The M5 in summer

[M19]

I came back from France, via Plymouth last Saturday night and learned about the M5 closure before leaving the ferry. As I was heading for Kettering, Google Maps wanted to send me round via Southampton because a small section of the A303 was shut. I did contemplate using the M49 and M4 to come back via Oxford. However, it dawned on me to use the M4 Severn Crossing, A449, A40 and M50 to get back to the M5. It cost me an extra 30 minutes, and 6.70. I did get to use the M50 for the very first time though!

[Alderpoint]

Multi-billion pound plan to turn A38 into a motorway

[DavidBrown]

Multi-billion pound plan to turn A38 into a motorway

Two MP's who really don't have a clue what the hell they're on about. Extending the M5 to Plymouth would mean a completely new off-line route, not on-line as they're suggesting for so many reasons - having only two lanes is the least of the A38's problems. Complete fantasy and pie-in-the-sky.

[Robert Kilcoyne]

Multi-billion pound plan to turn A38 into a motorway

Two MP's who really don't have a clue what the hell they're on about. Extending the M5 to Plymouth would mean a completely new off-line route, not on-line as they're suggesting for so many reasons - having only two lanes is the least of the A38's problems. Complete fantasy and pie-in-the-sky.

There would be another issue if a new offline route is built; the A38 forms the eastern boundary of Dartmoor National Park in the Ashburton and Buckfastleigh area so any offline route would probably have to be built east of the existing A38.

[roadtester]

More on the council calling for A38 upgrades near Plymouth:

http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/news/pl ... gh-1131295

[Pilgrim Dan]

This "M38" malarkey is probably born out of HE's "Expressway Ax(M)" malarkey!

[Osthagen]

I remember seeing an article in October on what would need to be done to bring the A38 up to motorway conditions.

The article here: https://www.google.co.uk/amp/www.plymou ... 621249.amp

There’s no chance of the M5 reaching Plymouth anytime soon.

[Norfolktolancashire]

More on the council calling for A38 upgrades near Plymouth:

http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/news/pl ... gh-1131295

While D3 would help congestion at peak times around the Marsh Mills junction Plymouth, there will still be the big issue of just two lanes going west at the end over the Tamar Bridge, so, as I found out, congestion will still be caused there.


http://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.407443 ... 312!8i6656

[SteveA30]

The M5 fatal crash on Friday, resulted in closure from approx. 06.30-17.00, both ways, J25-J26 - the 1974 Taunton bypass.
Southbound was advised to go A358/A303/A30 to Exeter. N/bnd also and, many did, resulting in a queue both ways from Ilminster to Honiton and no doubt, A358 as well. I took the B3170 then via the Wellington Monument to A38 Wellington bypass, which was queueing n/bnd towards Chelston rbt. From there, it was queues both ways to Taunton so, through Wellington then via Bradford on Tone to Taunton itself.........time to phot.

[SteveA30]

More from Taunton to Wellington - Feb 9 2018

[SteveA30]

The closure effect rippled out to the A303 as well......
After this, I attended the Sparkford consultation at West Camel, the original reason for this trip, before a sudden change of plan delayed my visit. Made suggestions about the w/bnd slip.

[DavidBrown]

Yes, I did hear that Taunton was absolute pandemonium all day, even after the M5 reopened. As well as the accident itself being quite a horrible one, its timing was also very unfortunate, happening immediately before the morning rush, so all the accident investigation etc took place through the day rather than overnight.
It does help put an and to the common myth of "the M5's only busy for 6 Saturday's a year" - this is in the middle of February!

[Bryn666]

The M5 is busy out of season.

In season we just don't talk about what it is.

[SteveA30]

Yes, Taunton took about 2 hours to clear, as it coincided with Friday rush hour. A chap at a filling station counter said it took 55 mins from Wellington to work in Taunton that morning. A Wincanton driver forced to stop in a bus stop layby due to tacho driving time running out said 3 hours from Exeter. Roughly the same as the time taken in the 60's in summer but, this was winter of course.

With roughly half of traffic going via Ilminster, the signed route, a full M5 onslaught on Taunton doesn't bear thinking about.

Once the A358 is dualled and the new S2/1 A303 Blackdowns is done, the triangle will make quite a good div route for all 3 roads.

3 more from only 160 taken. Quite a small total for me..........

[RichardA35]

Yes, I did hear that Taunton was absolute pandemonium all day, even after the M5 reopened. As well as the accident itself being quite a horrible one, its timing was also very unfortunate, happening immediately before the morning rush, so all the accident investigation etc took place through the day rather than overnight.
It does help put an and to the common myth of "the M5's only busy for 6 Saturday's a year" - this is in the middle of February!

