Sadlers Farm, A13 and A130

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simonjm1
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Re: Sadlers Farm, A13 and A130

Post by simonjm1 »

goalhanger wrote:I wouldn't expect you to do anything ! Thats not why we're posting . It s good to know if anyone knows the reasons stuff is being done or when it will be finished. Also good sometimes to know someone else agrees with you.
Not being a 'roadie' I must say I can't understand why some things were done and why some things are being done now . As an example the lane markings don't seem to make sense to me but I am quite open to hear more experienced viewpoints .
It is also interesting that after 68mil. its as bad as ever :-(

In total agreement...have these Birse guys or whoever is attempting to improve the road ever done a road project before,they give the impression its their first time!!

and its more like 7 seconds...the time of the lights staying green on E bound a13...

the lanes around the sadlers were obviously done after lunch...
Runwell
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Re: Sadlers Farm, A13 and A130

Post by Runwell »

Obviously not, as they did them overnight this week, having completed the final surfacing of the roundabout (starting with the inner ring, then working roughly clockwise to complete the exits). Until that was all complete, that was the reason for one of the three/four lanes of the roundabout being coned off for a couple of weeks.
No issue with the markings at all, except perhaps for one of two of the destination markings applied a bit too prematurely in places, but only a minor gripe. Easy to follow.

I can't comment religiously on the lights, as I don't use the junction every rush hour. Remember though it is a busy junction from all directions, despite the relief road taking much of the traffic away from the new look roundabout. Eight seconds is usually enough to deal with the traffic, and whenever I go past, it's normally only going back as far as the top of the Sadlers Farm bridge. A couple of hundred yards is a slight bit better than the regular 4-5 mile queues from before Five Bells, that are now a thing of the past.
It's also a possibility if queues have got longer recently, it's due to traffic held up at the Stanford-le-Hope roadworks, as delays seem to remain throughout the rush hour despite the daytime lane closure removed before the rush begins.

As for Tarpots, yes I agree, one of the unfortunate improvements of the wider/safer lanes on the A13 from Sadlers is the reckless racers, and an occasional Police van with speed gun in the bus stop is only a short term solution (I'd have cameras both ends to enforce the 30, would make a fortune). The rest of the scheme is fine though. Remember the lights scheme (which I still think works quite well) is designed with long term planning in mind. There is no way on congestion and safety grounds that the mini roundabouts could stay, both at Tarpots and the Sadlers gyratory. Coming out of Rushbottom Lane is far safer and quicker than it ever was at peak times.

Yes, ECC and Birse (who have done loads of schemes and still are) have cocked up big time on the delivery of the scheme and should be taken to task for all the delays to the project. However the impact of the improvements have gone far better than even I expected.
Runwell
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Re: Sadlers Farm, A13 and A130

Post by Runwell »

Fenlander wrote:Are they still on target to get it all finished in time for the (Rio) Olympics?
Even that doesn't look likely at the current rate of progress. That said, in the last week it does look like it's near the end, with the Sadlers Farm roundabout surfacing (apart from Church Road, the final area requiring dressing) complete and the beginning of finishing works around the project catchment area.

Not much left to do b/w along the A130 (still 50 atm), apart from a few minor lighting and snagging works in the central reservation, and a little completion works south of the Rayleigh Spur roundabout. S/b looks like they just need to complete some outstanding fencing, barrier and signing works, although still a fair bit of work going on from the relief road exit down to Sadlers along the verges.
N/b the final barrier works north of Sadlers Farm are now underway which should complete that section. Lane 1 is closed off again after the bridge all the way upto Rayleigh Spur, as they complete the new footway from the layby to the start of the Rayleigh Spur slip, including refurbishing part of the existing footway. Also plenty of work still to do down at the culvert beside the Rushbottom Lane subway under the A130 and the new footway that will go from there up to the layby.

The retaining walls are now completely bricked up along the link road b/w. It looks like all they have left to do s/b is complete the walls above the retainers beside the business park, and n/b complete final fencing above the retaining walls. The last section of varioguard along there is due to be removed next week, so hopefully NSL is not far away.

Alongside the A13 lots of work going on w/b up to the Church Road subway on upgrading the emergency road between Canvey and Pitsea, which looks near completion.
The 50 e/b restriction now starts before the Pitsea exit, and the lane 4 closure (into the link road) has now been moved forward to just after the Pitsea on-slip. Apart from the massive mountains of rubble and spoil slowly disappearing from beside the road (same beside SF works HQ), and some minor barrier works, not much to do there.

Little works outstanding on B1464, mainly final works to footways and entrance to business park, as well as work to footway around Sadlers to the A130 crossing. Bus priotity lights still not operational, and final surfacing of junction islands at roundabout still to be achieved.

Finally work along Church Road seemingly all but complete to the north and around the A13 bridge, aside from final surfacing. Underground works going on past cemetery on non-realigned section (part of one side of road completely excavated for some distance), and works now underway it seems to complete access to extended subway (hopefully Sunil it will reopen shortly).

Most work now seems to be focused across all bridges around project area - works to complete abutments (especially beside Church Road bridge) and bridge piers. That might take a few weeks, but hopefully by Christmas, all highway works will be out of the way, ahead of the final scheduled completion date of late January.
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Ritchie333
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Re: Sadlers Farm, A13 and A130

Post by Ritchie333 »

I drove through here yesterday. Still cones around, but traffic was free flowing. It was too dark to see anything else. Overall, no problems.

Other drivers, please note, the "50" signs are not an invitation for you to "stick it to the man" and go at 70, apart from improving safety it makes the traffic flow more manageable.
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Sunil_of_Yoxley
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Re: Sadlers Farm, A13 and A130

Post by Sunil_of_Yoxley »

Thanks for the updates!
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michaelbri
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Re: Sadlers Farm, A13 and A130

Post by michaelbri »

so here we go again,can anyone shed any light as to why the A13 Eastbound has lost another lane between pitsea and Sadlers ? The inside lane is now coned off (noone working on it) til just past the new church road bridge.There is scaffolding on the support of the bridge.Now putting 2 and 2 together is there a problem with this part of the bridge that makes it unsafe to drive past ??? It really leaves you thinking the worst.The result is tailbacks last night til Five Bells.Another problem,just when you think its all coming together.
Ps like the new zig zag lanes at Sadlers,bet that wasn't in the original plans :o
goalhanger
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Re: Sadlers Farm, A13 and A130

Post by goalhanger »

Don't know about Pitsea to Saddlers but at last they have revised the lanes towards Tarpots from the West . So much better now the RH lane is for turning right ! Maybe they under estimated how many people turn right there .
By the way the Underpass in Benfleet by the train station is being closed over Christmas to repair the bridge so Saddlers will be a little busier than normal with it being the only way on/off the Island.
I live near the station and its going to be uncannily quiet on the roads during that time.
michaelbri
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Re: Sadlers Farm, A13 and A130

Post by michaelbri »

goalhanger wrote:Don't know about Pitsea to Saddlers but at last they have revised the lanes towards Tarpots from the West . So much better now the RH lane is for turning right ! Maybe they under estimated how many people turn right there .
By the way the Underpass in Benfleet by the train station is being closed over Christmas to repair the bridge so Saddlers will be a little busier than normal with it being the only way on/off the Island.
I live near the station and its going to be uncannily quiet on the roads during that time.
it seems we are in the ever decreasing lanes again from Pitsea to Sadlers,we seem to be permanently down to two now with lanes 1 and 4 closed,at this rate there will be one.What on earth is going on here.The Sadlers bridge seems to have the same problems of having a lane closed ,often at rush hour.
hopeless :roll:
bobbob
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Re: Sadlers Farm, A13 and A130

Post by bobbob »

michaelbri wrote:
Ps like the new zig zag lanes at Sadlers,bet that wasn't in the original plans :o
Whoever decided to put that in, well....... I can't find the words for the stupidity of it. It was bad enough when people pushed in from the right hand lane when they should have been carying on to Canvey. Now you have the situation of driving at the correct speed and being overtaken on the inside and being cut up as you try to follow the zig zag.
I am not a nervy driver but I find my stomach twisting into knots as I approach that part now as I know I am in the correct lane to follow the roundabout to go to London Road but that I am in danger of being hit from people who can't, or won't, read the road.

My husband was talking to the crew who were changing the arrow marks towards Tarpots. Apparently the Essex Highways had over a thousand complaints about the junction so they changed it.

I thought these improvements were supposed to ease the flow so that local Benfleet traffic was easier. We still have queues of traffic going past our house from about 15:00 every day, more near misses and people leaning on their horns. It is also more difficult for us to get off our drive as we can no longer use the roundabouts to double back when it's busy.

