Peculiar (Pointless?) Escape Road

[tom66]

I was in Basingstoke recently, a town near to where I grew up, and noticed this:

https://www.google.com/maps/@51.2668519 ... ?entry=ttu

There's an 'escape road' for high vehicles, just after the exit. Doesn't provide much in the way of escape? It seems like a very peculiar addition and I'm wondering if there's another reason it might have been there and it's just been repurposed since. Looks like it goes back to at least 1999, before this area was redeveloped with the new shopping centre.

[Bryn666]

I was in Basingstoke recently, a town near to where I grew up, and noticed this:

https://www.google.com/maps/@51.2668519 ... ?entry=ttu

There's an 'escape road' for high vehicles, just after the exit. Doesn't provide much in the way of escape? It seems like a very peculiar addition and I'm wondering if there's another reason it might have been there and it's just been repurposed since. Looks like it goes back to at least 1999, before this area was redeveloped with the new shopping centre.

It allows traffic to avoid a 6'6" bridge, it's very similar to the lanes in France signposted as "hors gabarit" to allow high vehicles to avoid a car only underpass.

[Owain]

As it stands at present, it looks like it enables high-sided vehicles to avoid the low-hanging trees. Are the trees perhaps protected?

EDIT - Just seen Bryn's post about the bridge. So maybe they just don't cut the trees because they add an extra deterrent to prevent running into the bridge!

[DB617]

"ape Road"
"gh Vehicles"

You just know that would feature in the careless driving defence of a driver who didn't notice the signs...

[WHBM]

Just seen Bryn's post about the bridge. So maybe they just don't cut the trees because they add an extra deterrent to prevent running into the bridge!

What an interesting idea. Network Rail could be on to something there ...

[tom66]

I was in Basingstoke recently, a town near to where I grew up, and noticed this:

https://www.google.com/maps/@51.2668519 ... ?entry=ttu

There's an 'escape road' for high vehicles, just after the exit. Doesn't provide much in the way of escape? It seems like a very peculiar addition and I'm wondering if there's another reason it might have been there and it's just been repurposed since. Looks like it goes back to at least 1999, before this area was redeveloped with the new shopping centre.

It allows traffic to avoid a 6'6" bridge, it's very similar to the lanes in France signposted as "hors gabarit" to allow high vehicles to avoid a car only underpass.

Yes, I get that much, but why wouldn't such a driver just... not take the slip road? (Which is clearly signed.) Are there so many high-sided vehicles mistakingly taking this slip road, that then within the space of 30 ft decide not to and rejoin the carriageway? The "ape Road ... gh Vehicles" sign ( ) doesn't clarify the height either, so if you've missed the height signs and taken this slip, it's not going to do you much good.

The only thing I can think it being useful for is if the police needed to reverse out a high vehicle, then rejoining the carriageway would be marginally easier given the dedicated slip... But that does seem like a bit of an unusual case.

[fras]

And here is the low bridge.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/1YmXmhThAcdzYwBBA
If you follow the road past the escape lane, you come to a T-junction where all must turn right, and then come to the underpass.
If you turn left, (virtually of course, using GSV !), you come to another low bridge)

[FleetlinePhil]

I was in Basingstoke recently, a town near to where I grew up, and noticed this:

https://www.google.com/maps/@51.2668519 ... ?entry=ttu

There's an 'escape road' for high vehicles, just after the exit. Doesn't provide much in the way of escape? It seems like a very peculiar addition and I'm wondering if there's another reason it might have been there and it's just been repurposed since. Looks like it goes back to at least 1999, before this area was redeveloped with the new shopping centre.

It allows traffic to avoid a 6'6" bridge, it's very similar to the lanes in France signposted as "hors gabarit" to allow high vehicles to avoid a car only underpass.

Since dug out to a slightly more generous 7'3", it appears.

Sorry, I've crossed posts with fras, it seems.

[tom66]

I was in Basingstoke recently, a town near to where I grew up, and noticed this:

https://www.google.com/maps/@51.2668519 ... ?entry=ttu

There's an 'escape road' for high vehicles, just after the exit. Doesn't provide much in the way of escape? It seems like a very peculiar addition and I'm wondering if there's another reason it might have been there and it's just been repurposed since. Looks like it goes back to at least 1999, before this area was redeveloped with the new shopping centre.

It allows traffic to avoid a 6'6" bridge, it's very similar to the lanes in France signposted as "hors gabarit" to allow high vehicles to avoid a car only underpass.

Since dug out to a slightly more generous 7'3", it appears.

Sorry, I've crossed posts with fras, it seems.

If I recall correctly it was dug out to allow small vans to fit through, possibly for deliveries or to run a small minibus service. I've never seen a van attempt it but in theory a small Transit could fit under here though it would be tight (SWB Transit ~2.07m?)

It probably came about at the same time the Festival Place entrance was reworked to give two traffic lanes in one direction, to reduce queueing at the lights up the road. There would be no escape for a vehicle taller than 1.9m (the prior restriction) with the new configuration (no exit back onto Eastrop Roundabout) as the car park had a 2.1m restriction on entry. So vans making deliveries via the car park would be stuck unable to get out.

[MotorwayGuy]

Reminds me of this in Huntingdon, which exists to allow large vehicles to bypass the low underpass. This was added when the link road to the A1307 was added, but the "emergency lane" existed before, presumably due to the police/fire station entrance being located there originally. Strangely there was no right turn prohibition there before the lights were added.

There is also this one on the Southern approach to the Blackwall Tunnel, which should be pointless as any over-height or prohibited vehicles should have turned off onto the same road here a few yards further back. If the height sensors are tripped, the signals change to red so the illiterate driver can be escorted up instead of smashing into the tunnel mouth.

