Escape lanes on UK roads.

I’m sure that theere was a gravel filled escape lane on the A465 near Glyneath BITD. A very quick Google suggests that there are none left in the UK. Has anyone ever had cause to need or use one?

Five up in a Fiat Panda coming down from Bwlch yr Groes from Bala it would have been useful. Likewise coming down the Col du Telegraph in the world’s worst Fiat Punto laden with camping, biking and kayaking gear.

Some near Bakewell I think.

I had to use one on my road bike once. On the 25% Lynmouth Hill descent in Devon, after boiling my (Sram) brakes whilst carrying heavy panniers full of camping gear.
That was 2015 or so. Can’t confirm if it’s still there.

A169 in North Yorkshire heading down from Fylingdales moor into Sleights has one.

Quite a few on the steep descents on Exmoor, Porlock Hill and Contisbury Hill for two.

IIRC there used to be one on the A217 (Reigate hill) and another on the M5 maybe – when my Nan and Grandad lived nr Plymouth we used to regularly go down for weekends and I vaguely remember one on the way.

Sort of one here in High Wycombe
24 A404
https://maps.app.goo.gl/jDXAyhgyYNPQbNrF6

Berriedale brae

On The A6 Taddington, installed after a Coach crash in 1978.

Theres a second one on the A9 just north of Berriedale mentioned above – on the descent northbound to Dunbeath.

There’s one westbound on the A69 just outside of Brampton

Yay, good to know. I’m near Plymouth at the moment, I’ll keep my eyes open.

One dropping down towards Burnley from Rossendale – the gravel runoff is there but it’s not signposted anymore.

Thread of the week?

There’s a soft escape bed on the A46 heading towards Bath. It was gravel, but it was covered in grass/weeds last time I went past.

Haul Rd down to Coulport still has one. Several inside Coulport itself. The Haul Rd heading to Faslane also used to have one but it’s just been left to nature now (interesting given the traffic on that road)

“There’s a soft escape bed on the A46 heading towards Bath. It was gravel, but it was covered in grass/weeds last time I went past.”

Now you mention it- yup, I think I’ve seen it in the last two/ three years.

A59 down past Beamsley to the Bolton Abbey roundabout still has one, I think.

There’s one on Whickham bank in Gateshead. I drove past it today thinking “it’d be an absolute arse to end up in there”.

Definitely a couple on the A6 between Buxton and Bakewell. Inpass them from time to time both in the car and on the push bike.

Here’s the A46 one dropping down into Batheaston:

Theres one on the big ring road that leads into the port of Dover. I think its because its a ring on an incline and used by trucks coming into the port, so in case of brake failure.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/51%C2%B007’34.3%22N+1%C2%B019’37.7%22E/@51.1263002,1.3269139,57m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m4!3m3!8m2!3d51.1261944!4d1.3271389

One here still 🙂

https://maps.app.goo.gl/by6fcW3vHosoX2Uy7?g_st=ic

Magic stuff, cheers.

Maybe I could somehow make a map of them. Dunno why, but maybe it’s doable.

See plenty of them on my travels with work, most are poorly maintained though so look like just a clearing. A lot are on roads that have had weight limits put in them to negate the need for them, the Tumble between Blaenavon and Govilon has one by the hairpin from when it was a HGV route but it’s now got a 7.5t limit so it’s been left abandoned is one example. There’s also a brand new one on the Heads of the Valley road on the new dualling of Clydach Gorge too.

One on the A66 on the westbound slip down to the A685 at Brough.

There’s one in Pembroke. Installed after a squaddie driving a tank transporter had to crash into several trees, breaking his legs, to avoid smashing into a community centre.
I think some oil tankers (wheeled not floaty!) have had near misses there too.
Bottom of the B4319.

Maybe I could somehow make a map of them. Dunno why, but maybe it’s doable

Try looking at them in OpenStreetMap and then seeing how they have been tagged.  If they have all been tagged the same then you can probably create something using uMap (i I haven’t used it, i used to use mkgmap but that was for Garmins)

Yup the one in Dover is still there, three in Folkestone too I think, two on roundabouts as you enter the top of the town from Capel and Hawkinge and one on Capel hill itself

A52 at Froghall, just NE of the B5053. Needs weeding

Not in the UK, but there’s a massive gravel trap as part of the 24 hour circuit just south of Le Mans on the D140. Been used quite a few times.

@nickjb 🎼now that’s what I call an escape lane/gravel trap🎶

There’s one on the A44 Fish Hill as you come down towards Broadway. Pretty overgrown these days but it is signed.

Crawleyside Bank in Stanhope Weardale has a couple. Site of a tragic coach crash (walked past the memorial plaque last weekend)
Also on the B6309 at Ebchester.

My nearest one is turning into a small forest, can’t remember if it had been bushwhacked last time I went past.

I wonder if the maintenance has been passed to local councils as it would be easily missed if you were in trouble.

B6478
https://maps.app.goo.gl/xzkQ86MgS4vYQugD9

Waddington fell, forest of bowland

If you’re going to map them, maybe you could do it whilst visiting each by some novel means, perhaps by bicycle, and broadcasting your adventures on youtube. Then publish a plush coffee table photo book, followed by a series of calendars, an appearance on The One Show, fame, wealth and glory.

A20 near Brands Hatch is the first one that comes to mind.

Ride across them all on a fat bike?