The bank holiday weekend. Staying off the main roads
Moderator: Site Management Team
Re: The bank holiday weekend. Staying off the main roads
We normally travel to Plymouth to catch the ferry to Roscoff. The first time we tried on a Friday in September. Too busy for my liking and we’re lucky to make it in time for the evening crossing.
We started going in July instead for better weather, and chose to set off at midnight to get the 8am ferry on Friday morning. Amazing difference. The problem is that for next year Brittany Ferries look like they are no longer running their morning crossing, so tempted to take the Portsmouth St Malo route.
We started going in July instead for better weather, and chose to set off at midnight to get the 8am ferry on Friday morning. Amazing difference. The problem is that for next year Brittany Ferries look like they are no longer running their morning crossing, so tempted to take the Portsmouth St Malo route.
M19
- multiraider2
- Member
- Posts: 3716
- Joined: Tue Apr 27, 2004 17:42
- Location: London, SE
Re: The bank holiday weekend. Staying off the main roads
My May holiday to the Lake District was called off for Covid and we got the replacement in just in time last week. Took the Blackwall Tunnel/A12/M11/A14/A1 route to look at the near completed new A14 section and my first ever trip turning off at Scotch Corner. The Satnav gave up on me on the new A14 and thought I was driving at speed on the dirt and only talked to me again when I got a little way on the A1.
Coming back and the driving gods once again deemed that I should not have a straightforward trip home. My wife's phone said delays ahead on the A1, why not try the M11. So I did but once on the A14, the new VMS signs were advising of 45 minute delays on the M11 J7 to J6. That changed to 1 hour just before Cambridge and then on M11 just beyond the J12 slip the traffic was stationary. I took the A603 to the A1198 and there to the A10, still not trusting the A1 from the earlier message. Once to the M25 I re-joined the M11. I would have probably have got home quicker taking the M25 to the A21 but the nightmares from last year are still too fresh. I replayed the route taken a week ago. The Saturday afternoon traffic trying to exit to the Redbridge Roundabout and the South Circular are not fun. I really don''t know the back roads in East London very well now and many old rat runs have, I am sure, been closed off. I might have done better staying on the A406 to the A13 and then taken the Limehouse Tunnel. But now that TFL have butchered London Bridge, I don't know what that does to Tower Bridge traffic.
Coming back and the driving gods once again deemed that I should not have a straightforward trip home. My wife's phone said delays ahead on the A1, why not try the M11. So I did but once on the A14, the new VMS signs were advising of 45 minute delays on the M11 J7 to J6. That changed to 1 hour just before Cambridge and then on M11 just beyond the J12 slip the traffic was stationary. I took the A603 to the A1198 and there to the A10, still not trusting the A1 from the earlier message. Once to the M25 I re-joined the M11. I would have probably have got home quicker taking the M25 to the A21 but the nightmares from last year are still too fresh. I replayed the route taken a week ago. The Saturday afternoon traffic trying to exit to the Redbridge Roundabout and the South Circular are not fun. I really don''t know the back roads in East London very well now and many old rat runs have, I am sure, been closed off. I might have done better staying on the A406 to the A13 and then taken the Limehouse Tunnel. But now that TFL have butchered London Bridge, I don't know what that does to Tower Bridge traffic.
Re: The bank holiday weekend. Staying off the main roads
There was some post lockdown, pre-Bank Holiday overspill last weekend but, this came up on the M3 and was too rare to miss so, I headed east instead. A nice little aperitif before the main course this coming bank holiday.
The A33 queueing for the A34 merge. The official div is via A303 and A34 but, Satnav and knowledge sends many along the parallel A33. This queue was much shorter than the A34 one though.
A30 west of Basingstoke towards the Popham Fork.
Development of Basingstoke has now extended out to J7 and Amazon have had planning permission for a huge warehouse next to this stretch, messing up this road.
The A33 queueing for the A34 merge. The official div is via A303 and A34 but, Satnav and knowledge sends many along the parallel A33. This queue was much shorter than the A34 one though.
A30 west of Basingstoke towards the Popham Fork.
Development of Basingstoke has now extended out to J7 and Amazon have had planning permission for a huge warehouse next to this stretch, messing up this road.
