M3 Nightmare Continues!
Discussion
e600 said:
Does any one know if there is a plan for improvement where the M3 goes under the M25 westbound. Currently 2 lanes closed off with cones which has been the case for more years than I can remember, or is that it finished?
I remember before all this started asking the same question, and it was part of a "trial", which I assume was part of the upgrade.I would imagine it will stay as 1 lane.
yellowjack said:
Given that everyone is heading the same way, at roughly the same speed, you'd think it would be a difficult thing to do. Sadly, surprisingly common though.
My guess?
Cruising along in lane 1, simultaneously drinking coffee, vaping, phoning a client, and using a laptop to keep the appointments book up to date, when he wandered off up the embankment. Previously, the rumble strip as he wandered into the hard shoulder would have been enough to prompt him to straighten up (at least for a short while) without rolling the van.
Predictably there'll be an excuse though. Possibly a deer that suddenly ran out in front of him, or it'll be someone else's fault for swerving into his lane. That someone else will have driven off without stopping too. Always happens....
Managed to roll it by the Bagshot on-slip.... My guess?
Cruising along in lane 1, simultaneously drinking coffee, vaping, phoning a client, and using a laptop to keep the appointments book up to date, when he wandered off up the embankment. Previously, the rumble strip as he wandered into the hard shoulder would have been enough to prompt him to straighten up (at least for a short while) without rolling the van.
Predictably there'll be an excuse though. Possibly a deer that suddenly ran out in front of him, or it'll be someone else's fault for swerving into his lane. That someone else will have driven off without stopping too. Always happens....
https://www.964eagle.co.uk/news/local-news/2344904...
Is it right that some edges of the motorway don't have crash barriers? For example, some southhbound sections, between the M25 and junction 3 have a wooden fence running parallel with the road, about 2m from lane 1 with no barrier. It would be different it it was a grass bank, but solid fence posts can cause some serious damage and injuries if you left the road at any speed.
Location : The M3 westbound between junctions J2 and J3 . Lane Closures : Lanes 1, 2 and 3 will be closed. Reason : Road repairs are planned. Status : Pending. Schedule : Expect disruption everyday between 20:00 and 05:30 from 7 August 2017 to 11 August 2017. Schedule : From 20:00 on 11 August 2017 to 07:00 on 12 August 2017. Schedule : Expect disruption everyday between 20:00 and 05:30 from 14 August 2017 to 18 August 2017. Schedule : From 20:00 on 18 August 2017 to 07:00 on 19 August 2017. Lanes Closed : There will be three of four lanes closed.
e600 said:
Does any one know if there is a plan for improvement where the M3 goes under the M25 westbound. Currently 2 lanes closed off with cones which has been the case for more years than I can remember, or is that it finished?
I nearly found out today! Went Eastbound at around 15.30 and had an N/S/L limit for the first time in over 3 years! Then I got to the M25 and did 20ish despite the 40 limits posted.
Coming home on the A3 around 21.30 all was going well so I joined the M25 at J10, only to be told by gantries after joining the M25 that at J12 the M3 Westbound slip-road was closed - I thought it was supposed to be finished?
Got off the M25 at J11 and used the back roads towards Windlesham to join the M3 at J3 - went well until there was a reduced speed limit and lane closed sign. All because there was a car in the new "car f*cked lay-by" and a tilt 'n' slide recovery truck partly in the inside lane when it could easily have got into the disaster area, but maybe due to his ineptitude the "Traffic Officers" were stationary in the 1st lane!
Accidents waiting to happen IMHO! WTF is Smart about that?
Mr Tidy said:
I nearly found out today!
Went Eastbound at around 15.30 and had an N/S/L limit for the first time in over 3 years! Then I got to the M25 and did 20ish despite the 40 limits posted.
Coming home on the A3 around 21.30 all was going well so I joined the M25 at J10, only to be told by gantries after joining the M25 that at J12 the M3 Westbound slip-road was closed - I thought it was supposed to be finished?
