M6 nightmare
Author
Discussion

Vipers

Original Poster:

33,320 posts

246 months

Tuesday 2nd September
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Is this the norm, annual jaunt Aberdeen to London and return driving north on the M6, road illuminated signs said J32 - J33 closed, gloom gloom.

But it wasn’t, passed it, then sign changed to J34 - J35 closed, thinking they originally got the junctions wrong.

As we get close to J34, illuminated sign said 40 so I slowed to 40, trucks whizzing past in L2. Then the sign showing L2 and 3 closed, one trucker moves over to L2 alongside another in L1 playing “You can’t pass me mate”.

Suddenly three open lanes, not a cone in sight, WTF, thankfully only an annual jaunt. Apart from that a pleasant drive down and back.

MOMACC

532 posts

55 months

Tuesday 2nd September
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Yes
Smart motorways apparently PITA

king arthur

7,381 posts

279 months

Tuesday 2nd September
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This happens a lot at night time. It is usually that they are about to set up roadworks, so the signs go on first before they start putting the cones out.

DelicaL400

527 posts

129 months

Wednesday 3rd September
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Was this today? The M6 northbound was closed this morning between J34 and J35 as a truck fell over and spilt fuel everywhere. I don't know when it reopened but they may have just finished the clean up and barrier repairs when you got there?

The M6 isn't usually too bad once you get past Preston and thankfully it isn't "smart"!

Vipers

Original Poster:

33,320 posts

246 months

Wednesday 3rd September
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DelicaL400 said:
Was this today? The M6 northbound was closed this morning between J34 and J35 as a truck fell over and spilt fuel everywhere. I don't know when it reopened but they may have just finished the clean up and barrier repairs when you got there?

The M6 isn't usually too bad once you get past Preston and thankfully it isn't "smart"!
Yesterday 2nd about 1400, the sign saying two lanes were closed were those small illuminated ones, so could have been that, annoying though wondering if you are going to come to a horrendous queue and detours., thanks for indo.

Smint

2,547 posts

53 months

Sunday 14th September
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Keep your phone in its holder permanently showing your travel/traffic map of choice, i know many use Waze but buggered if i can make head or tail of it, i have google traffic map on and every now and then scour the routes ahead for signs of traffic issues, i don't use satnav because everyone else will be so if there's an issue the satnav instructed alternatives will be gridlocked.

Yes the motorways and major roads are now a permanent nightmare, at one time night driving and early hours was trouble free but they close and reduce so many roads at night now (handily having simultaneous roadworks on the obvious alternatives, well played) that my early start daily journeys are only started after a few minutes spent perusing all possible routes.
Most overnight closures are planned to end at 6am, the traffic map and matrix signs will usually inform the road as still closed even though most re-open by 5am.

Only going to get worse as the population heads towards 100 million, the number of trucks increasing exponentially to service everyone which means more road wear.

the-norseman

14,647 posts

189 months

Sunday 14th September
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Its not just the M6 but M1 as well.

Speeds going for NSL > 50 > 60 > 50 > 40 > 60 > 40 > NSL.


bergclimber34

1,826 posts

11 months

Sunday 14th September
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I am utterly convinced the M6 for sure is about revenue creation. Yes there will be a purpose to the readings but there is also a very easy revenue collection issue, and you can never explain it away. I find it similar to the early days of Gatso's being behind bridge parapets etc.

Frimley111R

17,605 posts

252 months

Wednesday 17th September
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Smint said:
Keep your phone in its holder permanently showing your travel/traffic map of choice, i know many use Waze but buggered if i can make head or tail of it, i have google traffic map on and every now and then scour the routes ahead for signs of traffic issues, i don't use satnav because everyone else will be so if there's an issue the satnav instructed alternatives will be gridlocked.

Yes the motorways and major roads are now a permanent nightmare, at one time night driving and early hours was trouble free but they close and reduce so many roads at night now (handily having simultaneous roadworks on the obvious alternatives, well played) that my early start daily journeys are only started after a few minutes spent perusing all possible routes.
Most overnight closures are planned to end at 6am, the traffic map and matrix signs will usually inform the road as still closed even though most re-open by 5am.

Only going to get worse as the population heads towards 100 million, the number of trucks increasing exponentially to service everyone which means more road wear.
I did love queuing on the M3 at 1am the other night as 4 lanes were closed down to one! FFS

Smint

2,547 posts

53 months

Wednesday 17th September
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Frimley111R said:
I did love queuing on the M3 at 1am the other night as 4 lanes were closed down to one! FFS
It was because of such an event M1 near Luton many years ago when on nights that i bought my first Trafficmaster unit, you could kick yourself because had you been pre warned it would have been easy to by pass the problem.