UK’s worst lay-bys for breakdowns named and shamed

We receive many unusual press releases here at Auto Express, but we’ve not seen anyone attempt to rank the UK’s worst lay-bys to break down in. Until now.

We’d say the worst lay-by to break down in is the one where it happens to you, but hats off to ALA Insurance for taking a more scientific approach to the subject, in an ultimately successful effort to grab a headline. 

The company has analysed 120 lay-bys across the country, rating them against a selection of criteria including mobile phone signal, distance to local (or otherwise!) services, and even the average annual temperatures and rainfall.

The resulting index allows ALA to name a lay-by on the A713 in Galloway in the south of Scotland as the UK’s worst spot to get stuck in with car trouble, closely followed by lay-by 99 on the A9 southbound near Etteridge in the Scottish Highlands.

“The A713 lay-by scored the lowest overall for mobile signal, making it tougher to call for help when you need it most, while the A9 lay-by 99 may have scenic views, but you’d best have wrapped up for the journey if you find yourself stuck, as it”s the worst weather-wise,” ALA explained.

Third and fourth places go to lay-bys on the B4302 at Talley in Wales, and the A483 near Gresford, also in Wales. In fact Scotland and Wales grab all top six slots, with A84 (central Scotland) and A470 lay-bys (south Wales) next in the running order before the South East makes a surprising entry into the table – with a lay-by named as ‘SY2’ on the A44, a road which heads from Oxfordshire into, er… Wales again.

Eighth, ninth and 10th spots in the ratings are the A57 Cutthroat Bridge lay-by on the A57 in the North-West that sounds positively dangerous, and two entries from the South-West on the A37 and A40.

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