Got off the M25 at J11 and used the back roads towards Windlesham to join the M3 at J3 - went well until there was a reduced speed limit and lane closed sign. All because there was a car in the new "car f*cked lay-by" and a tilt 'n' slide recovery truck partly in the inside lane when it could easily have got into the disaster area, but maybe due to his ineptitude the "Traffic Officers" were stationary in the 1st lane!
Accidents waiting to happen IMHO! WTF is Smart about that?
Its sWent Eastbound at around 15.30 and had an N/S/L limit for the first time in over 3 years! Then I got to the M25 and did 20ish despite the 40 limits posted.
Coming home on the A3 around 21.30 all was going well so I joined the M25 at J10, only to be told by gantries after joining the M25 that at J12 the M3 Westbound slip-road was closed - I thought it was supposed to be finished?
Got off the M25 at J11 and used the back roads towards Windlesham to join the M3 at J3 - went well until there was a reduced speed limit and lane closed sign. All because there was a car in the new "car f*cked lay-by" and a tilt 'n' slide recovery truck partly in the inside lane when it could easily have got into the disaster area, but maybe due to his ineptitude the "Traffic Officers" were stationary in the 1st lane!
Accidents waiting to happen IMHO! WTF is Smart about that?
t isn't itThose Orange bays are way to small for cars and vans let alone my 32 tonner or the 44 ton artic tanker I have just acquired - w anchors
SVTRick said:
Its st isn't it
Those Orange bays are way to small for cars and vans let alone my 32 tonner or the 44 ton artic tanker I have just acquired - w anchors
Far too small... Worse after a recovery, there is no room to build up speed like you get with a hard shoulder. You're pulling out into live traffic from standstill.t isn't itThose Orange bays are way to small for cars and vans let alone my 32 tonner or the 44 ton artic tanker I have just acquired - w anchors
I came home on the M3 last night around 7.30 from the M25 to J4, amazing the number of people who don't know what a NSL sign is. Still sat in lane 3 at 52mph.
It's not over yet.......full night closures continue until mid-September.
If you phone Highways England they'll gleefully tell you the project is complete.
Apparently the lack of night time "testing" doesn't stop the project being classed as finished.
tts. Apparently Balfour Beatty are off to organise a piss up in a brewery next......
The levels of incompetence over the past four years are truly staggering.
BB had/have blanket closures in place every night, on the basis it's easier to open a closed motorway when you don't need to work on it rather than close an open one when you do.
Added to that, the actual management and execution of the closures is dealt with by Colas Traffic Management, and they're contracted to close all carriageways at 8pm and open them again at 05:30.....you can probably work out the rest yourself.
So, if BB cancel or downsize the work for a given night, it relies on Colas being notified far enough in advance to stop the closure going in.
A Highways England bod was completely open with me on the phone in admitting there are times when the entire motorway is closed from 2-4a in both directions with not a soul on it anywhere.
If you phone Highways England they'll gleefully tell you the project is complete.
Apparently the lack of night time "testing" doesn't stop the project being classed as finished.
t
ts. Apparently Balfour Beatty are off to organise a piss up in a brewery next......The levels of incompetence over the past four years are truly staggering.
BB had/have blanket closures in place every night, on the basis it's easier to open a closed motorway when you don't need to work on it rather than close an open one when you do.
Added to that, the actual management and execution of the closures is dealt with by Colas Traffic Management, and they're contracted to close all carriageways at 8pm and open them again at 05:30.....you can probably work out the rest yourself.
So, if BB cancel or downsize the work for a given night, it relies on Colas being notified far enough in advance to stop the closure going in.
A Highways England bod was completely open with me on the phone in admitting there are times when the entire motorway is closed from 2-4a in both directions with not a soul on it anywhere.
Edited by anonymous-user on Friday 4th August 08:01
Guess what would have caused that...
ETA: What I don't get is that Highways England is saying there's a collision just before J2 but AA roadwatch and that report says it's at J3.
The traffic seems OK around J3 on both sites.
Seems to me that is more likely to be at J2 where all the shenanigans takes place usually...
ETA: What I don't get is that Highways England is saying there's a collision just before J2 but AA roadwatch and that report says it's at J3.