- Attachments
Roads and holidays in the west, before motorways.
http://trektothewest.shutterfly.com
http://holidayroads.webs.com/
http://trektothewest.shutterfly.com
http://holidayroads.webs.com/
- multiraider2
- Member
- Posts: 3716
- Joined: Tue Apr 27, 2004 17:42
- Location: London, SE
Re: The bank holiday weekend. Staying off the main roads
Devon and Cornwall police social media team showed this video taken at midnight on the M5. I'm guessing it was a busy one.
https://twitter.com/DC_RPT/status/1398408998236438535
https://twitter.com/DC_RPT/status/1398408998236438535
Re: The bank holiday weekend. Staying off the main roads
The road heading out of Letchworth towards the A1(M) was queueing at about 12:45 as I walked alongside it earlier. I don't think I've ever seen that outside of weekday morning and evening peak times before unless there has some sort of disruption like roadworks or an accident.
Re: The bank holiday weekend. Staying off the main roads
Possibly related to the A1 closure at Stotfold after yesterday’s fatal.trickstat wrote: ↑Sat May 29, 2021 14:01 The road heading out of Letchworth towards the A1(M) was queueing at about 12:45 as I walked alongside it earlier. I don't think I've ever seen that outside of weekday morning and evening peak times before unless there has some sort of disruption like roadworks or an accident.
Re: The bank holiday weekend. Staying off the main roads
Went into Harlow on a shopping run today. The M11 was stopped northbound and many local roads were very slow. Good weather, Bank Holiday Monday and a week off school are all adding up.
- roadtester
- Member
- Posts: 31539
- Joined: Mon Mar 26, 2007 18:05
- Location: Cambridgeshire
Re: The bank holiday weekend. Staying off the main roads
I've just got back from a trip to Carmarthen to visit a friend. The roads were packed. The whole A40/A48 set-up around Carmarthen itself was a mess - completely overloaded. I know it often gets busy there, but this was the worst I've ever seen it.
Electrophorus Electricus
Check out #davidsdailycar on Mastodon
Check out #davidsdailycar on Mastodon
Re: The bank holiday weekend. Staying off the main roads
I'm glad our school have used their inset days to make this half term 2 weeks. Hoping when we head down that way on Friday it will be much quieter.
-
- Member
- Posts: 1538
- Joined: Sun May 08, 2005 00:16
Re: The bank holiday weekend. Staying off the main roads
Some of the M5 queues from Bristol reached 30 miles on Friday evening along with M6 J18 up to Preston.
M6 through Stafford had queues of around 40 minutes as you came in and out the roadworks.
A combination of factors means the traffic seems to have been the worst I've seen it
M6 through Stafford had queues of around 40 minutes as you came in and out the roadworks.
A combination of factors means the traffic seems to have been the worst I've seen it
Re: The bank holiday weekend. Staying off the main roads
No surprise there. Given holidays abroad are off the table pretty much, even with restrictions staycations will probably be at their busiest this year.brummie_rob wrote: ↑Sat May 29, 2021 20:21 Some of the M5 queues from Bristol reached 30 miles on Friday evening along with M6 J18 up to Preston.
M6 through Stafford had queues of around 40 minutes as you came in and out the roadworks.
A combination of factors means the traffic seems to have been the worst I've seen it
Re: The bank holiday weekend. Staying off the main roads
Add Mid Wales and the Brecon Beacons to that.rhyds wrote: ↑Fri Apr 29, 2016 10:01 Living in North Wales all our roads are busy over bank holidays, and are especially popular with two kinds of driver who don't get along
The first are the slowcoaches, who either spend too long admiring the view and not concentrating on driving, or are so scared of roads that aren't flat and wide they can't do over 40.
The second are the sports bikes with Manchester and Birmingham plates who seem to find no trouble doing three figure speeds down rural S2s.
The problem comes when the first and the second meet...
Re: The bank holiday weekend. Staying off the main roads
At least mid-Wales roads are quieter as are some of the resorts - e.g. Borth, Ynyslas Fairbourne and usually Tywyn and Aberdyfi. The trouble is that driving the A44 on a summer weekend is like being in the middle of a motor bike race for older bikers, especially between Llangurig and Aberystwyth.
AKA M5 Driver
Re: The bank holiday weekend. Staying off the main roads
Very possibly. I didn't hear about that until later.doebag wrote: ↑Sat May 29, 2021 17:35Possibly related to the A1 closure at Stotfold after yesterday’s fatal.trickstat wrote: ↑Sat May 29, 2021 14:01 The road heading out of Letchworth towards the A1(M) was queueing at about 12:45 as I walked alongside it earlier. I don't think I've ever seen that outside of weekday morning and evening peak times before unless there has some sort of disruption like roadworks or an accident.
- Was92now625
- Member
- Posts: 848
- Joined: Fri Jan 08, 2010 00:29
- Location: near A625
Re: The bank holiday weekend. Staying off the main roads
Even better when you drive across a new bridge that the satnav does not know about .....multiraider2 wrote: ↑Thu Nov 05, 2020 00:23 The Satnav gave up on me on the new A14 and thought I was driving at speed on the dirt and only talked to me again when I got a little way on the A1.
