Drive home voted most favourite

The journey home has been voted motorists’ favourite drive in a new survey from Halfords.

Car owners put the attraction of their home comforts and loved ones ahead of the most scenic routes in the world when asked about their dream drives.

Two out of three motorists (67%) admitted that they relish the moment when they park outside their home at the end of the day more than the prospect of cruising along sunny California's Pacific Coast Highway, through the Scottish Highlands or the rolling English countryside.

When asked to name the key requirements for a memorable drive, a good car came top (42%), followed closely by an absence of traffic jams or road works (41%), then kids not bickering (38%), clear directions (31%), good weather (28%), courteous fellow-road-users (17%) and green traffic lights (9%).

Halfords carried out the research to mark the launch its new prize draw to win one of five Range Rover Evoques - worth a combined £225,000 which mainland UK customers buying any size and any brand of engine oil from today can enter into free of charge.

Louise Robinson, car maintenance category manager, said: “Everyone has a memory of their favourite drive or dreams of one they would like to make.

“Our prize draw launches today and puts one of the most desirable vehicles around within reach and - as our research shows - the right car has the ability to transform a good drive into a great one.”

The five top UK roads for enjoyable drives were named by motorists as: the A38 Exeter to Plymouth; A686 Penrith to Haydon Bridge, A82 Glasgow to Fort William; A44 between Llangurig and Aberystwyth and the triangle made up of the A543 and A5 in North Wales.

The top five international drives were:  Highway 1, Big Sur, California; Stelvio Pass, Eastern Alps, Italy; Col De Turini; Moulinet to La Bollene-Vesubie, France; Chapman’s Peak Drive, Cape Town, South Africa; Great Ocean Road - Torquay to Allansford, Victoria, Australia.

The roads most disliked by UK motorists were: M6 Spaghetti Junction; M25; M6 through Staffordshire; North Circular, London; Hanger lane Gyratory, West London.

Seven out of ten people surveyed said they plan to take a driving trip in the coming months and while three quarters of them stated that they always take the most direct route, 24% admitted planning their journey to include a picturesque diversion when they have the time.