Do they ever consider the year of 15mph average speeds “to make traffic flow better” when deciding whether a smart motorway is a worthwhile investment?

Or if anyone has any tips on how to get from Loughborough to J27 in less than 1hr 45 that would be much appreciated? 🙂

Basically, no they don’t.

I can’t remember the last time I used the northbound M1 after Lobo due to that, luckily I only have to get to J21/22 to get home.

Is it not quicker to go out to the A46 then cut over the top of Sutton in Ashfield somewhere?

Traffic over the bridge at Gunthorpe has been horrendous when I’ve tried it, although even with that there’s not much in it despite it being 15 miles longer.

I suppose at least on the bit they’ve done already, you get some pretty signs displaying random numbers whilst you’re sat stationary with the handbrake on!

I don’t care – I make a decent living installing the electrical systems 😛

Try using the M60 anytime after 2pm……its a nightmare! I cant see how controlling the speed will make any difference at all. At best you get about 35mph.

Driving anywhere in England at the moment just isn’t easy! I had a 9 hour journey back from Norfolk on Monday. Absurd.

I can’t see how all this half arsed infrastructure will help in any way and i don’t have any suggestions i’m afraid other than spend boat loads on public transport!!

A year, M60 & M6 current road works are more like 2 years and they were directly on the back of other multi year epics.

I don’t think they taken into account the increased number of accidents either, seems a couple a week in the road works on the M6.

Surely average speed cameras like they use in the roadworks would have been faster and cheaper to install and more effective as well.

A60/A52/A610?

I think i need to work up to doing it on the bike, I’m sure I’ll be able to match the average speed (15mph ish) I’ve had for my journey over the last few weeks. Just not up to doing 50 miles a day right now

A60/A52/A610?

Just as bad at the moment, judging by the traffic reports and google timings –
both routes say typically 1 hour 40 for evening rush hour

I drive between Edinburgh and London from time to time and have now switched from the usual M1/M6 option to cutting across the A66 and down the A1M/M11 as it’s currently a fair bit quicker due to the sheer volume of roadworks on the M1 (including sometimes actually being shut during the night) and M6, especially given how long some of those stretches are.

It always sees that putting up congestion ahead signs when slowing traffic down to 60, 50 or 40mph is a self-fulfilling prophecy, because of course the traffic is all going to close up and become congested.
Or is there some sort of magik I’m missing here?

They’d decided to put up “lane 1 closed” messages for shits and giggles earlier – at least I presume that’s why as lane 1 wasn’t closed.

My brother drives between London and Yorkshire reasonably regularly. And to help with his sheer frustration with the M1, he has the Highways Agency on voice recognition speed dial so he can point out where they are being incompetent 😆

I believe they do calculate in disruption costs as part of the model. How accurately they can predict them or what £ they attribute to your inconvenience is unclear but they do have a formula for weighing up options.

Then they’ve messed them up for the M60/62 then as it’s 6 months overdue already, and they’re not confident that they can finish in the summer either.

I dont see the point in Smart Motorways with static cameras as people just speed back up between them. At least the average speed camera zones actually slow traffic.

Down here in the SW currently there are no smart motorways, when ever i drive on them around the country I am surprised by the speed restrictions being in place when the roads are relatively empty, its the classic H&S sign issue where if you use them too much they become part of the furniture and ignored.

I’d like it if with the smart motorways instead of slowing traffic down they sped it up, 80mph for the middle and fast lane, that would keep traffic moving…

The point of smart motorways is that they will increase the capacity of the road by packing vehicles in much closer. This will lead in a few years to a lane for autonomous cars – most cars already have the ability to follow the car in front by radar so it won’t be long before that technology is refined and good enough for a long line of cars travelling at exectly the same separation, with the driver controlling only the steering and probably soon not that either.

Have a look at this slick video to see how it will work for joining and leaving the flow of traffic: https://peloton-tech.com/

Down here in the SW currently there are no smart motorways, when ever i drive on them around the country I am surprised by the speed restrictions being in place when the roads are relatively empty, its the classic H&S sign issue where if you use them too much they become part of the furniture and ignored.

Depends on what you mean by SW! We have them on the M4 and M5 round Bristol. I think they work better than they did before the upgrade.