We do now have street lights back on though :thumbsup:
Runwell
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Re: Sadlers Farm, A13 and A130

Post by Runwell »

michaelbri wrote:so here we go again,can anyone shed any light as to why the A13 Eastbound has lost another lane between pitsea and Sadlers ? The inside lane is now coned off (noone working on it) til just past the new church road bridge.There is scaffolding on the support of the bridge.Now putting 2 and 2 together is there a problem with this part of the bridge that makes it unsafe to drive past ??? It really leaves you thinking the worst.The result is tailbacks last night til Five Bells.Another problem,just when you think its all coming together.
There's nothing wrong with the bridge! Otherwise traffic wouldn't use it! They are merely putting finishing touches to the piers and probably the abutments.

That may not be the reason lane 1 is closed, although I only went through the junction on Thursday for the first time in a few weeks, before peak rush. This could simply be to help traffic joining from Pitsea, looking to use the new link road, to merge safely across the lanes? As Ritchie said a few posts back, since the works restarted, more drivers than not are easily flouting the 50 limit (and no doubt exceeding NSL), and I know from experience doing the 50 along there when just lane 4 was shut, how awkward it was to shuffle lanes safely, and avoid scores of late brakers or the prospect of drivers undertaking. Indeed, I was often having to pull into the correct lane very late (but not too late obviously) because of the recklessness of others. A pity the active speed checks from the main time period of works have not been followed up. The same thing happens going from the A130(S) down to the link road split.
I'd rather some minor congestion in the short term rather than a nasty shunt caused by the idiocy of others. And on that front, the sooner cameras are up down to Tarpots, the better.

I can't comment on the zig zag lines if they have only been implemented in the last three weeks at the roundabout.

And I cannot comment on peak time flows down to Tarpots, only to confirm, from Sadlers, lane 2 is marked turn right lane, with lane 1 straight ahead and left. Turned into Rushbottom Lane but can't remember if lanes 1&2 at the lights now both go straight ahead? There are temporary signs every few hundred yards stating the new lanes to use. No doubt once people get used to them things will run smoothly.
Runwell
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Re: Sadlers Farm, A13 and A130

Post by Runwell »

As for the main project, I am not sure now if they will complete all highways works ahead of next friday's festive shutdown, and looking at some of the off-network stuff that appears to need doing, I really don't think even a late January finish is likely now...

A130 looks as good as done for most of its length. Some incomplete barriers works at the Rayleigh Spur end and minor landscaping down to the link road. Excavations now being filled in across the central reservation, but not sure yet if lighting is now active along A130? Works to footway from North Benfleet Hall to the current footway around the Rayleigh Spur junction are complete, although as per before, still to finish work on the footway from the layby back to Rushbottom Lane subway, where the culvert remains half finished (signs of a small pumping station being built on the reseidential side of the subway however). Final barrier work almost complete s/b from the link road to Sadlers, and final signing also now being installed. Likewise n/b from Sadlers to the new bridge, remaining barrier and associated works almost complete. Still 50 b/w.

The link road retaining walls are now fully bricked up and scaffolding removed. Aside from landscaping the embankments, looks more or less done. Lane closures have shifted from lane 1-2 since my last visit, as they now complete excavation work in the central reservation, and final works to the lighting columns. Still 50 b/w. Still a little work to do to various bridge abutments along that short stretch as well.

A cycle path running parallel to the Canvey slip around Sadlers, and along the w/b A13 to link up with the new Church Road subway, is close to completion. Still some minor landscaping/snagging works to complete from Sadlers to the merger with the link road. E/b work to create mound and station for patrol vehicles just west of the Church Road bridge is mostly complete. Still work to do both ways to complete abutment works to the bridge however. Most of the rubble from beside the e/b A13 is now removed, but still a fair bit left to clear, and to landscape the area.

B1464 Still has some outstanding kerbing, surrounding footways and landscaping works to complete on the approach to Sadlers. I understand next week the detector loops for the new bus filter lights will be installed across the junction, so the last set of lights may finally be going live before the Christmas shutdown.
Still some big mountains of spoil and rubble at the works HQ. They will do well to clear all those by January 31st...