The traffic seems OK around J3 on both sites.
Seems to me that is more likely to be at J2 where all the shenanigans takes place usually...
Edited by FurtiveFreddy on Friday 4th August 15:43
FurtiveFreddy said:
Guess what would have caused that...
ETA: What I don't get is that Highways England is saying there's a collision just before J2 but AA roadwatch and that report says it's at J3.
The traffic seems OK around J3 on both sites.
Seems to me that is more likely to be at J2 where all the shenanigans takes place usually...
I think the dotted line between lanes 2 and 3 means you are correct.ETA: What I don't get is that Highways England is saying there's a collision just before J2 but AA roadwatch and that report says it's at J3.
The traffic seems OK around J3 on both sites.
Seems to me that is more likely to be at J2 where all the shenanigans takes place usually...
Edited by FurtiveFreddy on Friday 4th August 15:43
We know the M3 better than those in charge it seems...
Another problem I've noticed in this stretch now is that a lot of drivers joining the M3 move straight into lane 2, presumably thinking lane 1 is going to end soon. This leads to lane 1 being even more desolate than it usually is.
Maybe regular users will eventually sort themselves out and we'll have some sort of lane discipline. I can't help think that the introduction of 'smart' motorways would work much better if passing on either side was officially sanctioned on those stretches, when conditions allow.
Previous paragraph = pipe dream.
Another problem I've noticed in this stretch now is that a lot of drivers joining the M3 move straight into lane 2, presumably thinking lane 1 is going to end soon. This leads to lane 1 being even more desolate than it usually is.
Maybe regular users will eventually sort themselves out and we'll have some sort of lane discipline. I can't help think that the introduction of 'smart' motorways would work much better if passing on either side was officially sanctioned on those stretches, when conditions allow.
Previous paragraph = pipe dream.
Dr Interceptor said:
Another one this morning, southbound between the M25 and Lightwater - car and lorry collide. Lane closures while an oil spill is mopped up.
Slow moving southbound at 4a this morning too. I was lucky I was driving local and only viewing it from a bridge. I could see the "50" and "!" signs lit in the gantry, but 50 mph looked like wishful thinking when I saw it.came through southbound to Junction 4 yesterday, stranded vehicle on the nearside lane (looked like a puncture) between 3 and 4.
HA did a rolling roadblock and brought us to a halt with a rolling roadblock, was stationary for about 5 minutes with lane 1 shut (apart from the tt in the Merc who thought the rules did not apply to him) and it all seemed to work quite well.
HA did a rolling roadblock and brought us to a halt with a rolling roadblock, was stationary for about 5 minutes with lane 1 shut (apart from the t
t in the Merc who thought the rules did not apply to him) and it all seemed to work quite well.Good job it's finished isn't it?
Location : The M3 eastbound between junctions J3 and J2 . Lane Closures : Lanes 1, 2 and 3 will be closed. Reason : Emergency barrier repairs are planned. Status : Pending. Schedule : Expect disruption everyday between 20:00 and 06:00 from 9 August 2017 to 12 August 2017. Schedule : Expect disruption everyday between 20:00 and 06:00 from 14 August 2017 to 19 August 2017. Schedule : Expect disruption everyday between 20:00 and 06:00 from 2 September 2017 to 4 September 2017. Schedule : Expect disruption everyday between 20:00 and 06:00 from 9 September 2017 to 11 September 2017. Lanes Closed : There will be three of four lanes closed.
Location : The M3 eastbound between junctions J3 and J2 . Lane Closures : Lanes 1, 2 and 3 will be closed. Reason : Emergency barrier repairs are planned. Status : Pending. Schedule : Expect disruption everyday between 20:00 and 06:00 from 9 August 2017 to 12 August 2017. Schedule : Expect disruption everyday between 20:00 and 06:00 from 14 August 2017 to 19 August 2017. Schedule : Expect disruption everyday between 20:00 and 06:00 from 2 September 2017 to 4 September 2017. Schedule : Expect disruption everyday between 20:00 and 06:00 from 9 September 2017 to 11 September 2017. Lanes Closed : There will be three of four lanes closed.
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