motorway travel

[mrb85]

Billions are being spent on 'Managed Motorways'. This is a creeping introduction that will eventually cover nearly all our motorways. It's aim is to improve traffic flows. What a disaster. Anyone regularly travelling on the UK motorway system in the last year or so as managed motorway systems have been introduced will know that rather than easing motorway congestion it is actually causing it, by continually slowing down traffic whenever traffic volumes are relatively high and even if it isn't by imposing 50 or 60 mph limits when approaching junctions.

Ironic that the government is obsessed with HS2 because it will speed up train traffic (for a relatively small number) by a few minutes in the hour, but at the same time it is obsessed with slowing down the massive flows of motorway travellers by much more proportionately.

 

[Blue 1]

Billions are being spent on 'Managed Motorways'. This is a creeping introduction that will eventually cover nearly all our motorways. It's aim is to improve traffic flows. What a disaster. Anyone regularly travelling on the UK motorway system in the last year or so as managed motorway systems have been introduced will know that rather than easing motorway congestion it is actually causing it, by continually slowing down traffic whenever traffic volumes are relatively high and even if it isn't by imposing 50 or 60 mph limits when approaching junctions.

Ironic that the government is obsessed with HS2 because it will speed up train traffic (for a relatively small number) by a few minutes in the hour, but at the same time it is obsessed with slowing down the massive flows of motorway travellers by much more proportionately.

Disgree completely. I hate them, I find the kind of driving they impose sleep-inducing, but I do find they actually keep the motorway going where in the past it'd have been gridlocked.

 

[roydo]

The one around Birmingham on the M40/42 seems to work pretty well. It used to be hell driving round there, but the system seems to keep traffic moving.

The one in South Wales around Newport is awful though. No idea why.

And the one around Bristol doesnt seem to make much of a difference.

 

[EFCNIK]

Hate motorway driving. So boring and so easy to fall asleep if youre doing long distance. Had some scary moments coming back from Liverpool/ Manchester.

 

[Sapie88]

The one around Birmingham on the M40/42 seems to work pretty well. It used to be hell driving round there, but the system seems to keep traffic moving.

The one in South Wales around Newport is awful though. No idea why.

And the one around Bristol doesnt seem to make much of a difference.

I used to do that stretch every week, it worked well, the M42 is actually bearable now. Th M40 on the approach to the M42 is horrendous though.

 

[gianthogweed]

Motorways are a nightmare it only takes one minor crash to cause mayhem of tailbacks for miles and once you are in it there is nothing you can do about it and it always seems to happen on the way home . how people commute to their jobs on motorways is a job in itself. 10 years i had drove up and down motorways i would never do it again all the way to Swansea in a 55mph restricted van no thanks !

 

[The Esk]

How many use the M6 toll road?

I've never seen more than a few cars at any one time...

 

[Foot Long Hot Dog]

They do work, the one on the M62 has improved traffic flows around the awful M1 intersection and the Bradford link.

If anyone is wondering whether those variable speed limits do in fact lead to tickets being issued - I can assure you, that they do btw.

When they're off i.e. it's 70 mph they don't activate though - unless you pass one at over 90 mph.

 

[Tramps_mate]

I do 800 miles a week on motorways and the controlled speed areas are total horse [Poor language removed].

They cause people to panic in to breaking and the domino effect leaves traffic at a standstill a mile or two back. There should be strictly controlled speed LANES.. 80+ in outside lane only and that would keep us going! haha

AND strict enforcement of minimum speeds and KEEPING TO THE LEFT!!!! Middle lane hoggers cause no end of problems, as do overtaking lorries. Especially in Scotland with the two lane motorways! They make me want to kill when they are overtaking each other at 59 and 60 miles per hour in rush hour. *RAAAAAAAAGE*

 

[The Cowboy]

Problem is, no-one ever wants to adhere to the speed limits on the matrix signs. Probably cos no-one ever really know if they need to or not. How many times have you seen '40' and no traffic anywhere? I think in peak hours, dropping the speed limit to 60 and making it mandatory might just help to move things along. Its where you have two major motorways merging that you get all sorts of trouble.

