Closing both the A14 and the A1M northbound from the A428 was bad enough. But to send both major road’s diversions up the A1108 was stupid. Especially since it too had roadworks on it. Took me an hour to drive the 4 miles. Highways England are totally inept. If anyone follows them on Twitter, feel free to pass this message on to them. I’d like to know what their response is.
My mate does doncaster to Felixstowe most nights of the week and feels your pain. Nearly every night he struggles with roadworks or closures…I thought nights were supposed to be a P.O.P? [emoji57]
He sometimes cuts up to thetford and kings lynn then A17 to avoid it all.
nomiS36:
My mate does doncaster to Felixstowe most nights of the week and feels your pain. Nearly every night he struggles with roadworks or closures…I thought nights were supposed to be a P.O.P? [emoji57]
He sometimes cuts up to thetford and kings lynn then A17 to avoid it all.
A 47 was closed between the a17 and kings lynn last night too. That was my plan z!
Nights are a nightmare. They seem to be closing major roads, then closing the alternatives at the same time. The problem is, now I’ve finished two hours later, I have to fight my way through traffic just to get home.
You have my sympathy mate, but this is what happens when common bloody sense and competence no longer count when promoting people to decision maker level in the public and increasingly in the private sectors too, if anything those qualities disqualify candidates out of hand, and this goes right to the bloody top, our govts of the last 40 years being prime examples of the art of national destruction/lunacy.
On the other hand that lovely demoralising queue you were in must have done wonders for greenhouse gases
Another downside to this is that now lots of people now know my handy little diversion when chaos reigns on the A14 on a Friday afternoon
Its been like that for the last few years. My choice to Runcorn from Northampton last week was:
M1-M6. M1 to M6 northbound closed, J2-4 down to 1 lane, J14-15 closed.
Alternative route we take is M1, A50 to Stoke and up. M1 J23-24 closed.
Then coming back from Runcorn to Howden the same night M62 was shut 11-12, M60 shut 15-17. No problem, lets go up the M56 and round the bottom of Manchester. Oh, M56 shut 3-1 so a 3 mile diversion to get onto the M60 anti-clockwise.
Did West Thurrock one day and back to Howden the choices were:
A14 closed, A1 from M25 up to Peterborough multiple closures.
M25 to M1 Northbound closed, M1 J18-20 closed.
I’ve seen nights where there’s been closures throughout the Midlands on the M5, M6, M42, M1, A1 at the same time effectively cutting the country in half. Just glad I only occasionally pull a double decker sized trailer nowadays.
Juddian:
^^ how exactly are new drivers, or foreigners, who haven’t got personal knowledge of the old roads to fall back on supposed to manage?
Not as its that easy for the old school either, when all of a sudden you find that route you’ve used for decades has suddenly gained a weight limit.
The A38 was closed the other night at Ripley. The official diversion was all the way round the roundabout and back up the 38 to the A50. I took the earlier exit and went through Ripley, no limits at all that way. I looked in my mirror and saw a lorry behind me stop on the roundabout, obviously weighing up if I knew something he didn’t, before following me.
I was tempted to stop halfway down the road and jump out with my clipboard and start looking at house numbers, but I thought that was a bit mean.
In the past I’ve had drivers behind me flash to get me to stop before asking if I knew where I was going. Sometimes, that’s all you can do.
Captain Caveman 76:
Closing both the A14 and the A1M northbound from the A428 was bad enough. But to send both major road’s diversions up the A1108 was stupid. Especially since it too had roadworks on it. Took me an hour to drive the 4 miles. Highways England are totally inept. If anyone follows them on Twitter, feel free to pass this message on to them. I’d like to know what their response is.
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Before anyone comments, I was stationary (and had been for some time) with the engine off and handbrake engaged when I took the pictures.
Yes, its diabolical. The Highways Agency seem to be able to act as they wish and ■■■■ the consequences. Its among the reasons I called it a day on night work, and now drive a road sweeper on days…
Captain Caveman 76:
Before anyone comments, I was stationary (and had been for some time) with the engine off and handbrake engaged when I took the pictures.
Well I recall posting a similar picture whilst I was stuck on the A1 nr Nottingham and my god did I take some stick of the usual on here saying how dangerous it was to take pictures whilst driving!!! Good to see you clarified your not moving position and handbrake was on. I even had people zooming into the pic of the road saying it looked as though I was moving. Btw just zoomed into your pic and it looks ok.
Is this similar to those cabbages that thought it would be a gd idea to close the M48 and the M4 from 22a-23 this week, without a second thought of what delays it might cause, even at night? I understand closures are needed but why not leave 1 lane/HS running…Slow is better than ■■■■ all, especially to those of us that sat in the queue, not to be diverted but to just spin round and head for bloody Chepstow!! And don’t worry about taking the odd snap when ‘stopped’, there’s far, far ‘superior’ people who do worse!
I just wonder how many hauliers these random night closures have helped into bancruptcy? When you consider the length of the diversions, the time involved, the diesel, missed time slots, trucks ■■■■■■■ many hours past the planned shift length. I myself, have run out of hours several times, and had to spend the day out, so my truck and trailer was ■■■■■■■ way beyond the required time, unless I had a frozen load on, and then Id have ti be rescued, i.e. a van sent out with a relief driver to carry out the delivery, then take me back to base.
I have to say that Im really happy to no longer wondering IF Im going to get home or not, and night closures now are simply academic to me. Nearly, goodbye to the rat race…
It happens all the time all over the country .
M3 and A3 closed on the same night with roadworks on both diversions .
The worst night I had was trying to get back to Dover from Crewe .
Closures on M6, M5, M42, M40 , MI , A14 , M25 , M20 A2/M2 I did 70 miles more and took 3 hrs more than normal and was getting close to driving limit .
I have the Highways England app on my phone that allows me to check for disruptions .
Joined up planning just doesn’t exist in this country.
I even had people zooming into the pic of the road saying it looked as though I was moving. Btw just zoomed into your pic and it looks ok. 