Why build a tunnel when you can build road alongside the Loch and admire the views ?
A82 from Glasgow to Fort William be Britain's worst road?
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Re: A82 from Glasgow to Fort William be Britain's worst road?
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Re: A82 from Glasgow to Fort William be Britain's worst road?
Looks good. Scheme is more ambitious than I expected with lots of cuttings presumably requiring blasting through rock. Much needed improvement. Tourist traffic in summer makes the route frustrating. Width and bends make it unsuitable for large vehicle. Motorcyclists often overtake dangerously. Road can suffer badly from potholes, minor rockfalls, surface water and ice. Very substandard for a trunk road.
Re: A82 from Glasgow to Fort William be Britain's worst road?
I have to express my reservations about the Rannoch Moor section. Yes, it’s spectacular with plenty of long straights but it’s very narrow - and not just at the bridges. When overtaking a lorry or coach - and there’s plenty of them, often foreign and new to the road - you are relying on them keeping hard left, and plenty of them drift over the line. Combined with soft verges both sides, it can be a hairy experience. I doubt it’ll happen in my lifetime but I’d like to see an extra metre on each side.
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Re: A82 from Glasgow to Fort William be Britain's worst road?
True, but there are plenty of good overtaking opportunities with excellent sightlines so I tend to be cautious and wait if in doubt. In high winds, rain or snow I may just follow.FtoE wrote: ↑Sun Oct 10, 2021 00:30 I have to express my reservations about the Rannoch Moor section. Yes, it’s spectacular with plenty of long straights but it’s very narrow - and not just at the bridges. When overtaking a lorry or coach - and there’s plenty of them, often foreign and new to the road - you are relying on them keeping hard left, and plenty of them drift over the line. Combined with soft verges both sides, it can be a hairy experience. I doubt it’ll happen in my lifetime but I’d like to see an extra metre on each side.
Re: A82 from Glasgow to Fort William be Britain's worst road?
Drove the Inverarnan to Tarbet section for the first time in years. Got stuck behind 3 vehicles just north of Inverarnan, the front vehicle was a very slowly driven motorhome. The second vehicle was glued to the motorhome’s rear bumper with no interest in overtaking (opportunities were had but not taken). By the time the motorhome turned off at Luss there was a very long queue of frustrated drivers behind.
Someone posted on the A9 dualling thread recently that the cost of the Tarbet- Inverarnan scheme had escalated to nearly £500 million. If that is correct then I can’t see it going ahead. Perhaps the worst bends will be sorted but the plan for a full upgrade looks unlikely to happen now.
Someone posted on the A9 dualling thread recently that the cost of the Tarbet- Inverarnan scheme had escalated to nearly £500 million. If that is correct then I can’t see it going ahead. Perhaps the worst bends will be sorted but the plan for a full upgrade looks unlikely to happen now.
Re: A82 from Glasgow to Fort William be Britain's worst road?
Yes, it definitely is less than 7.3m wide in many places - ideally it should be widened to a non-standard but suitable 8m given the campers etc. At the narrow bridges, until they can be replaced, I'd remove the centre lines entirely and probably look at priority signs just to keep it safer in the interim. The sightlines and relatively low traffic flows make this possible.FtoE wrote: ↑Sun Oct 10, 2021 00:30 I have to express my reservations about the Rannoch Moor section. Yes, it’s spectacular with plenty of long straights but it’s very narrow - and not just at the bridges. When overtaking a lorry or coach - and there’s plenty of them, often foreign and new to the road - you are relying on them keeping hard left, and plenty of them drift over the line. Combined with soft verges both sides, it can be a hairy experience. I doubt it’ll happen in my lifetime but I’d like to see an extra metre on each side.
Bryn
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Terminally cynical, unimpressed, and nearly Middle Age already.
She said life was like a motorway; dull, grey, and long.
Blog - https://showmeasign.online/
X - https://twitter.com/ShowMeASignBryn
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- SouthWest Philip
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Re: A82 from Glasgow to Fort William be Britain's worst road?
"One Lane Bridge", like they do in New Zealand.Bryn666 wrote: ↑Fri Apr 22, 2022 10:41 Yes, it definitely is less than 7.3m wide in many places - ideally it should be widened to a non-standard but suitable 8m given the campers etc. At the narrow bridges, until they can be replaced, I'd remove the centre lines entirely and probably look at priority signs just to keep it safer in the interim. The sightlines and relatively low traffic flows make this possible.
Re: A82 from Glasgow to Fort William be Britain's worst road?