The best solution would be to charge lorries a fortune for driving during the day, and offer some sort of subsidy for driving through the night. No lorries = more cars encouraged to use the inside lane = much smoother traffic management. As it stands, the inside lane is almost redundant for cars.

 

[Tramps_mate]

Problem is, no-one ever wants to adhere to the speed limits on the matrix signs. Probably cos no-one ever really know if they need to or not. How many times have you seen '40' and no traffic anywhere? I think in peak hours, dropping the speed limit to 60 and making it mandatory might just help to move things along. Its where you have two major motorways merging that you get all sorts of trouble.

The best solution would be to charge lorries a fortune for driving during the day, and offer some sort of subsidy for driving through the night. No lorries = more cars encouraged to use the inside lane = much smoother traffic management. As it stands, the inside lane is almost redundant for cars.

Totally agree.. Ban lorries from driving between 7am and 7pm...

 

[mrb85]

I do 800 miles a week on motorways and the controlled speed areas are total horse [Poor language removed].

They cause people to panic in to breaking and the domino effect leaves traffic at a standstill a mile or two back. There should be strictly controlled speed LANES.. 80+ in outside lane only and that would keep us going! haha

AND strict enforcement of minimum speeds and KEEPING TO THE LEFT!!!! Middle lane hoggers cause no end of problems, as do overtaking lorries. Especially in Scotland with the two lane motorways! They make me want to kill when they are overtaking each other at 59 and 60 miles per hour in rush hour. *RAAAAAAAAGE*

This is my usual experience. Liverpool-Bham used to be a 90 minute job. Now with all the slowdown signs you've always got to allow 2 hrs. Speed control is going to be even worse now we've got the use of registration number cameras to check whether you've paid road tax. How long before you end up getting a speeding ticket because a computer somewhere works out that you couldn't have moved between two photographed points in the time between each photo was taken without having broken speed limits somewhere.

 

[Reidy's Bottle Of Grecian]

This is my usual experience. Liverpool-Bham used to be a 90 minute job. Now with all the slowdown signs you've always got to allow 2 hrs. Speed control is going to be even worse now we've got the use of registration number cameras to check whether you've paid road tax. How long before you end up getting a speeding ticket because a computer somewhere works out that you couldn't have moved between two photographed points in the time between each photo was taken without having broken speed limits somewhere.

They already do that with the cameras on some stretches of motorway, called Average Speed cameras.
http://www.speedcamerasuk.com/specs.htm

SPECS average speed camera systems utilise state of the art video system with Automatic Number Plate Reading (ANPR) digital technology. These cameras are each fitted with infra red illuminators fitted on gantries above the road, so they can work day or night.

SPECS speed cameras are located in multiple (at least 2 at a minimum of 200 metres apart) locations along a single stretch of road for monitoring your average speed along that particular road. So unlike other speed cameras which capture your speed at a certain point in the road, SPECS average speed camera work and track you speed over a set distance, which may be serveral miles!

SPECS speed camera systems commonly enforce speed limits on dual carriageways and motorways. SPECS gantry installations can monitor up to four lanes. The SPECS system are located at the side of the road or at central reservations. Cameras are then located at regular intervals to operate a managed speed control zone.

Each SPECS speed camera records a date and time stamp. Then, by ANPR, the computer can then work out your average speed between the cameras with photographic evidence that you were speeding between the SPECS cameras. SPECS speed cameras also record your number plate and issue you a speeding ticket if you were speeding along the average speed controlled stretch of road.

 

[4737carlin]

I was told the SPECS average speed camera systems only work if you stay in the same lane?

How many use the M6 toll road?

I've never seen more than a few cars at any one time...

I use it during the day but its pointless at night. its only quicker in the day because there is not much traffic so you dont have to worry about droping down to 50, but the milage is the same so at night its no quicker.

 

[roydo]

I was told the SPECS average speed camera systems only work if you stay in the same lane?



I use it during the day but its pointless at night. its only quicker in the day because there is not much traffic so you dont have to worry about droping down to 50, but the milage is the same so at night its no quicker.

Really? Cant see that being true.