Fairground ride among unusual items found on UK roads as M25 ranks among worst motorways for dumped objects
Drivers in Surrey are being warned to secure their loads properly, with the M25 among the top roads in the country for items dumped or fallen onto the carriageway
The M25, which serves parts of Surrey, is among the motorways most affected by dumped or fallen items, with over 3,600 obstructions reported on its carriageways so far in 2025.
This puts it behind the M6 and M1 nationally as a hotspot for these potentially dangerous hazards.
Figures from National Highways reveal that 8,733 items have been collected from major routes in the south-east between 1st January and 30th September 2025, contributing to over 49,000 recovered objects nationwide during the same period.
National Highways have urged drivers to ensure their loads are securely fastened and to avoid using roadsides as dumping grounds.
According to Marie Biddulph, Regional Safety Programme Manager, discarded materials and objects pose significant risks to motorists and often require road closures to safely remove them.
While the majority of items retrieved are building materials, vehicle parts, and tyres, traffic officers have also encountered more unusual objects, including a fairground ride along the M180 in Lincolnshire and a boat left behind in Measham, Leicestershire in July.
Traffic officer Cat Martin, who discovered the abandoned boat with her colleague, said: “It was a surprise to see something of this size on the side of a slip road, causing a distraction and obstruction to drivers. It’s fortunate it did not cause a serious accident.”
The most common type of item retrieved nationally were building and construction materials, with 9,685 incidents reported.
This was followed by vehicle parts and accessories, as well as tyres.
The south-east alone accounted for 2,114 incidents involving building materials and 1,602 vehicle-related items during the covered period.
National Highways stressed the importance of proper load management and rethinking waste disposal methods.
Biddulph highlighted the impact that these hazards have, both environmentally and on driver safety, stating, “Following these measures could prevent a collision and avoids unwelcome objects from blighting the environment along our roadsides.”
In addition to construction materials, the list of items retrieved includes sofas, storage containers, Christmas trees, and even bikes, pointing to a broad range of discarded and fallen objects retrieved across the network.