Lastly to Church Road, where reconstruction of the last untouched bit of road to the SE of the new bridge is well underway. Kerbing complete on the A13 side, which is coned off and controlled with 24/7 lights. No work yet to the other side of the road, but guessing next week work will start on the other side? Full final/resurfacing of whole road, both sides of the bridge, still outstanding. Emergency access route parallel to the A13, off Church Road, nearly complete, along with cycle lane as previously mentioned. Subway still shut, but looks like they are getting ready to reopen it, as the work on the emergency exit adjacent to the southern mouth of the subway approaches its conclusion.

Hopefully ECC will provide breakdown of outstanding work next week, ahead of the two week sabbatical. Really cannot see it being done by January 31st though. We shall wait and see...
bobbob
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Re: Sadlers Farm, A13 and A130

Post by bobbob »

Now I know its getting close to Christmas and everyone is out shopping so traffic will be busy. The improvements to the Sadlers Farm and Tarpots junctions was supposed to stop situations like this.

Image

Image

It has been pretty much like this all day, took these at 16:00. Anybody know if there has been any incidents as there has been quite a few sirens throughout the day but nothing on the travel reports? Or it is just a sign that maybe the junctions are not quite working properly yet?
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echowarning
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Re: Sadlers Farm, A13 and A130

Post by echowarning »

I live in E17 now, but when I used to live in Hawkwell, any trip that required a jaunt towards the Dartford Crossing always resulted in a good long think about which would be quicker, B1013 - A127 - M25, B1013 - A127 - A130 - A13 or B1013 - A127 - A128 - A13.

Since the new junction has been opened to traffic heading A130S - A13W or A13E - A130N, the journey has pretty much become a breeze.

I don't think anything will really sort out Tarpots - there is simply too much traffic that wants to reach South Benfleet, Thundersley, Hadleigh etc using the A13.

Birse and ECC are absolutely half-wits at times, but to blame them for the A13 clogging past Sadlers seems a bit unfair.

The A13 loses it's primary status at Sadlers anyways, so by rights, it should be local traffic only - and there is a *lot* of local traffic.
Runwell
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Re: Sadlers Farm, A13 and A130

Post by Runwell »

Indeed. This is a clogged up area with little room for major transport upgrades. I am sure the queues at Tarpots are partly down to the newly revised lane layout, partly due to the overwhelming success of the Sadlers scheme (lest we forget the nightly queues on the A13 past Five Bells to the mini roundabout dodgems and numerous prangs) moving traffic towards Tarpots much quicker.
It is also caused by the level of traffic avoiding the long term works at Stanford on the A13, taking the A127 instead and then the A130 down to Sadlers and on to Tarpots, disrupting normal traffic flow, and something that could continue for almost another year.

The Tarpots scheme was also just as much about safety and long term traffic management as it was about congestion. It is now much easier, safer and less complex to use, particularly for those not familiar with the area. Coming out of Rushbottom Lane is no longer a dice with death, as it was before.
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Re: Sadlers Farm, A13 and A130

Post by Runwell »

Well, it's the holiday period, all lane restrictions removed (except for the short bus lane along the B1464) until January 7th, and for the first time since late 2010, the A130(S) is back to NSL! :D How nice. Although signs (just like during the Olympic shutdown) are conflicting n/b from Sadlers and from both the end of the n/b link road and descent from Sadlers Hall Bridge, that also appears to be NSL again.
There is still a very small amount of snagging work to do within the A130 central reservation, some tidy up and outstanding signing works to do, and the completion of the footpath from the extended Rushbottom Lane subway to the A130 layby, it's close to completion.

Link roads are still 50, but only minor landscaping, outstanding fencing and abutment works appear to remain now. A13 is NSL again up until the link road split, when it drops to 50 again. Work on the Church Road abutment is now finally complete. Still some reconstruction work left to do along part of Church Road, and final surfacing, along with finishing works to escape road and final work to reopen subway. In addition, final surfacing still outstanding to the cycleway beside the A13 w/b from Sadlers, so there will be some more restrictions in the New Year, albeit only for 2-3 weeks.
Finally the B1464 lights at Sadlers are still covered up, but other than that, just final footway surfacing and kerbing left to do pretty much. Looks a possibility the Birse site may not be turned back into greenbelt, but taken over by an HGV firm. We shall see on that one...
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Re: Sadlers Farm, A13 and A130

Post by Runwell »

Well the works returned this week, along with all the previous lane and speed restrictions, so the s/b A130's brief return to NSL has temporarily been suspended.

