This popped up on twitter, I know red X, means lane closed and not taking notice can lead to serious consequences, so let’s hope they used some discretion, as the entry slip finish under the gantry, Tncsi discuss.
#GMPSRTT
Today - M60
What you can’t see is the breakdown on the bridge, straddling lane 1 & the hard shoulder & staff recovering the vehicle
What you CAN see the lane closure sign & the red ‘X’
266 drivers who contravened this sign will be receiving a NIP in the post t.co/Ds418Aq3Pw
I suffer the M25 daily so I can say I see people do this all the time and I hope they do get a ticket.
266! Wow.
That is definitely a case of drivers who can’t think for themselves and are just following what others are doing. Well if they are doing it I’m doing it kind of attitude. I wonder if any of the 266 are professional drivers as well.
Entry slip road finishes before the red X,you shouldn’t pass a red X in the lanes it’s being shown so no excuses…266 x £100 = Xmas do free bar sorted for GMP
xichrisxi:
Entry slip road finishes before the red X,you shouldn’t pass a red X in the lanes it’s being shown so no excuses…266 x £100 = Xmas do free bar sorted for GMP
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+1…kerrchinnnggggg…266x100,but its not a revenue earner…(apparantly) 
I always wonder why they’ve not got a camera before each of the gantries automatically logging people going under the X’s as it happens that often, it’d likely pay for itself and might actually stop some of them. Not sure if the cameras beside the M62 could be used for this as they monitor pretty much every inch of the new smart motorway at least down lane 1.
Regards red x lane closure.
M 6 this morning 2 lanes closed red x signs saying stranded veichel.
Go past stranded veichel everyone then moves back over
Next over head sign 2 x lane close stranded veichel despite going past it.
The sign was going mad flashing at the drivers driving past. I didn’t so I’m safe
A few years back I was put before the judge in Birmingham,because I was alleged to have ignored a middle lane red X that was showing just after J6 NB.
With the traffic already on the M6 and traffic entering from the 38 nobody would let me into lane one ,not a case of ignoring the sign.I was fortunate enough the Clerk of the saw sense and recommended the Magistrate throw the case out.
Another time I had an NIP letter for ignoring a n/s lane red X on the junction of the M5 N/B & / M6 S/B.
I replied to the letter stating the Traffic Officer was apparently attending to an incident by the entrance to the M6 s/b slip road but I did not have adequate time to assess where the incident actually was as I needed to take the slip road.Had sufficient cones been in place further back from the incident this alleged offence would not have happened.
No further action was taken.
This is my problem with Smart Motorways. The signs are not flexible enough. The Red X used to be seen as advisory, that lane is closed ahead, move over, now it is instant closure and the red X is still illuminated way beyond the incident.
I would take my day in court especially for a blanket road closure across 6 or 8 carriageways.
Wheel Nut:
This is my problem with Smart Motorways. The signs are not flexible enough. The Red X used to be seen as advisory, that lane is closed ahead, move over, now it is instant closure and the red X is still illuminated way beyond the incident.I would take my day in court especially for a blanket road closure across 6 or 8 carriageways.
They have never been seen as advisory, my mate is a TO in Kent, he was seeking permission from the Surrey police in the Godstone RCC to pass under a red X to attend a scene. They have always been treated as a red signal which indicates to not pass … all drivers who do driver under them have no excuses and should be fined… the Police and Highways England do not close roads for the sake of it … if all lanes have a red X then all said vehicles should stop u til authorised by a police officer, or thensinsls have been removed from the gantry.
discoman:
Wheel Nut:
This is my problem with Smart Motorways. The signs are not flexible enough. The Red X used to be seen as advisory, that lane is closed ahead, move over, now it is instant closure and the red X is still illuminated way beyond the incident.I would take my day in court especially for a blanket road closure across 6 or 8 carriageways.
They have never been seen as advisory, my mate is a TO in Kent, he was seeking permission from the Surrey police in the Godstone RCC to pass under a red X to attend a scene. They have always been treated as a red signal which indicates to not pass … all drivers who do driver under them have no excuses and should be fined… the Police and Highways England do not close roads for the sake of it … if all lanes have a red X then all said vehicles should stop u til authorised by a police officer, or thensinsls have been removed from the gantry.
What I’m trying to say is there should be no more than two gantries showing a red X, years ago they would show a TTI, TII or IIT symbol beforehand. This gave you chance to move lane and matching speeds. When I say 6 or 8 lanes. I mainly mean Speed Restrictions, Animals in Road, Debris in Road, Queuing Traffic. Some of these go on for tens of miles. My main gripe is Junction 28 of M1 South. They slow the traffic from Woodall services and from Trowell services Northbound because of the traffic lights on the roundabout, nothing smart about that.
I have seen a similar thing in Germany [emoji629] the traffic is held back by a police car like an F1 pace car, overtake at your peril, hold your position until road is clear or safe.
Wheel Nut:
discoman:
Wheel Nut:
This is my problem with Smart Motorways. The signs are not flexible enough. The Red X used to be seen as advisory, that lane is closed ahead, move over, now it is instant closure and the red X is still illuminated way beyond the incident.I would take my day in court especially for a blanket road closure across 6 or 8 carriageways.
They have never been seen as advisory, my mate is a TO in Kent, he was seeking permission from the Surrey police in the Godstone RCC to pass under a red X to attend a scene. They have always been treated as a red signal which indicates to not pass … all drivers who do driver under them have no excuses and should be fined… the Police and Highways England do not close roads for the sake of it … if all lanes have a red X then all said vehicles should stop u til authorised by a police officer, or thensinsls have been removed from the gantry.
What I’m trying to say is there should be no more than two gantries showing a red X, years ago they would show a TTI, TII or IIT symbol beforehand. This gave you chance to move lane and matching speeds. When I say 6 or 8 lanes. I mainly mean Speed Restrictions, Animals in Road, Debris in Road, Queuing Traffic. Some of these go on for tens of miles. My main gripe is Junction 28 of M1 South. They slow the traffic from Woodall services and from Trowell services Northbound because of the traffic lights on the roundabout, nothing smart about that.
I have seen a similar thing in Germany [emoji629] the traffic is held back by a police car like an F1 pace car, overtake at your peril, hold your position until road is clear or safe.
Completely agree, but if you notice in the central res normally there are wicket repeaters … obviously you cannot compensate for idiotic drivers … but, then the powers to be do some stupid stuff. I don’t know that area … but as said people like yourself a regular never gets an opinion heard.
Interesting thread of comments on Twitter. Apparently, if you come up that slip road and the immediate gantry is showing red for lane 1, according to the police you must move into lane 2 and must not pass the red x. People are then asking if you should just stop if you can’t get over, and others are saying yes. To get into lane 2 you’d have to dangerously force yourself over at the best of times.
Ok then. So in the event I cannot get over, I stop and get rear ended by a bus full of nuns on their way back from a blind kitten sanctuary, and I’d probably get done for lack of concentration and forward planning.
xichrisxi:
Entry slip road finishes before the red X,you shouldn’t pass a red X in the lanes it’s being shown so no excuses…266 x £100 = Xmas do free bar sorted for GMP
The police do not get the money.
People ignoring the red X on “smart” motorways is one of the reasons I gave up recovery. One too many near misses