Motorways

[Ian B Walker]

I took Grav's car back to him yesterday. The trip as far as Jnc9 on the M1 was great ................................then. Two effin hours to go from Jnc 9 to the M25. Road works . I counted the people working on the road. 10 to be precise. No wonder it is taking for ever. The Contractors are a company called McArdle / Mac Idle is more like it. In a Clarksonesk moment we thought that if you employed a Polish crew and a crew form say Lithuania and told each of them that the other was faster, how quick would the work be done? M25, Longest car Park in Europe (nearly) Loads of idiots on the roads and we wonder why there are so many accidents. Would love to give the causer of the accident a good slapping, irrespective of his / her condition. That was the journey down. The journey back? Jnc16 closed on the M1 Another accident where the Travelban closed the road to look for a broken finger nail. 1 1/2 hours going nowhere. Stopped at MattC's and Natalies for a break. Back onto the M6, guess what? Road down to one lane and miles of cueing traffic. I don't mind paying my Road Fund Licence but I would welcome the chance to use it. And I have to do it all again next week . I will be travelling very early in the morning and coming back very late at night. Or coming back via Bristol. Hang on. M4 Maybe not then.

 

[mattc]

good to see you

sorry you had a rubbish journey; at least you were driving a Mercedes - think how you would have felt if you had to drive a BMW

 

[Silestanix]

sorry you had a rubbish journey; at least you were driving a Mercedes - think how you would have felt if you had to drive a BMW

Oi!


That sounds like one seriously cr*p journey Ian...but do as you say, early in the morning or late at night is best...

 

[Rory]

To be honest you're asking for trouble trying to do that journey on a Friday - and yesterday should have been less busy than usual as it's half-term in most places.

Don't know where Grav lives, but I always use the M40, never the M1, using the M6 toll/M42 to get to it if the M6 looks busy.

 

[Will]

I'd have said it might be more busy if anything - lots of people going places for a day out/weekend etc/visiting relatives/friends etc etc.

Plus it was a nice day

M25 is fine between the morning rush hour finishing and the evening rush hour starting, then again late evening until early morning.

In fact, I've hardly ever suffered very bad traffic on the M25, not that I use it every day at rush hour

Will

 

[television]

Never on a Friday, or M1 anywhere near Herts, M6 - M4 - M25 -

 

[Rory]

I'd have said it might be more busy if anything - lots of people going places for a day out/weekend etc/visiting relatives/friends etc etc.

Possibly that's true - I only made one trip out last week and went to Bradford, but used the M6 & M65. Very pleasant run. Certainly the local roads are quiet - the journey into town (Chester) was very easy this week

M25 is fine between the morning rush hour finishing and the evening rush hour starting, then again late evening until early morning.

In fact, I've hardly ever suffered very bad traffic on the M25, not that I use it every day at rush hour

A colleague of mine was complaining that he was in traffic jam at 1AM on the M25 the other day!

 

[Will]

A colleague of mine was complaining that he was in traffic jam at 1AM on the M25 the other day!

Now that's just bad luck - won't be because of weight of traffic congestion, surely an accident or road repairs?

Will

 

[television]

Now that's just bad luck - won't be because of weight of traffic congestion, surely an accident or road repairs?

Will

Sunday evenings can be bad, taking 2 hours from Watford to Heathrow (M4)

 

[pammy]

Sounds a pig of a journey Ian - Glad Graeme's doing OK, but I would avoid that route on a Friday too if I could help it I must admit. But 15hours is a loooooooooooooooooooong one by any standard

 

[Will]

Sunday evenings can be bad, taking 2 hours from Watford to Heathrow (M4)

Not at 1am usually, but yes 7/8/9PM etc can still be busy sometimes.

Will

 

[television]

Sounds a pig of a journey Ian - Glad Graeme's doing OK, but I would avoid that route on a Friday too if I could help it I must admit. But 15hours is a loooooooooooooooooooong one by any standard

It reminds me of the return trip that I had after visiting your wonderful part of the world, and the wonderful people

 

[LastMinute]

This is why I've started avoiding motorways. Much more enjoyable driving on A roads.

 

[MikeL]

sorry you had a rubbish journey; at least you were driving a Mercedes - think how you would have felt if you had to drive a BMW

Cheek, expect better from a Sutton Coldfield (where I grew up) local!!

Mike

 

[Natalie]

Cheek, expect better from a Sutton Coldfield (where I grew up) local!!

Mike

Whoops! Knew Mattc would get into a little strife with his post!

Ian, well worth the drive I think to visit us for cups of tea and fish n chips!

 

[jaymanek]

Ive just come back that way and its the same today... however worse was the fact that there were tailbacks stretching miles of the M11/M25/A406 due to 2 workmen deciding to dig a small hole in the road to fix a drain... and i mean a very small hole, they were only using a small concrete drill and a shovel..

Now i know this needs to be done, but closing off an entire flyover on a saturday afternoon is bound to cause havoc...

in New York, they do these sort of jobs through the night only...

 

[Seamster15]

Did a complete lap of the M25 yesterday, Travelling time 3 hours.

Clockwise - Woking - Brentwood - Dartford - Woking

Not a bad run for a friday, only saw one crash which took 15 mins to get past (Transit and trailer).

But why oh why do we still put up with queing for 30mins to pay the QE2 Bridge toll ?!?!?!?!?!

It must be the biggest snarle up in the country?

Simon

 

[robert.saunders]

Agree those tolls are a pain; I have DartTag but even so, just getting to the pay point is bad enough, and I only travel through it generally off-peak and once a month say. I feel for those who use it daily during the rush

 

[GRAV888]

Ian, you're a star for bringing my motor back and taking the other heap away.

I have heard of garages doing a collection and delivery service, but 250ish miles each way is beyond the call of duty, but very much appreciated.

I owe you many a beer

Have a :bannana:

 

[BTB 500]

Bottom end of the M1 is always bad, with the roadworks even more so. This is also half term week for many schools ... so possibly a bit of extra traffic on Friday because of that.

We took the SL up the M40 to Stoneleigh and back this weekend, very nice drive back in the sun this morning (apart from the usual weekend wallys).