Very much a case of the final strait now however, late as it is. Next week it looks like they will be completing work along the footway around Sadlers and the B1464. Final work to the abutments along the link road are also taking place, along with completion works to bridleway from the Rushbottom Lane subway to the A130n/b layby. The cycleway from Sadlers, briefly parallel to the A13w/b is having final surfacing done atm, and the emergency access route next to it is also getting final surfacing and fencing works done to it atm. Resurfacing work finally takes place in Church Road next week to complete works in that road, albeit the subway is still currently closed. Otherwise it seems just a few snagging works in the centre of the A13/A130 and that is that. Oh, and activating the bus priority lights on the B1464.
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Re: Sadlers Farm, A13 and A130

Post by Runwell »

Hoorah!

As of yesterday (slightly later than the revised Jan 31 deadline due to the weather) all lane restrictions have been removed, and everything is back to NSL, apart from the n/b A130 slip from Sadlers (they are doing some overnight works along the A130(N) this week so presumably once these are done the 50 restriction will go) and the A13 e/b from the link road split, over the bridge and onto the roundabout - looks like this might be permanent to prevent a nice shunt over the bridge and down to the roundabout?

And how lovely to use the link road this afternoon for the first time at NSL. Smooth. :D

The project is not fully up and running still, for the new bus priotity lights on the B1464 are still covered, but it should be sorted within the next couple of weeks. They still have outstanding pavement and kerbing works to complete along there too, as well as signage works on the s/b A130 approaching the roundabout, and still some minor work to a few of the abutments, but that looks to be it on the highways side of things. Church Road is now fully resurfaced after eighteen months of raised ironworks in places.

Shockingly it is going to be a few MONTHS yet before they fully complete everything. The Church Road subway is still closed, although the entrance to it and the access road parallel to the A13 just require final surface treatment and then should be ready. They are also now finally starting to construct the final bridle/cyclepath from the Rushbottom Lane subway to the layby beside the n/b A130. In addition they are just adding the final fencing and planting around the site, clear the remaining rubble/spoil beside the e/b A13 and works site, including final walls/fences at the Sadlers business park beside the link road cutting, and final screen fencing along Church Road.
The works site HQ along the B1464 will be turned back to green belt as the application for an HGV training centre on the site was rejected.

So by the time the project is finished it is going to be well over a YEAR since the original deadline for the 18 month scheme!
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Re: Sadlers Farm, A13 and A130

Post by Runwell »

Passed through today, and the A130 north from Sadlers is now upto NSL also, which just leaves the A13 over the link road bridge, although given the NSL sign that was moved 90 degrees is facing traffic again (despite 50 signs still in the ground) that restriction should be gone soon. Still overnight closures or restrictions for 1-2 nights on most of the roads to/from Sadlers. Not sure how long these are going on for?

The bus priority lights on the B1464 are now in operation, and it seems the sequencing of the lights around Sadlers have changed again, as I managed to get round three sides of the roundabout this afternoon without a red light.
Still the off-road works adjacent to the subways etc to sort out, although signage works on A130 appear to be complete, and all that looks left to be done highways wise is to complete the works to the kerbing/footway around the Birse HQ, which they already appear to be turning back into green belt, despite plenty of other works still do do.
michaelbri
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Re: Sadlers Farm, A13 and A130

Post by michaelbri »

Just to put a few comments.for someone who was incredibly critical,I would like to say its now working fine.however tarpots seems to be no better than years ago southend bound from sadlers at peak time.this is impacting on the roundabout as light fazing has to continually be chaanged.there my prediction in their being no or very minor time saving on my journey from thurrock to benfleet with 6 roundabouts is correct.however those going 127 bound have the biggest savings.they clearly got their traffic route predictions wrong. Tarpots junction needs looking at properly ,I realise there is very little option,but I would put roundabouts back in with lights fazed correctly for peak hours .if the developers get there way and 1OO0 of homes are built in benfleet,we are going to need another scheme as benfleet will grind to a halt .
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Re: Sadlers Farm, A13 and A130

Post by multiraider2 »

Went fully around the new large roundabout for the first time last Wednesday from the B1464 to back and, in the day time, (apart from unnecessary hold ups at signals that should really be part time) it all looks good. I had actually gone half way round before realising I was at the site of this junction.

Went back following someone else from B1464 to the A130 north and the bus lane at the entrance to the roundabout there does make for a bit of tight weaving.

Later going back home from A130 south to A13 west and the new free flow route makes it all so easy and non-stop. I will be going to Rayleigh this way in future, rather than my normal A127.
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