[RichardA35]

It allows traffic to avoid a 6'6" bridge, it's very similar to the lanes in France signposted as "hors gabarit" to allow high vehicles to avoid a car only underpass.

Since dug out to a slightly more generous 7'3", it appears.

Sorry, I've crossed posts with fras, it seems.

If I recall correctly it was dug out to allow small vans to fit through, possibly for deliveries or to run a small minibus service. I've never seen a van attempt it but in theory a small Transit could fit under here though it would be tight (SWB Transit ~2.07m?)

It probably came about at the same time the Festival Place entrance was reworked to give two traffic lanes in one direction, to reduce queueing at the lights up the road. There would be no escape for a vehicle taller than 1.9m (the prior restriction) with the new configuration (no exit back onto Eastrop Roundabout) as the car park had a 2.1m restriction on entry. So vans making deliveries via the car park would be stuck unable to get out.

I'm struggling to see any changes other than a new sign having different heights. Even though the subway has been tiled, the retaining walls show the same height. It may just be that someone has actually gone to site and measured the headroom properly. It would be a major undertaking to excavate an underpass in the manner suggested.

[tom66]

I'm struggling to see any changes other than a new sign having different heights. Even though the subway has been tiled, the retaining walls show the same height. It may just be that someone has actually gone to site and measured the headroom properly. It would be a major undertaking to excavate an underpass in the manner suggested.

It's possible there was no actual height change, but you can see the reason for the restrictions change here:

Pre 2010: https://www.google.com/maps/@51.2652146 ... ?entry=ttu

Bidirectional access road, so no issue 'escaping' after leaving a max 2.1m car park.

Post 2010: https://www.google.com/maps/@51.2652039 ... ?entry=ttu

Bidirectional road has been replaced with two lanes of unidirectional traffic and the car park exit is only via the underpass now.

Interesting in the pre-2010 example the signage has two height warnings, one for each bridge? Surely you'd just sign the lowest of the two, if you don't make it through the 6'6" bridge, there shouldn't be any worry about the taller one.

[WHBM]

There is also this one[/url] on the Southern approach to the Blackwall Tunnel, which should be pointless as any over-height or prohibited vehicles should have turned off onto the same road here a few yards further back. If the height sensors are tripped, the signals change to red so the illiterate driver can be escorted up instead of smashing into the tunnel mouth.

There have been multiple attempts at dealing with overheight vehicles at the Blackwall Tunnel (which a few years ago were averaging five vehicles per DAY), and with each one the previous measures are left in place. The disruption caused, even though full time officers are on hand to direct such vehicles rapidly, is immense, and it is not unknown for the congestion from one to not be cleared when the next happens. SatNav systems that cannot differentiate between direction and show the greater southbound clearance are just one of many causes unearthed. The best solution in terms of minimising congestion (as opposed to stopping them approaching in the first place, which seems insoluble) is the most recent, with the looped left hand lane on approach.

That's just for overheights. Off-topic here (maybe one for a separate thread) are all the other blockages - running out of fuel, attempts by cyclists (including apparently a serial offender), and other stuff makes for an interesting day for the team.

[trickstat]

There is also this one[/url] on the Southern approach to the Blackwall Tunnel, which should be pointless as any over-height or prohibited vehicles should have turned off onto the same road here a few yards further back. If the height sensors are tripped, the signals change to red so the illiterate driver can be escorted up instead of smashing into the tunnel mouth.

There have been multiple attempts at dealing with overheight vehicles at the Blackwall Tunnel (which a few years ago were averaging five vehicles per DAY), and with each one the previous measures are left in place. The disruption caused, even though full time officers are on hand to direct such vehicles rapidly, is immense, and it is not unknown for the congestion from one to not be cleared when the next happens. SatNav systems that cannot differentiate between direction and show the greater southbound clearance are just one of many causes unearthed. The best solution in terms of minimising congestion (as opposed to stopping them approaching in the first place, which seems insoluble) is the most recent, with the looped left hand lane on approach.

That's just for overheights. Off-topic here (maybe one for a separate thread) are all the other blockages - running out of fuel, attempts by cyclists (including apparently a serial offender), and other stuff makes for an interesting day for the team.

I was once a passenger in a coach in the northbound tunnel when a vehicle broke down. I must admit I didn't enjoy the 15 minutes or so before we got moving again (it was about 7am). I can imagine it would be pretty traumatic for someone who is truly claustrophobic.

[wallmeerkat]

There is also this one[/url] on the Southern approach to the Blackwall Tunnel, which should be pointless as any over-height or prohibited vehicles should have turned off onto the same road here a few yards further back. If the height sensors are tripped, the signals change to red so the illiterate driver can be escorted up instead of smashing into the tunnel mouth.

There have been multiple attempts at dealing with overheight vehicles at the Blackwall Tunnel (which a few years ago were averaging five vehicles per DAY), and with each one the previous measures are left in place. The disruption caused, even though full time officers are on hand to direct such vehicles rapidly, is immense, and it is not unknown for the congestion from one to not be cleared when the next happens. SatNav systems that cannot differentiate between direction and show the greater southbound clearance are just one of many causes unearthed. The best solution in terms of minimising congestion (as opposed to stopping them approaching in the first place, which seems insoluble) is the most recent, with the looped left hand lane on approach.

That's just for overheights. Off-topic here (maybe one for a separate thread) are all the other blockages - running out of fuel, attempts by cyclists (including apparently a serial offender), and other stuff makes for an interesting day for the team.

It looks like there are 3 escape routes from Blackwall, that road, a further slip https://www.google.com/maps/@51.4963649 ... ?entry=ttu, and another offslip - https://www.google.com/maps/@51.498725, ... ?entry=ttu

Q - what is the point of the traffic light here? https://www.google.com/maps/@51.498725, ... ?entry=ttu was this once a turning circle?