I think they all have the trusty "Oncoming vehicles in middle of road" sign.SouthWest Philip wrote: ↑Fri Apr 22, 2022 12:57"One Lane Bridge", like they do in New Zealand.Bryn666 wrote: ↑Fri Apr 22, 2022 10:41 Yes, it definitely is less than 7.3m wide in many places - ideally it should be widened to a non-standard but suitable 8m given the campers etc. At the narrow bridges, until they can be replaced, I'd remove the centre lines entirely and probably look at priority signs just to keep it safer in the interim. The sightlines and relatively low traffic flows make this possible.
I always wonder what the general safety record is of locations where this sign is used. They certainly startled me as a new driver...
Re: A82 from Glasgow to Fort William be Britain's worst road?
That would be "oncoming vehicles in middle of road" under our sign regs so still possible.SouthWest Philip wrote: ↑Fri Apr 22, 2022 12:57"One Lane Bridge", like they do in New Zealand.Bryn666 wrote: ↑Fri Apr 22, 2022 10:41 Yes, it definitely is less than 7.3m wide in many places - ideally it should be widened to a non-standard but suitable 8m given the campers etc. At the narrow bridges, until they can be replaced, I'd remove the centre lines entirely and probably look at priority signs just to keep it safer in the interim. The sightlines and relatively low traffic flows make this possible.
Bryn
Terminally cynical, unimpressed, and nearly Middle Age already.
She said life was like a motorway; dull, grey, and long.
Blog - https://showmeasign.online/
X - https://twitter.com/ShowMeASignBryn
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@BrynBuck
Terminally cynical, unimpressed, and nearly Middle Age already.
She said life was like a motorway; dull, grey, and long.
Blog - https://showmeasign.online/
X - https://twitter.com/ShowMeASignBryn
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@BrynBuck
Re: A82 from Glasgow to Fort William be Britain's worst road?
I think they are all signed this way already, but I don't think the two are equivalent. One lane bridges I've seen in NZ are generally exactly one traffic lane wide and usually work under priority systems on main roads. A priority system, or lights, would be the only real choice in the UK too on remotely busy S2 roads I think. "Oncoming vehicles in middle of road" sections, at least on Scottish trunk roads, are generally wide enough for two cars to pass, often without unduly slowing. A proliferation of priority systems on the Rannoch Moor bridges would probably just devalue the concept unless they were artificially narrowed.Bryn666 wrote: ↑Fri Apr 22, 2022 13:02That would be "oncoming vehicles in middle of road" under our sign regs so still possible.SouthWest Philip wrote: ↑Fri Apr 22, 2022 12:57"One Lane Bridge", like they do in New Zealand.Bryn666 wrote: ↑Fri Apr 22, 2022 10:41 Yes, it definitely is less than 7.3m wide in many places - ideally it should be widened to a non-standard but suitable 8m given the campers etc. At the narrow bridges, until they can be replaced, I'd remove the centre lines entirely and probably look at priority signs just to keep it safer in the interim. The sightlines and relatively low traffic flows make this possible.
Re: A82 from Glasgow to Fort William be Britain's worst road?
The A66 from Penrith to Scotch Corner still has my vote. You can by flying along the D2 at 70 mph and then into a section of S2 where a tractor can reduce you to 10 mph and an accident can leave the road closed for hours. Last year for no apparent reason, the S2 section was blocked near Kirby Thore for half an hour before the traffic started moving again. I can only assume this was either due to the volume of traffic or a breakdown, but in hot, humid weather this was no fun.
Re: A82 from Glasgow to Fort William be Britain's worst road?
The section from the Erskine Bridge to Dumbarton is often IMHO overlooked.
Noticed on GSV the link below shows some changes
https://www.google.com/maps/@55.9293791 ... authuser=0
This is the Old Kirkpatrick turnoff, and they have put in the 'keep apart' chevrons since summer 2021, and also the lane arrows have been placed in red surfacing. The junction is quite tight at that point, a 90 degree turn on a 70 mph limit. Making some improvements here also makes sense as this is the route to Argyll, the Islands, and the southern Highlands from Glasgow Airport and that section of the A82 always feels too narrow for its job.
Noticed on GSV the link below shows some changes
https://www.google.com/maps/@55.9293791 ... authuser=0
This is the Old Kirkpatrick turnoff, and they have put in the 'keep apart' chevrons since summer 2021, and also the lane arrows have been placed in red surfacing. The junction is quite tight at that point, a 90 degree turn on a 70 mph limit. Making some improvements here also makes sense as this is the route to Argyll, the Islands, and the southern Highlands from Glasgow Airport and that section of the A82 always feels too narrow for its job.
