Ask a Highways England Traffic Officer anything

[BossHogg]

You won't find a pothole of that size on a HE motorway, as we call them in immediately and they get temporarily repaired by our contractors as a priority.

[cmaguire]

speedyguy said:

Is anyone forgetting France and Spain are twice as big with similar populations (and whatever car ownership) therefore the roads get half the hammer ?

Twice as big with a lower number of taxpayers respectively?
Just where do they find the money then?

We're shafted here as motorists, end of story.

[Toltec]

BossHogg said:

You won't find a pothole of that size on a HE motorway, as we call them in immediately and they get temporarily repaired by our contractors as a priority.

Yes, you don't expect that kind of thing on a motorway, still makes me shiver thinking how close I was to playing armco pinball. If I'd driven into it at low speed it would have grounded the chassis out, at the speed I was doing maybe not, unless it just tore the wheels off.

[Landshark]

BossHogg said:

You won't find a pothole of that size on a HE motorway, as we call them in immediately and they get temporarily repaired by our contractors as a priority.

There was one in lane 3 on the M25 a couple of years ago, took out around 30/40 cars, we never did get a final number!!!

If was concrete that failed to set from over night road works.

http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/mother...

Hmm 51 claims!!

[BossHogg]

We don't have that problem on my patch, our stretch is tarmacked.

[surveyor]

Passed an interesting even on the M4 in Wales this week...

Interesting as the Police were busy changing someones wheel on the hard shoulder - offside as well.

Do they not have the same restrictions on this as you guys?

[BossHogg]

They do, but their bosses aren't as risk averse as ours.

[surveyor]

BossHogg said:

They do, but their bosses aren't as risk averse as ours.

Frustrating. There must be times when the safest thing to do would be to just get on with it, and you have your hands behind your back....

[ShampooEfficient]

surveyor said:

Frustrating. There must be times when the safest thing to do would be to just get on with it, and you have your hands behind your back....

That doesn't sound the safest way to change a wheel.

[grumpy52]

cmaguire said:

speedyguy said:

Is anyone forgetting France and Spain are twice as big with similar populations (and whatever car ownership) therefore the roads get half the hammer ?

Twice as big with a lower number of taxpayers respectively?
Just where do they find the money then?

We're shafted here as motorists, end of story.

Travel overnight in Spain away from the big cities and you will rarely see ANY traffic unless it's holiday season .
When caught up in a motorway closure in southern France their equivalent of Highways Agency were giving out bottles of water after an hour . Not something I have heard of in this country.

[BossHogg]

surveyor said:

Frustrating. There must be times when the safest thing to do would be to just get on with it, and you have your hands behind your back....

Very, I always try to help the best I can, right up to the point of actually changing it but leaving the motorist to do the actual change.

[BossHogg]

grumpy52 said:

Travel overnight in Spain away from the big cities and you will rarely see ANY traffic unless it's holiday season .
When caught up in a motorway closure in southern France their equivalent of Highways Agency were giving out bottles of water after an hour . Not something I have heard of in this country.

I've been on a full closure where water was handed out by our contractors.

[mcdjl]

BossHogg said:

You won't find a pothole of that size on a HE motorway, as we call them in immediately and they get temporarily repaired by our contractors as a priority.

Whats the size/ depth limit for that? Theres whole series by J23A on the M1 that are through the top layer and quite long but just growing. I suspect being on the edge of 'smart' motorway works they'll just grow.

[BossHogg]

I normally report anything bigger than 12"x12" and 4" deep, that could be dangerous for a motorbike. They maybe waiting for the works to be finished before resurfacing, I don't get that far down so I couldn't comment.

[The Rookie]

Our environment has to be taken into account, no regular frosts (most of France and Spain for example) makes a big difference, If its freezing for long periods (North Germany or Scandinavia) then there is no water getting in to freeze either, ours is one of the worst in Europe for its affect on the roads.

[Landshark]

BossHogg said:

grumpy52 said:

Travel overnight in Spain away from the big cities and you will rarely see ANY traffic unless it's holiday season .
When caught up in a motorway closure in southern France their equivalent of Highways Agency were giving out bottles of water after an hour . Not something I have heard of in this country.

I've been on a full closure where water was handed out by our contractors.

I’ve done several jobs with giving out water, normally our bikes are best at getting through, they just can’t carry much, we also check on welfare etc.

[BossHogg]

A few of our closures were so protracted, we had the Red Cross out doing welfare checks on the tail backs.

[The Mad Monk]

Landshark said:

BossHogg said:

grumpy52 said:

Travel overnight in Spain away from the big cities and you will rarely see ANY traffic unless it's holiday season .
When caught up in a motorway closure in southern France their equivalent of Highways Agency were giving out bottles of water after an hour . Not something I have heard of in this country.

I've been on a full closure where water was handed out by our contractors.

I’ve done several jobs with giving out water, normally our bikes are best at getting through, they just can’t carry much, we also check on welfare etc.

Can't we/shouldn't we carry our own water, and some crisps or wine gums?

[grumpy52]

Landshark said:

BossHogg said:

grumpy52 said:

Travel overnight in Spain away from the big cities and you will rarely see ANY traffic unless it's holiday season .
When caught up in a motorway closure in southern France their equivalent of Highways Agency were giving out bottles of water after an hour . Not something I have heard of in this country.

I've been on a full closure where water was handed out by our contractors.

I’ve done several jobs with giving out water, normally our bikes are best at getting through, they just can’t carry much, we also check on welfare etc.

The last big delay down this was (M20/A,M2) seemed to involve charitable donations delivered to motorists by Police/Traffic officers from a gathering point .
Will internet/wifi access improve communication along our motorways for reporting and monitoring?
I ask because this was proposed a while ago , the main accident blackspots in this area have almost no phone signal.

[BossHogg]

There may be no commercial mobile signal, but you should still get 999 services as I believe that piggybacks off the masts that we use.

Edited by BossHogg on Saturday 13th January 16:20