M25 traffic and the lack of information
I'm really fed up getting stuck in traffic jams on our motorways, particularly the M25 because the traffic information boards either do not have up to date information, or worst case there is no information at all. Listening to the radio for traffic reports is useful, but not always accurate or timely either.
Here is an example of a trip I made recently that highlights the problems I faced on what should have been a straightforward journey. Ok, Im trying to get to Oxford on Friday afternoon from Kent, my normal route is A21, M25 and M40, just as I approach the A21/M25 junction there is a board on the side of the road that should warn you of problems on the M25. Nothing on the board so great I think to myself, it's all clear and should be an easy trip.
M25 - Why didnt they just close the junctions?
Alas no, 20 minutes later I find myself in the worst traffic jam ever. The M25 is closed from junction 8 to junction 10 and I am completely stuck! Why on earth didnt they close the junctions allowing people onto the M25, or at least use the warning boards they have to advise drivers of issues before they joined the motorway?
So, after the superb skills of the highways people and police, I am stuck in a lengthening tailback for 2 hours before I am finally able to get to a junction and turn around, only to find the M25 traffic anticlockwise is also stuck at Dartford because of an accident. I can understand accidents happen, but I feel the traffic was made a lot worse by a clear lack of communication.
I never did make it to Oxford that day after more than 2 hours of driving and I had travelled only 20 miles in all that time. Next time I'll give the M25 a complete miss altogether and I might actually reach my destination!
Comments from visitors
Two weekends running I have been on the M25 clockwise and missed the junction to the M1 (Jctn 21). Are the signs missing, too small or do I need new glasses? I looked out for the junction and then realised I was heading for Potters Bar, so I had to exit from Jctn 22 and head back. For such a major intersection I think the signage is not nearly prominent enough. Has anyone else done that?
+3
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Always getting caught at junction 21!!!!!!!!!!!!
I use a website to tell me if there's problems on my route. It's www.checkmyroute.com and it's free (unless you want text messages too). Very Useful.
I use a website to tell me if there's problems on my route. It's www.checkmyroute.com and it's free (unless you want text messages too). Very Useful.
+4
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sat 7 August carshalton to cambridge via m23, m25, m11 easy. 14m tailback on m25 dartford crossing. Journey aborted, destination not reached. M25 management poor. Not good.
-9
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saturday 7th august, gillingham to steeple claydon, bucks via M2, M25, M40 normally takes 2 1/2 hours took 7 hours 20 mins due to oil spill on the M25. Better warning before the M25 would have given us time to take a different route
-12
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I got stuck on there on the 26th its a bad road from 10am to 6am
+5
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We recently travelled from the West and were using M4 - M25 on a Saturday. We were warned that Junctions 27 & 28 were closed, but foolishly thought the M11would still be operating. Apparently not, so everyone tried to pile off at Junction 26. There was no help or geographical advice for alterantive routes for those wothout maps who thought they only had to find the QE2 bridge, heaven help anyone trying to get to Stansted. The police kept the whole things closed from 14:00 to 20:30 and what puzzles me is why there is no agenct to get things moving more quickly. I have seen the police in the past dawdling over accidents and apparently completely unaware of traffic. Perhaps we need another agency with different priorities; certainly to care for the injured quickly, but, that having been done, to get traffic moving again. What foreigners must think I cannot imagine.
+7
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Don Brentwood - 12-Sep-09 16:25
You're wise to avoid the M25. It's very busy at the best of times.
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If the motorways are closed then it overloads the local road network, it's far easier to keep the motorway open and keep the congestion to one road rather than 43 in the surrounding area. As to the lack of communication, that is very bad, but I've found that the accuracy of the Matrix signs has increased over the last few years. It's just bad that the M25 is nearly the busiest motorway in the UK and they can't keep track of each stretch of road. I mean, some sections of it are so ancient, they are probably unaware of queues building up.
My advice? Avoid the M25 during the daytime altogether.
My advice? Avoid the M25 during the daytime altogether.
+3
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why do drivers ignore safety warnings on motorways driving rain on sundayon m25 m11 signs for spray plus 50mph ,drivers whizzing by me causing spray making it difficult ,with the spray lashing on the windsreen to drive safetly why do these idiots put other road users at risk these warnings are there for a reason with adverse weather conditions etc
-3
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Try Walking Matey. Good for the body, good for the soul, good for the spirit, good for the earth, good for politics etc. To see the world from your own 2 feet and to admire the land is an honour and most journeys are unnessecary.
+3
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Using our road now is becoming very frustrating and unproductive, the issue appears to centre on the lack of skilled management in controlling road closures (a modern phoneme) Its just too easy to close the road. We need a change in the accountable managers and put people in place that understand the need to keep the roads open. Remember some one somewhere has to earn the income to pay that tax that keeps these people.
-9
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2 hours??? Try 4.5 hours for a 29 mile journey
2 hours??? Try 4.5 hours for a 29 mile journey
2 hours??? Try 4.5 hours for a 29 mile journey
2 hours??? Try 4.5 hours for a 29 mile journey
2 hours??? Try 4.5 hours for a 29 mile journey
2 hours??? Try 4.5 hours for a 29 mile journey
2 hours??? Try 4.5 hours for a 29 mile journey
-12
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The M25 is nothing but a huge car park. It was not like this a few years ago but then, we didn't have as many people on this Island as we do now.
I really love traffic jams, I don't get frustrated at all. I enjoy wasting precious fuel (burn more fuel stationery than in motion), the sweet aroma of the clutch, stops and starts and in-car entertainment of watching the fuel gauge elevate.
I really love traffic jams, I don't get frustrated at all. I enjoy wasting precious fuel (burn more fuel stationery than in motion), the sweet aroma of the clutch, stops and starts and in-car entertainment of watching the fuel gauge elevate.
-5
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W
You are obviously on their team are you Mickey or Pluto.
You are obviously on their team are you Mickey or Pluto.
-3
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M25 - Why didn’t they just close the junctions?
Because the Department of Transport or, whoever controls your section of the M25, couldn't organise a bun-fight in a bakery.
Because the Department of Transport or, whoever controls your section of the M25, couldn't organise a bun-fight in a bakery.
-4
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Lorries should be made to travel at certain time and keep within the slow lanes, these vehicles should be checked for road worthiness (they are not)
Said Lisa.
Lorries are checked for faults EVERY 6 weeks in a garage unlike cars which only need to be checked once a year.
What time do you suggest lorries should be limited to travelling at?. Night time when you are in bed and being woken by the noise?, after rush hour? imagine the carnage when they all come back on the road at the same time, and where would they all go at that time?, lorry parks across the country are closing to make way for housing and industrial estates and are not being replaced.
The problem on the M25 is the emergency services its far too easy for them to shut the roads for as long as they want to they have no incentive to open the roads as soon as any accident has been cleared, A lot of idiots in cars dont know where they are or where they need to be so a large amount of them cut across the paqths of lorries at a moments notice to get off at the junction they need, causing the lorries to lose control.
As for lorries I presume Lisa you have driven one or at least have travelled in one and can comment on their unfair use of the roads?.
Or were you just held up one day on the way to work?.
Said Lisa.
Lorries are checked for faults EVERY 6 weeks in a garage unlike cars which only need to be checked once a year.
What time do you suggest lorries should be limited to travelling at?. Night time when you are in bed and being woken by the noise?, after rush hour? imagine the carnage when they all come back on the road at the same time, and where would they all go at that time?, lorry parks across the country are closing to make way for housing and industrial estates and are not being replaced.
The problem on the M25 is the emergency services its far too easy for them to shut the roads for as long as they want to they have no incentive to open the roads as soon as any accident has been cleared, A lot of idiots in cars dont know where they are or where they need to be so a large amount of them cut across the paqths of lorries at a moments notice to get off at the junction they need, causing the lorries to lose control.
As for lorries I presume Lisa you have driven one or at least have travelled in one and can comment on their unfair use of the roads?.
Or were you just held up one day on the way to work?.
+8
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I have just spent 7 hours sitting in horrendous traffic jam on the M25. My journey should have taken little more than 45 minutes! I left home at 11.30am for a 4.45 holiday flight to Croatia. I eventually returned home at 8.15pm!!!!!! Obviously missed my flights and thoroughly fed up.
I have total sympathy for the accident and people involved - but, having checked a travel website before departing and reading that could expect slight delays - I feel rather annoyed that the reality of the matter was that junction 6 to 7 was shut and we were not told.
We hit trouble at junction 5 and STOPPED. There were no signs or signals warning us that THERE WAS NO-WHERE TO GO!!! The matrix signs informed us that the speed limit was 40 - the chance would of been a fine thing.
I am hopeful of a rescheduled flight on monday, but 3 days of my yearly longed for holiday would have been lost by then.
I have total sympathy for the accident and people involved - but, having checked a travel website before departing and reading that could expect slight delays - I feel rather annoyed that the reality of the matter was that junction 6 to 7 was shut and we were not told.
We hit trouble at junction 5 and STOPPED. There were no signs or signals warning us that THERE WAS NO-WHERE TO GO!!! The matrix signs informed us that the speed limit was 40 - the chance would of been a fine thing.
I am hopeful of a rescheduled flight on monday, but 3 days of my yearly longed for holiday would have been lost by then.
+9
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II Travel to London every day from Essex and as soon as I put on my radio, traffic alerts start with "lorry on fire" "Lorry broken down" "Lorry shed its load" The organisation and road service in this country is disgusting. I would also like to know where all the Dartford bridge/tunnel toll money goes? Lorries should be made to travel at certain time and keep within the slow lanes, these vehicles should be checked for road worthiness (they are not) it’s bad enough having to deal with those who drive too fast in cars causing unnecessary accidents and delays. I will be keeping a road diary from now on anyone interested in reading it after 6 months I think will be shocked. We do not have a safe road system and the law is not on our side. My friends lost their 17yr old daughter in a road accident and the “killer” got 60hrs community service for careless driving!!! Too many people die on our roads and the law doesn’t care, why? Why are restrictions put in place, speed limits etc if it doesn’t even matter if you break them, Why?
-8
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Blackwall Tunnel - both the northbound and southbound tunnels having upgrades, repairs and maintenance. Never knowing (especially at night) if one tunnel will be closed (or one lane) adding sometimes more than an hour to the journey.
+1
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Thehonourable - 7-Jun-07 18:24
Those Highways Officers are doing a excellent job in very difficult circumstances.
+4
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