Holloway Road makes top 3 'most depressing roads' in Britain

The Holloway Road is no stranger to a bit of ribbing, so it was with weary resignation that I saw it had been named as one of Britain's "most depessing roads" this week. 

Top of the list came the M25, followed by the Birmingham stretch of the M6 at number 2, with The London section of the A1, which we know and in some cases, love, as Holloway Road in at number 3. The full list can be seen here.

Major factors taken into account were potholes, traffic jams and speed cameras. But the use of the word 'depressing' in the reporting is what made me wonder what factors were really influencing the poll. Is Holloway Road really so full of these traffic pitfalls, or is this the general dislike of (and snobbery towards) the road that we're already so used to coming into play? 

Often seen as Upper Street's scruffier neighbour, the road comes in for an inordinate amount of flak, much of which I feel is not entirely justified. The usual response to telling a stranger that I live off Holloway Road is 'that place has a bit of a reputation'...

I've never quite been able to figure out what this 'reputation' is, and do wonder why the area gets such a bad press. Sure, it's less cosmetically beautiful than many of its neighbours, and certain streets could do with more than a lick of paint, but that's true of many if not most parts of London.

In terms of safety, the road is so perpetually busy that I've never felt threatened - and that has nothing to do with its 102 CCTV cameras. It's more to do with the fact that it has a thriving student population and plenty of other residents who are there to do nothing more than learn, work, shop and enjoy the great transport links into London!

And as for conditions for drivers, the roads appear to be just as well-maintained as in nearby areas, the streets are well lit and aside from the obvious pollution problem, the many cars, buses and other vehicles using the A1 seem to move along at a reasonable pace whenever I'm attempting to cross the road!

So let's hear it for Holloway Road! What (if anything) do you like about living or working there?