Motorway Gantry Warning

I think this is the whole idea of "smart" motorway systems, complete with warning messages about nearby roads etc. On the M5 motorway last week in the SW warnings about A303 solstice traffic appeared, better than the usual eye watering fuel price lists. It's a good step forward but not if you're queuing on the M6 where the next stage is being fazed in, it's a bit of a pain just now.

Personally I think the all lanes running 24/7 type and no hard shoulder, are a step back. The original concept, where the hard shoulder is only used during peak congestion, as on the M42 past Birmingham is very good and safe. I am not sure why they have moved away from this. On the all lanes running type in free traffic, you have the potential of vehicles traveling at 70 / 80 mph coming up behind something broken down in the near side lane. The warning signs are only every mile, safety refuges similar, and they are so short you would almost have to come to a stop to pull in with a caravan.

The M42 version, also has many more gantries across all lanes, than the cheap skate version,with small rectangular signs, on the M1 through Derbyshire.

Must admit the safety refuges don't look as though they will work ok but I presume because of all the camera systems the lane movements can be adjusted swiftly if there is a breakdown? But how quickly?

I too am not happy about the loss of the hard shoulder. On the M25 there are always vehicles that have broken down and often there is not a nearby refuge that they can get to. A refuge only works if the vehicle is still mobile, otherwise there is a danger of rear end shunts. As I have recently seen.

The final finishing is now underway on the M8,M73,M74 improvement programme. This has involved making a lot of three lane motorway up to four lane.  This has been done by widening cuttings, bridges and embankments at great expense compared to the "smartification" process.

Of course, transport is one of the areas that is devolved and not ruled from Westminster.

Travel to Scotland at least once a week sometimes twice (employment reasons) and I must admit it was hell on earth with the rush-hour traffic during the said improvement program. now it's all about finished, I now fly through the interchanges (M8,M73 & M74) at rush-hour times. They appear (for once) to have done their sum's correctly with regard to Highway Planning.

I find the new "Smart" managed motorways system, very good and have seen them develop all over the motorway system.

Despite its technical complexity, the new system is clearly much cheaper to implement than acquiring land & rebuilding the bridges etc, that creating a new running lane would cost.  More recently there was a modification to the systems advising motorists that only those intending to use the next exit should use the hard shoulder lane. The use of the nearside hard should lane is only implemented at times of congestion anyway, so traffic should be moving slower. But the flexible speed limit facility is also introduced at those times to increase safety.

I agree that the new managed motorways concept is not as good as the original motorway concept. But the original concept was way back when there was far less traffic using the motorways.  The Country simply cannot afford to clear the congestion by building new lanes, so the new system which once settled down does improve the peak hour congestion is the best solution.  Use of hard shoulder running should only happen at peak congestion times!

TF

I use the M1/M25 fairly frequently for leisure/personal purposes and my take on the situation is that a properly constructed four lane motorway keeps the traffic moving far better than a so called managed motorway. I would be very interested to know what the cost difference is as I have a feeling that paying the extra for a proper fourth lane might be better value in the longer run. 

David

Perhaps you have not come across them TF. The ones I am taking issue with are the all lanes running 24/7 type. Not the ones where the hard shoulder is only used at peak. In Nottinghamshire the M1 is true four lanes plus a dedicated hard shoulder. However as it passes into Derbyshire it becomes "Smart" all lanes running. The hard shoulder becomes the inside lane 24/7, not just at peak. There are rectangular signs, not full gantries, every mile and small emergency refuges at similar distances. In my opinion it is an accident waiting to happen.

Much the same as through B'ham on the M6. Always glad to leave that bit behind!