M25 traffic and the lack of information
02-September-2010
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M25 traffic and the lack of information

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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, I’m 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, its all clear and should be an easy trip.

M25 - Why didn’t they just close the junctions?

M25 traffic, motorway closed

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 didn’t 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!


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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.
*Rob  19-Aug-2010 13:24

 
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.
*Melo  09-Aug-2010 02:35

 
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
*mark8364  08-Aug-2010 12:02

 
I got stuck on there on the 26th its a bad road from 10am to 6am
*woody234  27-Dec-2009 22:43

 
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.
*Don Brentwood  12-Sep-2009 16:25

 
You're wise to avoid the M25. It's very busy at the best of times.
*Terry  15-Jun-2009 22:45

 
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.
*Alex R  19-Mar-2009 21:24

 
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
*leslog  26-Jan-2009 12:44

 
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.
*BarnTupton  22-Jan-2009 14:25

 
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.
*Neil  24-Dec-2008 16:31

 
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
*Nad  06-Nov-2008 17:26

 
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.
*Tony  03-Jul-2008 09:41


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