M25. Is there any point in it anymore?
Discussion
I try to avoid the M25 at peak times by either setting off early and exiting the M25 before 7am or leaving later and not getting on the road until about 10ish, and returning either at 3ish or after 8pm. I have fairly regular meetings on the south coast, I find it quite relaxing to leave early and try to get to Dartford just before the tolls start at 6am, round to the A3 by about 6.30 then stop for breakfast somewhere around Petersfield, leaving early means I can be heading home by early afternoon and usually have a trouble free journey. If I left an hour later the journey would take twice as long, there and back.
Outside of peak times the M25 is by far the easiest way of getting round London, at peak times it's a nightmare.
Outside of peak times the M25 is by far the easiest way of getting round London, at peak times it's a nightmare.
We need more road capacity. Have done for nearly 20 years.
Sadly, the muppets in power (Nu Labour first, now the current clueless bunch) keep parroting the (criminally inaccurate) mantra "if you build new roads it'll encourage more traffic"...
...all the while signing-off on a £50bn* pet-project rail line that'll benefit very few people outside of high-ranking businessmen and Public Sector mandarins who want to travel between London and B'ham/Manc. Wonder who's been promised lucrative consulting jobs for getting that one pushed through???
Virtually everyone independent acknowledges that:-
(a) road capacity is an investment-multiplier, as it makes everyone more efficent; and
(b) that £50bn would be far more effectively spent on numerous smaller road/rail/etc. programmes.
* Which is what HS2 WILL cost, by the time it's done...
Sadly, the muppets in power (Nu Labour first, now the current clueless bunch) keep parroting the (criminally inaccurate) mantra "if you build new roads it'll encourage more traffic"...
...all the while signing-off on a £50bn* pet-project rail line that'll benefit very few people outside of high-ranking businessmen and Public Sector mandarins who want to travel between London and B'ham/Manc. Wonder who's been promised lucrative consulting jobs for getting that one pushed through???
Virtually everyone independent acknowledges that:-
(a) road capacity is an investment-multiplier, as it makes everyone more efficent; and
(b) that £50bn would be far more effectively spent on numerous smaller road/rail/etc. programmes.
* Which is what HS2 WILL cost, by the time it's done...
Crossflow Kid said:
Bang on. It needs tolls to keep the school run mums, reps and shrt range commuters off it.
That said, it does keep inner London moving thanks to soaking up all the dullards who can't navigate suburban streets ;-)
hence the references from a previous poster to the two ringways one to do that and the second further out to take the traffic circumnavigating London ...That said, it does keep inner London moving thanks to soaking up all the dullards who can't navigate suburban streets ;-)
richwig83 said:
It would really benefit from 5 lanes all around.... cant see it happening.
Its a few months away from being widened at enormous cost to 4 lanes all the way round. It helps but it doesn't stop the problems completely and neither will 5 lanes or even 6.Discouraging some use of it will help but it takes will power and political gumption.
Dblue said:
Its a few months away from being widened at enormous cost to 4 lanes all the way round. It helps but it doesn't stop the problems completely and neither will 5 lanes or even 6.
Discouraging some use of it will help but it takes will power and political gumption.
I think some correct driver training would offer much greater benefit than discouraging use of it.Discouraging some use of it will help but it takes will power and political gumption.
When is 'rush hour' on the M25 exactly? I mean what times does it get really bad...
In 5 years of driving in and around Kent and the M25 I have never been stuck in traffic there. I always join it at the junction by the tolls (heading anti-clockwise) and I normally only end up waiting a couple of minutes behind two or three lorries.
Admittedly I usually only travel before 7am and back around midnight... not an option for commuters I know.
In 5 years of driving in and around Kent and the M25 I have never been stuck in traffic there. I always join it at the junction by the tolls (heading anti-clockwise) and I normally only end up waiting a couple of minutes behind two or three lorries.
Admittedly I usually only travel before 7am and back around midnight... not an option for commuters I know.
the desire to live in the south east is odd, to say the least (and I grew up there). My commute is unaffected by the M25. Yet I am 1hr 10 away from St. Pancras. The houses look the same, but are cheaper. The roads are quieter: I have never driven in Kent without being behind/in front of someone. I can often do this in the lanes where I live. Yet, I live in the **shock horror** midlands. Which seems bad. I don't get it.
kers though.The problem with the M25 is no matter how many lanes there are, there'll be someone sitting at 65 in lane 2 if there are 3, or lane 3 if there are 4. There could be 99 lanes but people would still cruise in lane 98! The standard of driving is absolutely shocking in the south east, and I'm from the area. I now live in the midlands and motorway lane discipline is far better. Passing on both sides should be encouraged on the M25 IMO. Though there'd be more accidents probably. Motorway driving has to go into the driving test pronto.
williamp said:
the desire to live in the south east is odd, to say the least (and I grew up there). My commute is unaffected by the M25. Yet I am 1hr 10 away from St. Pancras. The houses look the same, but are cheaper. The roads are quieter: I have never driven in Kent without being behind/in front of someone. I can often do this in the lanes where I live. Yet, I live in the **shock horror** midlands. Which seems bad. I don't get it.
That's nice. But I don't work in London. Like a lot of people who live in the South East I work in the South East.On the plus side I can be at the channel tunnel in 30 minutes and France 30 minutes after that. In my car. Which I can load up with as much food, alcohol, cigarettes as I like.
RYH64E said:
Outside of peak times the M25 is by far the easiest way of getting round London, at peak times it's a nightmare.
At peak times, going thru London is an even bigger nightmare.The most frustrating thing about travel in and around London is the unpredictability of it. It's so easy to allow a reasonable amount of time, and arrive horrendously early or late.
I once got stuck in a traffic jam in Shaftsbury Avenue at 3am on a Sunday morning, and it took me 90 minutes to get from Piccadilly Circus to the Charing Cross Road. And for no reason I ever knew about, no accident, no roadworks. For those not in London, at 3am, Piccadilly Circus to the Charing Cross Road should take about 90 seconds. Go figure.
williamp said:
the desire to live in the south east is odd, to say the least (and I grew up there). My commute is unaffected by the M25. Yet I am 1hr 10 away from St. Pancras. The houses look the same, but are cheaper. The roads are quieter: I have never driven in Kent without being behind/in front of someone. I can often do this in the lanes where I live. Yet, I live in the **shock horror** midlands. Which seems bad. I don't get it.
Leicester? Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff