations, with the South Western most tip of England delivering 24 percent.
Thanks to its stunning scenery, challenging twists and turns and almost traffic free motoring, the most votes went to the A87 between Invergarry and the Isle of Skye in North West Scotland. In second spot is the A4086 Pass of Llanberis in Snowdonia National Park in North Wales with another Scottish entrant, the A827 around Loch Tay, taking third.
Seven Best Driving Roads in Britain As Voted By Caterham 7 Owners
[Pos.] [Road]
[Reasons offered….]
1 A87 Invergarry to Isle of Skye, Scotland
"As breathtaking as it is challenging"
2 A4086 "Pass of Llanberis" from Caernarfon to Capel Curig, North Wales
"Popular destination but twisty roads and Snowdonia backdrop make it a must drive"
3 A827 Killin to Ballinluig, Scotland
"Clear roads and just fun, fun, fun"
4 B4407 Ffestiniog to Pentrefoelas, North Wales
"A demanding drive but clear views for miles"
5 A686 Penrith to Hayden Bridge through Gilderdale Forest, Pennines
"English countryside at its finest"
6 B3223 across the Brendon Hills & Exmoor Forest
"Narrow but flowing bends that beg to be driven"
7 B3306 St Just to St Ives, South West
"Can be busy with tourists but worth an early start any day"
"Most children are growing up thinking that motoring is one long traffic jam or a quick trip to the shops, but it doesn’t have to be like that," says Simon Nearn, managing director of Caterham Cars. "Too many people have forgotten how much pleasure you can get from driving down a quiet country road with its variety of corners, views and challenges. With all the headlines about congestion, speed cameras and poor road surfaces, it’s easy to forget that driving can be such a positive experience."
Nearn admits what denotes the best driving road is subjective, but believes Caterham owners are ideally placed to suggest what merits a good and bad driving experience. "The car was designed by Chapman back in 1957, but remains one of the purest driving machines on the modern motoring landscape."
The unsurprising custodian of the Worst Driving Road in Britain is the M25, and most notably the stretch from Junction 5 to Junction 21. The London Orbital narrowly out placed the A303, the main artery for commuters escaping to the South West, which, despite some wonderful scenery, was repeatedly dubbed as ‘the most frustrating stretch’ of road in the country thanks to the convoys of caravans.
Black marks also went to the A34 from Bloxwich to Cannock with its endless stream of speed cameras, and the M1 - all 187 miles of it!
7 Worst Driving Roads in Britain As Voted By Caterham 7 Owners
[Pos.] [Road]
[Reasons offered…]
1 M25 stretch between Junctions 5-21
"The antithesis of driving"
2 A303 from Andover onwards
"Single-carriageway and caravan hell"
3 M1
"All of it!"
4 A34 Bloxwitch to Cannock
"A feast of speed cameras"
5 M6 between Junctions 6-12
"Concrete views and nose to tail jams"
6 A350 Shaftsbury to Blandford
‘Every imaginable obstacle makes it a stop-start bore’
7 A8000 from M9 to Forth Bridge
‘Spine-jarring road surface even in a traffic jam and there’s always one of those!