The UK's greatest driving songs

Steppenwolf’s rousing single Born to Be Wild - which was released in 1968 and coined the phrase ‘heavy metal’ - was the nation’s number one choice.

Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen, which stayed at the number one spot for nine weeks in 1975/76, was runner-up.

And the Beach Boys’ surf tune I Get Around took the third spot in a poll of 2,000 UK adults by National Express.

The top 10 was completed by I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) by the Proclaimers, Born To Run by Bruce Springsteen, Highway to Hell by AC/DC, Take It Easy by the Eagles, Thin Lizzy’s The Boys Are Back In Town, Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd and I Drove All Night by Cyndi Lauper.

A spokeswoman for National Express, who commissioned the research to inspire people looking to explore Britain and beyond this summer, said: “There are few things more exhilarating than the open road and our poll shows it’s the classic hits that get people fired up.

“It’s interesting to see so many American rock greats, such as The Eagles and Bruce Springsteen, are continuing to provide the soundtrack to the Great British roads”.

Top 40 Songs for the Road

1 Born To Be Wild - Steppenwolf

2 Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen

3 I Get Around - Beach Boys

4 I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) - The Proclaimers

5 Born To Run - Bruce Springsteen

6 Highway To Hell - AC/DC

7 Take It Easy - Eagles

8 The Boys Are Back In Town - Thin Lizzy

9 Sweet Home Alabama - Lynyrd Skynyrd

10 I Drove All Night - Cyndi Lauper

11 Mr Blue Sky - Electric Light Orchestra

12 Don’t Stop Believin’ - Journey

13 Hotel California - Eagles

14 Ace Of Spades - Motorhead

15 Here I Go Again - Whitesnake

16 I Gotta Feeling - Black Eyed Peas

17 Road To Nowhere - Talking Heads

18 Paradise City - Guns ‘n’ Roses

19 On the Road Again - Willie Nelson

20 Drive My Car - The Beatles

21 America - Simon and Garfunkel

22 Where The Streets Have No Name - U2

23 Roar - Katy Perry

24 The Passenger - Iggy Pop

25 Get Lucky - Daft Punk

26 Little Red Corvette - Prince

27 Radar Love - Golden Earring

28 Shut Up and Drive - Rihanna

29 Heart of Gold - Neil Young

30 Green Onions - Booker T. and the M.G.’s

31 Pompeii - Bastille

32 Scar Tissue - Red Hot Chili Peppers

33 R U Mine? - Arctic Monkeys

34 Stronger - Kanye West

35 Hundred Mile High City - Ocean Colour Scene

36 Rock You Like A Hurricane - Scorpions

37 Midnight City - M83

38 Let Me Ride - Dr. Dre

39 Roadrunner - Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers

40 Low Rider - War