- ravenbluemoon
- Elected Committee Member
- Posts: 3077
- Joined: Thu Oct 18, 2007 11:32
- Location: Between Mansfield and Göteborg
Re: The bank holiday weekend. Staying off the main roads
Thought it might be nice to get out and have a potter around the Peak District this afternoon. Took a look at the traffic on Google Maps, and I think I might not bother! All the usual honey trap spots are dark red/red, and a lot of the main roads look very busy. I do know a few quieter areas that might be worth it later on. I'm guessing that everyone's got the same idea and making the most of a sunny Sunday.
Tony Alice (they,them)
~~~~~
Owner of a classic rust heap/money pit, and other unremarkable older vehicles.
Usually found with a head in an old map or road atlas.
Did you know there's more to SABRE than just the Forums?
Add your roads knowledge to the SABRE Wiki today!
Have you browsed SABRE Maps recently? Ask me if you want to get involved!
~~~~~
Owner of a classic rust heap/money pit, and other unremarkable older vehicles.
Usually found with a head in an old map or road atlas.
Did you know there's more to SABRE than just the Forums?
Add your roads knowledge to the SABRE Wiki today!
Have you browsed SABRE Maps recently? Ask me if you want to get involved!
Re: The bank holiday weekend. Staying off the main roads
Staying on the main roads. Summer's here and the time is right for overspilling in the street. Friday started deceptively slowly, 10.00hrs and not much happening. The last school day so, late departures were the order of the day. Homeward bound traffic was in full swing though. A303 slow both ways. By the afternoon, the M5 was slow from Stroud to Taunton and again at Exeter. At dusk, well after 9, it was still slow through Somerset. many late arrivals at B&B and campsites presumably. I stayed south of Bristol, as it would a waste of valuable time trying to find a way around from Thornbury. If it wasn't for that stupid holiday traffic I'd be fine.....oh right yes, of course.
- Attachments
Last edited by SteveA30 on Sun May 30, 2021 21:17, edited 2 times in total.
Roads and holidays in the west, before motorways.
http://trektothewest.shutterfly.com
http://holidayroads.webs.com/
http://trektothewest.shutterfly.com
http://holidayroads.webs.com/
Re: The bank holiday weekend. Staying off the main roads
Day 2. No school so an early start and M5 Almondsbury was already back to north of Falfield by 8am, soon all the way through Somerset again. A38 from the Churchill lights was queueing from 09.30 back towards Bristol.
Ollie's Cafe is a useful off motorway stop for those of you that dislike MSA's. All day breakfast available. Only problem is closing early at 3pm, as so many private cafes tend to do. So, no good for the return journey but good for the outward rest stop. Only 1 mile from Edithmead.
https://olliescafe.co.uk/ *
Heavy overspill into Sparkford, as the queue for the rbt was over a mile long. That problem will disappear in about 3 years time, when the dualling is done.
* according to the website, they seem to specialise in upside down dining. Click on the photo in the website.
Ollie's Cafe is a useful off motorway stop for those of you that dislike MSA's. All day breakfast available. Only problem is closing early at 3pm, as so many private cafes tend to do. So, no good for the return journey but good for the outward rest stop. Only 1 mile from Edithmead.
https://olliescafe.co.uk/ *
Heavy overspill into Sparkford, as the queue for the rbt was over a mile long. That problem will disappear in about 3 years time, when the dualling is done.
* according to the website, they seem to specialise in upside down dining. Click on the photo in the website.
- Attachments
Roads and holidays in the west, before motorways.
http://trektothewest.shutterfly.com
http://holidayroads.webs.com/
http://trektothewest.shutterfly.com
http://holidayroads.webs.com/
Re: The bank holiday weekend. Staying off the main roads
Misc items from Spring BH 2021. Our next feature....going home day.
- Attachments
Roads and holidays in the west, before motorways.
http://trektothewest.shutterfly.com
http://holidayroads.webs.com/
http://trektothewest.shutterfly.com
http://holidayroads.webs.com/
- multiraider2
- Member
- Posts: 3716
- Joined: Tue Apr 27, 2004 17:42
- Location: London, SE
Re: The bank holiday weekend. Staying off the main roads
Went to Ashdown Forest today and that is almost all B and C roads from South London here. No issues. In fact my daughter said "I don't want to jinx it, but where is everyone today?" Wasn't going to try to do something silly such as going to the coast.