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Re: A82 from Glasgow to Fort William be Britain's worst road?
Indeed, I'd contend it's one of the best!
Never been held up by anything on it, either...
Re: A82 from Glasgow to Fort William be Britain's worst road?
Apologies for resurrecting an old thread, however next Friday I am driving from Liverpool to Fort William for a climb up Ben Nevis. I’m picking up some friends in Glasgow en route. I’d naturally assumed taking the A82 from Erskine Bridge onwards was a given however I understand the section around Loch Lomond is a pain and as it is school holiday and a Friday afternoon the traffic will be painful.
Although longer, would going via Stirling across on the A84 to Crianlarich to rejoin the A82 be a suitable alternative?
Although longer, would going via Stirling across on the A84 to Crianlarich to rejoin the A82 be a suitable alternative?
Re: A82 from Glasgow to Fort William be Britain's worst road?
I drive from Luton to Fort William from time to time and unless there's a specific problem I find that Google Maps has the Erskine Bridge route typically ten minutes faster than the Callandar route. Until about ten years ago I used to go the Callandar way but the completion of the M74 through Glasgow and the A82 improvements at Pulpit Rock and Crianlarich tipped the balance in favour of Erskine Bridge.A212 wrote: ↑Thu Jul 20, 2023 21:06 Apologies for resurrecting an old thread, however next Friday I am driving from Liverpool to Fort William for a climb up Ben Nevis. I’m picking up some friends in Glasgow en route. I’d naturally assumed taking the A82 from Erskine Bridge onwards was a given however I understand the section around Loch Lomond is a pain and as it is school holiday and a Friday afternoon the traffic will be painful.
Although longer, would going via Stirling across on the A84 to Crianlarich to rejoin the A82 be a suitable alternative?
Owen
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Re: A82 from Glasgow to Fort William be Britain's worst road?
Yes it's suitable, and another scenic road, especially north of Callander, but unless there's a major traffic problem I'd not expect it to save you any time. Depends where in Glasgow you're picking up your friends though. Many hauliers prefer the A84 route to avoid damage to mirrors etc, but in a car, the narrow bit (Tarbert to Inverarnan) should be fine. And if it's not too busy, it's great fun!A212 wrote: ↑Thu Jul 20, 2023 21:06 Apologies for resurrecting an old thread, however next Friday I am driving from Liverpool to Fort William for a climb up Ben Nevis. I’m picking up some friends in Glasgow en route. I’d naturally assumed taking the A82 from Erskine Bridge onwards was a given however I understand the section around Loch Lomond is a pain and as it is school holiday and a Friday afternoon the traffic will be painful.
Although longer, would going via Stirling across on the A84 to Crianlarich to rejoin the A82 be a suitable alternative?
Loch Lomond as far as Tarbet is a fairly modern road - not many overtaking opportunities but free-flowing, and if you do find the traffic is heavy, you would have the option of going by A83 and A819 - it's longer than the A84 route but could be worthwhile if you're going to be in the west part of Glasgow.
I hope you get good weather for Ben Nevis and you're well equipped for it. There's a description of the tourist route here https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/fortwil ... evis.shtml - note particularly the safety bearings on the summit plateau if the visibility is poor - and if you are experienced hillwalkers there are other routes (but if you're experienced hillwalkers you probably don't need me to tell you that). A while ago, Google Maps showed an extremely unsuitable and dangerous route up the Ben, from the end of the Glen Nevis road, but thankfully that has been changed (although their depiction of the path is only schematic and not topographic).
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Re: A82 from Glasgow to Fort William be Britain's worst road?
Generally the A82 will be quicker.
May depend on whereabouts in Glasgow you are picking your friends up. If in east end it may be 50-50. Congestion on the A82 tends to be worse southbound than northbound, especially between Luss and Balloch and through Dumbarton. Congestion on M8/M74/M80 may also influence decision.
May depend on whereabouts in Glasgow you are picking your friends up. If in east end it may be 50-50. Congestion on the A82 tends to be worse southbound than northbound, especially between Luss and Balloch and through Dumbarton. Congestion on M8/M74/M80 may also influence decision.
Re: A82 from Glasgow to Fort William be Britain's worst road?
Thank you, this is really helpful. Luckily we’re all fairly experienced walkers too.