Lane closure bafflement
Discussion
Coming back from Portsmouth two days ago we ran into the A3/M25 junction which looked like the Luftwaffe had bombed the entire area. We deduced the slip to M25(N) had been closed at 10pm, as when we left Portsmouth around 9.30pm the satnav (with live traffic) initially routed us clockwise, but later changed to anticlockwise. But getting from the A3 to the M25(S) proved almost impossible; the slip road was coned off so we had to double-back and eventually made our way to the M25 via Esher at Leatherhead. It was a damning contrast to the French peages we'd just used to get to the south of France and back.
That was bad enough, but my question is about the rest of the journey. The time was 11pm-midnight so not much traffic about, but the M25 to the Dartford Tunnel contained several sections of several miles where all but one lane was closed and a temp speed limit of 50, 40 and even 30mph imposed. The coned off lanes were empty. Can anyone explain this?
That was bad enough, but my question is about the rest of the journey. The time was 11pm-midnight so not much traffic about, but the M25 to the Dartford Tunnel contained several sections of several miles where all but one lane was closed and a temp speed limit of 50, 40 and even 30mph imposed. The coned off lanes were empty. Can anyone explain this?
Work crews not yet arrived on site when you passed?
People overthink it, just because you passed an empty coned off workzone doesnt mean 50 blokes arent about to land and dig it up 5 minutes after you went by.
I've been on all sides of this, the waiting for hours on end in a deserted supemarket carpark while the closure is put on, to the travelling en masse to the worksite and the absolute faff to get home at end of shift in the early hours when sections of motorway and junctions are closed to allow others to work safely.
People overthink it, just because you passed an empty coned off workzone doesnt mean 50 blokes arent about to land and dig it up 5 minutes after you went by.
I've been on all sides of this, the waiting for hours on end in a deserted supemarket carpark while the closure is put on, to the travelling en masse to the worksite and the absolute faff to get home at end of shift in the early hours when sections of motorway and junctions are closed to allow others to work safely.
Richspec said:
Work crews not yet arrived on site when you passed?
People overthink it, just because you passed an empty coned off workzone doesnt mean 50 blokes arent about to land and dig it up 5 minutes after you went by.
Theoretically yes, but it seemed on and off for pretty much the whole M25 from the A3 to the Dartford Tunnel. I doubt there are that many workers.People overthink it, just because you passed an empty coned off workzone doesnt mean 50 blokes arent about to land and dig it up 5 minutes after you went by.
I get the impression that Highways feel that the more roads they close and the more lanes they cone off, somehow the 'better' the job they are doing and can justify their jobs.
I was in the south of France last month and whilst I appreciate population density is lower, the contrast between how the French roads work and ours is night and day. I think we saw two roadworks on the whole trip, and they were small and lost no more than a minute.
Simpo Two said:
Theoretically yes, but it seemed on and off for pretty much the whole M25 from the A3 to the Dartford Tunnel. I doubt there are that many workers.
I get the impression that Highways feel that the more roads they close and the more lanes they cone off, somehow the 'better' the job they are doing and can justify their jobs.
I was in the south of France last month and whilst I appreciate population density is lower, the contrast between how the French roads work and ours is night and day. I think we saw two roadworks on the whole trip, and they were small and lost no more than a minute.
Given the apparently terrible state of our road network the fact that works were about to be undertaken on such a significant length of the busiest road on the UK network is surely a good thing?I get the impression that Highways feel that the more roads they close and the more lanes they cone off, somehow the 'better' the job they are doing and can justify their jobs.
I was in the south of France last month and whilst I appreciate population density is lower, the contrast between how the French roads work and ours is night and day. I think we saw two roadworks on the whole trip, and they were small and lost no more than a minute.
It could have been that a team were going to be undertaking minor works in many locations and the most cost effective solution was several long lengths of TM all in one night. Sadly we'll probably never know what was going on. I can guarantee that TM is not just placed on the trunk road network for the sake of it, it's a dangerous job to install it and no TM company would put people at risk unnecessarily.
Mr_J said:
Given the apparently terrible state of our road network the fact that works were about to be undertaken on such a significant length of the busiest road on the UK network is surely a good thing?
The issue IMHO is the time taken. In other words, efficiency and productivity. It would be interesting to set up a CCTV over a length of roadworks for the duration and see exactly what percentage of time anything is being done. I suggest 'not much'. I appreciate work is unlikely to be 24/7 except in very major cases, but still, we crawl dutifully past coned of sections at 50 and now 40mph for days and weeks with nothing happening. That's bad for everybody else's efficiency and productivity.Mr_J said:
It could have been that a team were going to be undertaking minor works in many locations and the most cost effective solution was several long lengths of TM all in one night. Sadly we'll probably never know what was going on. I can guarantee that TM is not just placed on the trunk road network for the sake of it, it's a dangerous job to install it and no TM company would put people at risk unnecessarily.
TM?The A1 south near RAF Wittering has had a lane closed off for months stating repairs to parapet, I’ve passed there all different times of day and night and haven’t ever seen any work taking place. Last Thursday around 5pm I was heading North, the queue Southbound into these works was around 2 miles!
Pedro25 said:
The A1 south near RAF Wittering has had a lane closed off for months stating repairs to parapet, I ve passed there all different times of day and night and haven t ever seen any work taking place. Last Thursday around 5pm I was heading North, the queue Southbound into these works was around 2 miles!
It's mad. I reckon it might be since maybe October last year.I don't know what authority you'd need to enquire about WTF is going on.
No work, that's for sure!
Pedro25 said:
The A1 south near RAF Wittering has had a lane closed off for months stating repairs to parapet, I ve passed there all different times of day and night and haven t ever seen any work taking place. Last Thursday around 5pm I was heading North, the queue Southbound into these works was around 2 miles!
I've had a bridge locally the same. I met the road engineer in charge. The reason being that the bridge was damaged and a lane was closed to keep vehicles off a specific bit and slow traffic.I did question the 6 months to decide and plan the repair, which then took two weeks. Again, suggestion was that it's mired in permissions, designs and specifications, and of course having to put out to private contractors who then were busy already...
There's some very real reasons behind it all, but I still agree with the question over why other countries can manage this all more efficiently...
One answer
Insurance, something has to be done to mitigate any potential loss, so the easy solution as with most roadworks, 50 zones and cones is so eliminate as much risk that would mean a payout of some kind as possible.
it is why most sets of works has temp traffic lights, endless cones, huge sections of road where nothing is going on, and speed limits, it is about insurance.
Insurance, something has to be done to mitigate any potential loss, so the easy solution as with most roadworks, 50 zones and cones is so eliminate as much risk that would mean a payout of some kind as possible.
it is why most sets of works has temp traffic lights, endless cones, huge sections of road where nothing is going on, and speed limits, it is about insurance.
Gassing Station | Roads | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff