Coronavirus: Private and Commercial transport

[Ruperts Trooper]

But the only way long-distance journeys are feasible is if there are facilities to buy food and drink.

Yes, hauliers need them too, but you would need strict security measures to keep other travellers out.

Eh? I do plenty of 400-mile days where all I stop to buy is petrol.

Unless you pack all your food and drink, and only stop when you buy fuel, it sounds like you could be exceeding a 2-hour driving limit without a break.

Even I stop for a 30 minute break every 2 hours. Experience should tell you why that’s a good idea. Even when I’ve been driving abroad, I’ve never driven more than 300-350 miles in a single day (and that really would be at the top end). I’ve planned my journeys so I don’t need to exceed that.

Truckers tend to stop for their mandatory 45 mins after 4hrs 30mins - I do the same on long hauls but add a 5 min comfort break halfway through each stint - I never buy fuel, food or drink at MSAs.

[roadtester]

Truckers tend to stop for their mandatory 45 mins after 4hrs 30mins - I do the same on long hauls but add a 5 min comfort break halfway through each stint - I never buy fuel, food or drink at MSAs.

I suspect it might be harder to avoid MSAs with so much else shut down - not that I'm expecting to do much in the way of long journeys anyway!

[IAN]

M25 all green at 8.30 a.m. !

Ian (M5 Driver)

[trickstat]

From home this morning, I could hear some traffic on the A1(M). Have yet to notice any movement in my own estate.

[Herned]

Just been out for my government-approved exercise. M5 about a quarter of normal traffic, local traffic is like Christmas Day

[WHBM]

Just to show what an impact TfL resequencing the signals at Tower Hill has done to traffic coming in from Canary Wharf, this was 0700 this morning

[someone]

But the only way long-distance journeys are feasible is if there are facilities to buy food and drink.

Yes, hauliers need them too, but you would need strict security measures to keep other travellers out.

Eh? I do plenty of 400-mile days where all I stop to buy is petrol.

Unless you pack all your food and drink, and only stop when you buy fuel, it sounds like you could be exceeding a 2-hour driving limit without a break.

You can still take breaks without buying food and drink.

And, as you say, you can take your own snap. Personally I always carry of bottle of water, even it just walking around the corner to the local shops.

As I always plan my petrol stop to avoid paying excessive prices, I have only stopped at motorway service fewer than a dozen times. One of those was a specific trip (Aust, to go to the Seven Bridge viewing area), one was to use the toilet (again at Aust), and every other time was to take a break for various reasons where I never even left the car park.

Stopping them selling food will have almost zero impact on stopping people driving long distances in spite of the lockdown. But it would make it much more dangerous for lorry drivers.

Unless you are in a regulated profession, the normal advice to take a break every two hours is just a guideline. It does not benefit everyone the same. It is very important to know your own limits and to take a break when tired, and plan to take them before that happens. Aside from the danger to yourself, you could be charged with dangerous driving if you endanger others by failing to take appropriate breaks.

For some people this may mean stopping more frequently than every two hours, especially those not used to driving longer distances. Other people may be able to safely driver for longer. The type of road (motorway or windy B-roads) and conditions (rain or heavy traffic) also require different levels of concentration and energy. So strictly adhering to a regular time interval can be just as dangerous. Do not assume dividing a journey into fixed two hour segments makes it automatically safe.

My experience tells me what I can safely handle. In the beginning that meant planning very regular breaks in my journeys, but over time that expanded and now I do not plan them at all. If necessary I will stop in a layby, car park, or even turn off into a residential street to take a break.

[trickstat]

Just been out for my government-approved exercise. M5 about a quarter of normal traffic, local traffic is like Christmas Day

I'm just back from mine. The A1(M) looked much quieter than usual, especially southbound, but my guess is there was more than a quarter of normal traffic for about 11.00 on a Tuesday. I did think there were more private cars heading in and out of Letchworth than I would have expected. Nobody should need to go further than Baldock for food, for example.

