An abandoned fairground ride is among nearly 8,000 items removed from motorways and major A roads in Yorkshire and the North East this year, as National Highways urges drivers to improve road safety and ensure loads are safely secured.
Between 1 January and 30 September 2025, National Highways teams collected more than 49,000 obstructions from roads across England. The organisation is warning that unsecured loads, fly-tipping and roadside dumping continue to cause avoidable delays, road closures and significant safety risks for motorists.
The M1 was the second most affected motorway in the UK, with more than 5,000 incidents, surpassed only by the M6. Nationally, the most commonly removed items were building and construction materials (9,685), followed by vehicle parts and accessories, and tyres.
However, some of the finds were far from ordinary. In November, traffic officers retrieved a fairground ride hidden in the verge beside the M180 near Scunthorpe. Earlier in the year, a stranded boat was also recovered from the roadside of the A42 near Measham, Leicestershire.
Andrew Richards, the Traffic Officer who discovered the ride, said:
“Earlier in the year, my wife and I had been to Disney World and I thought I was either having flashbacks of meeting Mickey or he’s followed me when I spotted his grin and ears peeping out behind the trees! You don’t expect to find Mickey Mouse down a banking off the M180!”
Road safety impact
Nicola Clayton, Regional Safety Programme Manager at National Highways, highlighted the ongoing risks caused by debris on high-speed roads:
“Our traffic officers often have to close lanes or entire carriageways to safely remove large or dangerous items. These obstructions can cause sudden braking, collisions and serious hazards for road users. Securing your load properly and avoiding roadside dumping can prevent these risks and save lives.”
In the first nine months of 2025, officers also dealt with:
3,575 household or garden items
3,087 ani797 abandoned vehicles
Other unusual or hazardous items removed directly from carriageways included sofas, storage containers, Christmas trees and bicycles.
Top 5 obstructions found on England’s roads – 1 Jan to 30 Sept 2025
Building/construction materials – 9,685
Vehicle parts/accessories – 8,565
Tyres – 4,606
Other – 4,438
Unknown – 4,104
Most affected roads in the UK
Figures show the highest number of incidents occurred on the following motorways:
M6 – 5,605 (11.4%)
M1 – 5,175 (10.5%)
M25 – 3,626 (7.4%)
M5 – 3,559 (7.2%)
M62 – 2,647 (5.4%)
National Highways is encouraging all drivers to take simple steps to improve load security, dispose of waste responsibly and report any dangerous debris they see on the network.
For more information on National Highways’ road safety campaigns, visit the organisation’s website.