That's a bit misleading. Empty any motorway into a town centre and the town will be overloaded.
Out of summer, the M5 south of Bristol is far quieter than any self respecting motorway should expect to be and works often take it down to two lanes with short queues that would have M1, M1 or M25 users wondering what the fuss was about.

[Enceladus]

The M5 seems to be the most seasonal of the UK motorway system, with holidaymakers flooding south to Devon and Cornwall. But I've heard that before it opened in the 1970s, traffic jams on the old A38 were the stuff of nightmares.

Is it true that the Almondsbury interchange is struggling with traffic volumes? That seems astonishing for a 4 level stack. I would have thought if any type of junction was future-proofed, it would be this type!

[Chris Bertram]

Is it true that the Almondsbury interchange is struggling with traffic volumes? That seems astonishing for a 4 level stack. I would have thought if any type of junction was future-proofed, it would be this type!

Almondsbury is the oldest of these junctions in the UK. both M4 and M5 reduce to 2 lanes through the junction, and I think the slips are now all hatched down to 1 lane. An additional complication is the integration with the A38 junction near Aztec West, where there is some horrible weaving. And all the motorways around Bristol are now way busier than they were in 1970 or thereabouts.

[Owain]

Is it true that the Almondsbury interchange is struggling with traffic volumes? That seems astonishing for a 4 level stack. I would have thought if any type of junction was future-proofed, it would be this type!

Almondsbury is the oldest of these junctions in the UK. both M4 and M5 reduce to 2 lanes through the junction, and I think the slips are now all hatched down to 1 lane. An additional complication is the integration with the A38 junction near Aztec West, where there is some horrible weaving. And all the motorways around Bristol are now way busier than they were in 1970 or thereabouts.

Indeed - the real problem is the close proximity of the A38 junction! The interesting thing about the junction is that the M5 gains an extra carriageway either side of its main carriageway through both the M4 and A38 junctions.

The real problem is that during the rush hours, a huge amount of traffic from both the M4(Wb) and M4(Eb) converges onto the M5(Sb), precisely at the point where traffic needs to sort itself according to whether or not it wishes to take the A38 or M5. The result is gridlock on a daily basis. In my experience, the flows in every other direction are fine.

As far as I know, the only slips cut down to one lane: M5(Sb) to M4(Eb); M4(Eb) to M5(Sb); M4(Wb) to M5(Sb).

All of the others all retain two lanes. The busiest of all - M4(Wb) to M5(Sb), which feeds straight into the A38 junction - has two lanes, plus provision for hard-shoulder running when traffic is heavy. It don't seem to help much though; while it reduces the queue of traffic waiting to exit the M4, it means that two (or three) lanes of traffic all meet the equivalent one-lane slip from the M4(Eb) to M5(Sb) at the point just before the A38 exit.

When I used to commute from Frome to Worcester, I was always greatly relieved to be turning North onto the M5 instead of South; running up through Gloucestershire during the morning rush was always a surprisingly pleasant drive.

NB - these signs contain misleading information about what happens to the lanes ahead, when merging with the M5(Nb). I think they are potentially very dangerous, and should be changed (or the road repainted accordingly).

[mikehindsonevans]

Is it true that the Almondsbury interchange is struggling with traffic volumes? That seems astonishing for a 4 level stack. I would have thought if any type of junction was future-proofed, it would be this type!

Almondsbury is the oldest of these junctions in the UK. both M4 and M5 reduce to 2 lanes through the junction, and I think the slips are now all hatched down to 1 lane. An additional complication is the integration with the A38 junction near Aztec West, where there is some horrible weaving. And all the motorways around Bristol are now way busier than they were in 1970 or thereabouts.

Indeed - the real problem is the close proximity of the A38 junction! The interesting thing about the junction is that the M5 gains an extra carriageway either side of its main carriageway through both the M4 and A38 junctions.


NB - these signs contain misleading information about what happens to the lanes ahead, when merging with the M5(Nb). I think they are potentially very dangerous, and should be changed (or the road repainted accordingly).

Crikey - that is dangerous; on the outer of these two lanes, you expect to be guided into "Lane One" of the mainline motorway; instead you get sideswiped by the vehicle on your left as the lanes narrow just as you hit motorway speeds - and we all know that the solid white lines mean "no crossing".

Co-incidentally, we drove from Hampshire to Swansea on Saturday (back yesterday evening) The M5 across the top of Bristol, through Almondsbury, worked fine.

Mind you, I can remember waving at Lizzie Windsor in September 1966 when the original Severn Bridge was opened; at that time, the M4 towards London only ran as far as Almondsbury; some years after that, I can remember when the view north from Almondsbury top deck (where the M5 N/B now runs) was a field!

Mike.

[DavidBrown]

M5 closed again this morning between J25-26 (again) and also J28-29. Both southbound, so the Cullompton closure probably won't cause too much gridlock as everyone will be stuck in Taunton again.