[Keiji]

As a slight aside to the coronavirus impact on levels of traffic, does anyone know if/how it's affecting road improvement projects? Such as the A14, or any other ongoing schemes at the moment? Crossrail and HS2, while not road projects, would be interesting to know about too.

On one side, you could ask the question, is road construction an essential service, and one could argue not. On the other side, if staff take all necessary precautions, with so little traffic about it could be the perfect time to do certain works. I think someone mentioned earlier this thread about Scotland closing a bunch of motorways, possibly for works?

[someone]

I don't live near my parents, who are self-isolating as they are over 70 or have other health conditions, can I drive to them to deliver a food shop?

It is "unlikely" police will be pulling cars over just for driving, Mr Gove said. So as long as you leave the shopping outside their door it should be fine.

Can I go for a drive to blow the cobwebs away?

"It is unlikely anybody will be pulled over by the police just for driving," Mr Gove said.

Gove does not seem to actually know the answers, though I guess he is offering himself as an excuse to use (especially if you have groceries with you) should you get stopped.

[StockburyRoundabout]

M25 all green at 8.30 a.m. !

Ian (M5 Driver)

Even the Dartford Crossing is green - That NEVER happens (except at night)
These are truly strange circumstances.

[Big L]

Gove does not seem to actually know the answers, though I guess he is offering himself as an excuse to use (especially if you have groceries with you) should you get stopped.

Gove has “had enough of experts”, which explains the quality of his interviews today.

[Rambo]

Last week traffic was very light coming home from work in the centre of town. I'd say up to 50% less. However this morning at around 10 am traffic looked the same as yesterday despite new measures in place.

[Bertiebus]

One of my friends lives close to the A259 in Sussex and commented this morning that it's 'eerily quiet'.

I noted that it's what the world sounded like from the beginning of time until only around 110 years ago.

[Fenlander]

With less traffic on the roads my god those birds are noisy in the trees, I normally only get to hear them late at night.

[Helvellyn]

One of my friends lives close to the A259 in Sussex and commented this morning that it's 'eerily quiet'.

I noted that it's what the world sounded like from the beginning of time until only around 110 years ago.

That depends where you are. Cobbles and steel horseshoes in cities made quite a racket.

[trickstat]

Last week traffic was very light coming home from work in the centre of town. I'd say up to 50% less. However this morning at around 10 am traffic looked the same as yesterday despite new measures in place.

Perhaps the big drop-off hasn't happened yet because there were still lots of people this morning who hadn't been told by their employer not to come in yet and thus they don't dare stop coming in.

[jervi]

As a slight aside to the coronavirus impact on levels of traffic, does anyone know if/how it's affecting road improvement projects? Such as the A14, or any other ongoing schemes at the moment? Crossrail and HS2, while not road projects, would be interesting to know about too.

On one side, you could ask the question, is road construction an essential service, and one could argue not. On the other side, if staff take all necessary precautions, with so little traffic about it could be the perfect time to do certain works. I think someone mentioned earlier this thread about Scotland closing a bunch of motorways, possibly for works?

Crossrail construction has been suspended. https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/civi ... 4-03-2020/
The bulletin released yesterday for the M23 SMP only included closure information for Monday & Tuesday works, instead of the whole week. However they didn't carry out any closures during Mon-Thu last week, so that may not mean anything. I would say I hope that the M23 SMP is completed shortly after the final weekend of "full" closures which is this weekend, but since not many people will be traveling, I guess it doesn't make any difference.

[Piatkow]

Local traffic at 15:30 yesterday was at Sunday morning levels. It was only that busy because a London train had just come in.

[solocle]

It's not super quiet out here in North Dorset, but quieter for sure. Went out for my day's cycle, included a mile along the A30. One van overtook me, no other vehicles approached from behind. There were more going the other way, however.