Britain’s Top 5 Motoring Ghost Stories

Five Haunting Tales of British Motoring

British roads are rife with folklore. It is not uncommon to hear tales about ghost hitchhikers, phantom vehicles, and figures who disappear into thin air when you drive late enough along the right stretch of tarmac. Halloween might be a good time to avoid these five famous spectral road users.

1.   The ghost of Rotherhithe Tunnel (London)

Rotherhithe Tunnel was an engineering marvel when it opened in 1908. The driving experience remains claustrophobic: narrow, echoing, and filled with fumes. Reports of a mysterious figure appearing in headlights have been circulating for decades. According to some, this phantom dressed in overalls, was an injured motorcyclist in the 1960s, while others say a lorry crushed him. Either way, his fate is replayed endlessly for the living. Only the empty road can be seen behind drivers as they brake, swerve, and curse.

2.   The Phantom Hitchhiker of Blue Bell Hill (Kent)

The A229 near Maidstone is home to one of Britain's most famous spectral travellers. In 1965, three young women were killed in a hit-and-run accident. Since then, drivers have reported picking up a beautiful, silent hitchhiker in a white dress. Upon accepting a ride, she directs the driver a short distance before disappearing. Others witness her dart into traffic, only to disappear into thin air when she is struck. Police files contain many witness statements, but no answers.

3.   The Phantom Coach of the A38 (Somerset)

On the A38 near Wellington, past and present collide mystically. Horse-drawn coaches have been seen charging across carriageways at night with galloping hooves and flickering lamps. The seemingly solid vision causes drivers to swerve to avoid collisions.Historians point to 17th-century highwaymen whose spirits were cursed to ride for eternity along the route. It has become one of the South West's most enduring road legends.

4.   A ghostly lorry in the Scottish Highlands

Many say the A9 is Scotland's most haunted road. The ghost lorry stands out above the countless stories of white ladies and phantom travellers. Over the past half century, reports have been made about a huge articulated lorry blazing its headlights and blaring its horn as it bore down on them at high speed. A moment later, it vanishes, leaving the driver clutching the steering wheel in shock. It has been suggested that the story is linked to a spate of lorry crashes that occurred after WWII.

5.   Children of the Stockbridge Bypass (Derbyshire)

In the 1980s, workers reported hearing children's laughter during construction of the Stockbridge Bypass. They reported seeing small figures darting between machinery and buildings, piling stones as if they were playing. Over the years, drivers have reported seeing children run across the dual carriageway, only to disappear beneath the glare of headlights. Rumor has it that the road was built over ancient burial grounds, ruining something that should be preserved.

Maybe it's best to stay inside this Halloween, since we're not sure what our claims team would think if an accident report stated reversing to avoid a ghost...