The transport minister has ordered an review straight away in to the safety of the A34 as there’s been 32 deaths in 4 years and don’t include accidents at Bullington cross A303 junction
Just seen it on BBC south today
oxfordmail.co.uk/news/148244 … arliament/
Good news, but I can’t see them upgrading it to a motorway though… 
Evil8Beezle:
Good news, but I can’t see them upgrading it to a motorway though…
It really needs a new road to get rid of the roller coaster
blue estate:
Evil8Beezle:
Good news, but I can’t see them upgrading it to a motorway though…It really needs a new road to get rid of the roller coaster
Never going to happen, the land is not available. And the cost of widening it will be ridiculous if you look at all the bridges…
Who remembers the old A34 before it was widened?
You can still use bits of it…
Lorry drivers really aren’t helping themselves though. We’re on holiday this week and on the way down towards Chieveley, got to sample the delights of elephant racing. The classic was at East Ilsley, where one professional driver decided to overtake with one flash of the indicator just before the crest of the hill. Just as he drew level the “slow lorry” disappeared down the hill. The overtaking lorry chose to display his frustration by hogging the second lane, several cars undertaking to get past him. Whom he flashed his headlights at in disgust.
And why do transporter drivers tailgate everything in sight on the A34? Does it make up for spending all week in a basic cramped cab?
axletramp:
Who remembers the old A34 before it was widened?
You can still use bits of it…
I think you can still use all of it, except for a few bits around Chieveley which have weight limits. I’ve had to drive through Whitchurch and there’s no weight limit there, certainly.
The only issues are the slip roads around Oxford and the junctions at either end. Sort them out and a lot of the problems will be alleviated. Too many cars on the road now sadly, it used to be a good road.
axletramp:
Who remembers the old A34 before it was widened?
You can still use bits of it…
before dual A34 Manchester to Southampton took a week there and back. 
No matter how safe a road is made, it’s still berks behind the wheel that will continue to injure and kill people. I won’t win too many friends for this, but using a mobile phone, playing with a sat nav etc, should be punishable by a large fine and a driving ban for a first offence. I know it can’t happen because, the same as over here, there ain’t enough coppers to go round. How have I managed to drive for 51 years without using a phone, sat nav or any other distracting things ? Common sense and a sense of responsibility is the answer. I had a sat nav in a hire car on one of our trips over and found it helpful sometimes for places that had changed or I’d forgotten, but as for buggering about with it while on the move; I didn’t.
Tris:
The only issues are the slip roads around Oxford and the junctions at either end. Sort them out and a lot of the problems will be alleviated. Too many cars on the road now sadly, it used to be a good road.
totally agree.
carryfast-yeti:
The only issues are the slip roads around Oxford and the junctions at either end. Sort them out and a lot of the problems will be alleviated.
And the drivers who think they have a right to pull straight out of said sliproads.
This road is a Formula 1 race track, in the last few years the traffic volumes have quadrupled to a saturation point , speed cameras will not make a difference in drivers behaving badly, they all know there are no police around .
It used to be a quiet ( ish ) road, just trundling along , nice and steady .
It needs to be upgraded to a motorway .
carryfast-yeti:
Tris:
The only issues are the slip roads around Oxford and the junctions at either end. Sort them out and a lot of the problems will be alleviated. Too many cars on the road now sadly, it used to be a good road.totally agree.
Also the A4 and A443 on the newbury bypass
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blue estate:
carryfast-yeti:
Tris:
The only issues are the slip roads around Oxford and the junctions at either end. Sort them out and a lot of the problems will be alleviated. Too many cars on the road now sadly, it used to be a good road.totally agree.
Also the A4 and A443 on the newbury bypass
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I live close to the A34 at Abingdon with not much chance of getting anywhere without using it . Here is an A road linking two motorways and can be used by cycles. horses, mopeds, tractors etc -you name it . obviously it needs to be a a Motorway but until such time then a an average speed limit system enforced at 50 mph from Newbury to Bicester and a ban on elephant racing would help .
I won’t be popular with this one, but closing some of the lay-bys on the A34 would go a long way to making it safer, I know there is a huge lack of parking between Eastleigh and Bicester, but some of the lay-bys are inches from the carriageway barely wide enough for a truck, some are on uphill sections which results in snail pace exit if fully loaded and all the hazards that slow moving vehicles in fast moving traffic cause, the same goes for vehicles pulling into the lay-bys from fast moving nose to tail traffic, it’s a recipe for disaster.
R143-500:
I won’t be popular with this one, but closing some of the lay-bys on the A34 would go a long way to making it safer, I know there is a huge lack of parking between Eastleigh and Bicester, but some of the lay-bys are inches from the carriageway barely wide enough for a truck, some are on uphill sections which results in snail pace exit if fully loaded and all the hazards that slow moving vehicles in fast moving traffic cause, the same goes for vehicles pulling into the lay-bys from fast moving nose to tail traffic, it a recipe for disaster.
I’m with you. I’d be happy with them being closed, as long as this mythical “Abingdon North truck park” gets built.
Always find the A34 an interesting drive and I am sure you are all aware it will shortly have a lorry overtaking ban on most of it.C’est la vie.
Yep lorry overtaking ban and HGV speed limit of 50mph, strictly enforced on rollercoaster section.
Sure it’s unpopular but drivers unaware of how gradients vs weight work are to blame.
It’s quite simple if your lite and gaining on a heavier vehicle towards the crest of the hill, think to yourself is it worth it and do I have the overrun/balls to compete on the downhill coast.
Tip if your not a box jockey/car transporter/bulker you probably don’t.
Drivers annoy me on this road I don’t bother overtaking unless I have to and my mpg stays level to the m3. Everyone pelts it at 56mph down ive seen a few crashes down this road and been made to wait a few times. Not a fan but having a speed camera down one of the hills for 60mph and no doubt truck drivers would pick up speeding tickets or an overtaking ban for hgvs would be sufficient not sure how it would be policed though .