Never ending smart motorway upgrade
Discussion
Conspiracy theory coming up
Over probably the last 15 years I occasionally go to see family by driving up the m1, or m1 then m6 up to near Cheshire etc (from London). Over the last x years there is many miles of motorway with average speed cameras as they’re doing various upgrade to motorway crap. Sometimes it junctions 5 to 9 or 14 to 17 or whatever., so it does gradually shift about. But, how long can it take? It is literally years and years and years. It’s f
king ridiculous.
I also notice (take a look yourself next time) that ALL of the many machines eg JCB, Volvo, CAT etc are new. I swear none of them ever look more than a year old, they are all new and shiny nearly all of the time.
So what’s going on? I genuinely think these big projects are carved up between the big players, (Careys etc), and it’s a non-stop never-ending job. The money just keeps rolling in to them, I assume the govt want continuous employment for this section of people. Can anyone else explain it? It’s like painting the forth bridge.
Over probably the last 15 years I occasionally go to see family by driving up the m1, or m1 then m6 up to near Cheshire etc (from London). Over the last x years there is many miles of motorway with average speed cameras as they’re doing various upgrade to motorway crap. Sometimes it junctions 5 to 9 or 14 to 17 or whatever., so it does gradually shift about. But, how long can it take? It is literally years and years and years. It’s f
king ridiculous.I also notice (take a look yourself next time) that ALL of the many machines eg JCB, Volvo, CAT etc are new. I swear none of them ever look more than a year old, they are all new and shiny nearly all of the time.
So what’s going on? I genuinely think these big projects are carved up between the big players, (Careys etc), and it’s a non-stop never-ending job. The money just keeps rolling in to them, I assume the govt want continuous employment for this section of people. Can anyone else explain it? It’s like painting the forth bridge.
Scheduled for completion by March 2022.
I particularly enjoyed the 18 mile stretch of 50mph on my last trip on the M6.
https://highwaysengland.co.uk/projects/m6-junction...
I particularly enjoyed the 18 mile stretch of 50mph on my last trip on the M6.
https://highwaysengland.co.uk/projects/m6-junction...
brisel said:
The smart motorway upgrade on the M3 took 5 years and that was far shorter than the M6 works.
The M3 downgrade took over 5 years, and last weekend I had the misery of some M4 un-smart nonsense - the sooner these cheap-skate bodge jobs get binned the better. They just aren't fit for purpose! The Government boasts of drivers saving up to a heady five minutes a day on some sections of smart motorway.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-360358...
The Highways Agency seems to have removed the article but it posted time savings for commuters over weeks and months which worked out to about three minutes per journey on average. Not an amount of time anybody could do anything useful with and it would take years to make up the time lost to the queues and speed restrictions over the length of time it took to do the work. Then all it takes is a breakdown or shunt which would normally be moved onto the hard shoulder and the whole motorway is closed for hours.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-360358...
The Highways Agency seems to have removed the article but it posted time savings for commuters over weeks and months which worked out to about three minutes per journey on average. Not an amount of time anybody could do anything useful with and it would take years to make up the time lost to the queues and speed restrictions over the length of time it took to do the work. Then all it takes is a breakdown or shunt which would normally be moved onto the hard shoulder and the whole motorway is closed for hours.
CoolHands said:
Conspiracy theory coming up
Over probably the last 15 years I occasionally go to see family by driving up the m1, or m1 then m6 up to near Cheshire etc (from London). Over the last x years there is many miles of motorway with average speed cameras as they’re doing various upgrade to motorway crap. Sometimes it junctions 5 to 9 or 14 to 17 or whatever., so it does gradually shift about. But, how long can it take? It is literally years and years and years. It’s fking ridiculous.
I also notice (take a look yourself next time) that ALL of the many machines eg JCB, Volvo, CAT etc are new. I swear none of them ever look more than a year old, they are all new and shiny nearly all of the time.
So what’s going on? I genuinely think these big projects are carved up between the big players, (Careys etc), and it’s a non-stop never-ending job. The money just keeps rolling in to them, I assume the govt want continuous employment for this section of people. Can anyone else explain it? It’s like painting the forth bridge.
At least they keep the motorway open!Over probably the last 15 years I occasionally go to see family by driving up the m1, or m1 then m6 up to near Cheshire etc (from London). Over the last x years there is many miles of motorway with average speed cameras as they’re doing various upgrade to motorway crap. Sometimes it junctions 5 to 9 or 14 to 17 or whatever., so it does gradually shift about. But, how long can it take? It is literally years and years and years. It’s f
king ridiculous.I also notice (take a look yourself next time) that ALL of the many machines eg JCB, Volvo, CAT etc are new. I swear none of them ever look more than a year old, they are all new and shiny nearly all of the time.
So what’s going on? I genuinely think these big projects are carved up between the big players, (Careys etc), and it’s a non-stop never-ending job. The money just keeps rolling in to them, I assume the govt want continuous employment for this section of people. Can anyone else explain it? It’s like painting the forth bridge.
With the M4 they seem to close it every weekend, causing gridlock and misery along the surrounding A roads.
Blakewater said:
The Government boasts of drivers saving up to a heady five minutes a day on some sections of smart motorway.
When they are open! After my long-term misery with the M3 I just stopped using it as A-roads were quicker.
Last time I went to Cheshire the M6 was being messed about with yet again so I did a couple of junctions on the M54 then used some great A Roads. It may not have been quicker, but was a whole lot more enjoyable!
Motorways just seem pointless now.
I've been driving Liverpool to London every week for over 10 years, and I'll admit I'm a bit bored up of it now 
You see one bit getting finished (a few months late), but then you see more signs going up to say the next section will be starting and will be finished in 2-3 years!
It'll probably be finished just in time for me to retire in 15 years - and then they'll tell everyone they're not safe and start removing it all over the next 15 years!
Even if you normally drive those sections at 80mph you're only losing 5-6 minutes, which is not a lot. Of course if there's an accident you can be stuck for much longer. You also have to be careful what times you travel, so that you 1) avoid peak times and 2) avoid lane/junction closures outside of peak times. After 10 years I've got into a routine, but sometimes they'll close a junction early or have overrunning night works that mess everything up and add an hour to the trip. The diversion signs are poor - i.e. multiple diversions signs stuck on roundabouts that all look the same at night when you only have time to glance at them as your headlights illuminate then - and then disappear a few miles away so you end up driving almost all the way back to the closed junction.
You see one bit getting finished (a few months late), but then you see more signs going up to say the next section will be starting and will be finished in 2-3 years!
It'll probably be finished just in time for me to retire in 15 years - and then they'll tell everyone they're not safe and start removing it all over the next 15 years!
Even if you normally drive those sections at 80mph you're only losing 5-6 minutes, which is not a lot. Of course if there's an accident you can be stuck for much longer. You also have to be careful what times you travel, so that you 1) avoid peak times and 2) avoid lane/junction closures outside of peak times. After 10 years I've got into a routine, but sometimes they'll close a junction early or have overrunning night works that mess everything up and add an hour to the trip. The diversion signs are poor - i.e. multiple diversions signs stuck on roundabouts that all look the same at night when you only have time to glance at them as your headlights illuminate then - and then disappear a few miles away so you end up driving almost all the way back to the closed junction.
Mr Tidy said:
I've been doing Berkshire to and from Runcorn for 20ish years, so similar route and problems!
Motorways just don't seem fit for purpose these days - A roads often flow better and faster without cameras.
I think my longest 'diversion' was when I found out both the M42 and M6 northbound had long delays.Motorways just don't seem fit for purpose these days - A roads often flow better and faster without cameras.
Ended up staying on the M40, along the M42 Westbound, then crossed over the M5 and went across country toward Kidderminster & Ludlow, but then went slightly south to Builth Wells and then up the A470/A44 to Aberystwyth. The up the A487 to Dolgellau, over to Barmouth for fish & chips, and then headed back on the A487/A494 to Bala, Ruthin, Mold and motorway home to Liverpool.
To about 3 hours longer than my normal motorway route would have, but with the accidents on the motorways I probably got back home about 10pm (including fish & chips) and about the same time had I sat in the traffic.
Just be grateful - they aren't fit for purpose!
Have a look at this:- https://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2020-01-27/pano...
Have a look at this:- https://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2020-01-27/pano...
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