Anyone else sick and tired of the piggin A1 ???

[dealmaker]

Guys,

Took me one and a half hours to get home tonight (a journey that SHOULD take 20-25mins) because of another accident near Dunston. It seems that every other night now there's a bl@@dy accident on the A1 Western By-Pass and always in the two lane bits (not that there are many three lane bits!) - and it doesnt matter which direction you are travelling in thanks to rubber neckers - it also doesnt matter which detour you take because everyone takes the same and you just end up in another jam.

Does anyone else think that the road planners who drew up the plans for the western by-pass should be hung up by their gonads??

[Stu R]

marvellous isn't it :no:

Thankfully the backroads between whickham and chester-le-street are good fun and don't get quite as busy so I tend not to have to use it much

[Biker's Nemesis]

The only time I get stuck on it is one the way back from Croft, usually on a Friday.

Once you have passed Washington services, heading North, by the Angel, that's it, every time.

I couldn't imagine having to do that every day, but if I had to it would be on a bike.

[Gad-Westy]

If its any consolation, its not just the A1. Ever since the schools got back, my 11 mile journey to Gateshead is taking an hour. Any of the river crossings is an absolute nightmare. I'm sure there is a need for a crossing somewhere between the city centre and the tunnel.

[dealmaker]

Yeah but it comes to something when I know that I could get to work faster (23 miles!) on my flaming mountain bike!

[whygee02]

Absolutely - see my rant from last weekend...

http://www.petrolheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&t=455571 

Other roads are becoming nearly as bad, my 5 mile journey from Kingston Park into town can take about 45 mins, regularly being overtaken by pedestrians, but the A1 does seem to be in a different league for slow/shite driving, not suprised if accidents are on the up (see rant !)

[RichV6]

My better half has the misfortune of working in Blaydon and having to deal with the so called western bypass daily every working day for the past 15 years. The traffic is bad most of the time but from the finish of the kids blackberry week holiday until the end of the sales in January the road is noticably worse. The commuter drivers generally are pretty good, the profesional shoppers should stay at home, or they should move the metro centre / cancel christmas. The traffic is such that she will not inflict it on the Cerbera, saving the car for roads more fun to drive on.
I on the other hand work away from home offshore and can pick and choose when I make a journey, hopefully avoiding the western bypass.

[insanojackson]

Biker's Nemesis said:

The only time I get stuck on it is one the way back from Croft, usually on a Friday.

Once you have passed Washington services, heading North, by the Angel, that's it, every time.

I couldn't imagine having to do that every day, but if I had to it would be on a bike.

cos everyone slows down for that bend at the south end of the team valley, no need though as despite the 40mph advisory sign you can take it comfortably at 80 mph!


Always a bottle neck there

[chrisobrien54]

Have to admit - iv had a bump on the A1. Next to the angel about 4.30 on a tuesday.

No fun at all. Esp when every van/lorry wants to shout abuse at you.

[Byff]

chrisobrien54 said:

Have to admit - iv had a bump on the A1. Next to the angel about 4.30 on a tuesday.

No fun at all. Esp when every van/lorry wants to shout abuse at you.

Any more details? I'm always curious how these little bumps happen and how long it took to exchange details and be away again - if it was still driveable.

[TD]

Dealmaker,
I think the only answer for you to avoid such jams are to invest in a 355 !
A AS355 Twin Squirrel actually.
You know it makes sense