Dumb slow motorways

[tazdevil]

Had to drive down to Heathrow and back from North Yorkshire in the last two weeks and the roadworks are most of the M1 now as they install new emergency pull in areas after realising that smart motorways aren't smart at all. Made the journey long and boring having to sit at 50mph on the speed limiter for hours on end. Anyway why do they have to cone of 50+ miles of motorway, with no work evident, when they could just do a 5 mile stretch then move on? Bit of a scam going on there!

[Paddy]

Had to drive down to Heathrow and back from North Yorkshire in the last two weeks and the roadworks are most of the M1 now as they install new emergency pull in areas after realising that smart motorways aren't smart at all. Made the journey long and boring having to sit at 50mph on the speed limiter for hours on end. Anyway why do they have to cone of 50+ miles of motorway, with no work evident, when they could just do a 5 mile stretch then move on? Bit of a scam going on there!

I just switch to cruise control, play some dramatic rock or classical music and enjoy. There's always extra entertainment of watching frustrated boy racers in their fast depreciating SUV's

[Chris Bryce]

I went to northern France last week and it reminded me how much I love their autoroutes compared to UK motorways. Excellent surfaces, fast toll barriers (I have a bip'n'go thingy) and any roadworks done almost on the fly with very limited lengths of coned off road (about 1km was the max).

I'd like to see that methodology applied throughout the UK motorway network. Yes, I'd be happy for it all to be tolled and charged for as it is in France.

[tazdevil]

Yes, when I was in Switzerland driving back on the French autoroutes was fast and a pleasure. Perhaps we do need to replace VED with road tolls which might have the effect of reducing unnecessary journeys. We also need to get the DfT to sort out the roadworks management and fix potholes properly!

[vetran]

Yes, when I was in Switzerland driving back on the French autoroutes was fast and a pleasure. Perhaps we do need to replace VED with road tolls which might have the effect of reducing unnecessary journeys. We also need to get the DfT to sort out the roadworks management and fix potholes properly!

Not surprisingly we at the bottom of the graph on road spending another thing we cut back on, if only we had cut bonuses for fat cats instead.

https://worldroadstatistics.org/many...road-networks/

[Zigenare]

I went to northern France last week and it reminded me how much I love their autoroutes compared to UK motorways. Excellent surfaces, fast toll barriers (I have a bip'n'go thingy) and any roadworks done almost on the fly with very limited lengths of coned off road (about 1km was the max).

I'd like to see that methodology applied throughout the UK motorway network. Yes, I'd be happy for it all to be tolled and charged for as it is in France.

What makes you think the income generated would be used to improve the motorway network?

[Chris Bryce]

What makes you think the income generated would be used to improve the motorway network?

Well, there's the problem. I dunno. Maybe set up something like SANEF? The French can do it, we could copy them?

[Zigenare]

Well, there's the problem. I dunno. Maybe set up something like SANEF? The French can do it, we could copy them?

Well we didn't use the French method with a TGV equivalent.

[WTFH]

Well we didn't use the French method with a TGV equivalent.

We used the French method with our power.

French method: EDF build power station. EDF is a nationalised company. Profits used for reinvestment in French energy supply.

UK method: EDF build power station. EDF is owned by French government. Profits used for reinvestment in French energy supply.