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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think the reason UK holidays can be shit is not the weather but the traffic?

398 replies

MrsBede · 20/08/2021 21:51

....and it's much worse this year?

I went from the Midlands to North Wales a couple of weeks ago and it took twice as long as it should have both there and back. Just got back from London and it took about 90 minutes longer than it should have. For both these trips it wasn't just one delay, but several unrelated ones - for the former every step of the journey pretty much had long delays. For London it's just the M1 - that was slow going there for a long stretch and on the way back my SAtnav recommended a detour and that had delays too.

As well as this, my city is being dug up here there and everywhere - I can think of about 5 different local routes that all have roadworks on them and ensuing delays - one was the bloody slip road when I finally got off the motorway today!

It just spoils everything - we're going to Hampshire for a few days next week and the thought that the 3.5 hour trip is likely to be more like 6 is really putting me off and I half feel like cancelling, which is very unlike me indeed. I certainly expect some delays when going longish distances but AIBU to think this year has been worse than ever, and it's not fair! (Yes, I'm tired and very pissed off...)

OP posts:
Badbadbunny · 22/08/2021 07:41

@yummumto3girls

Travelled back from Lake District to Devon yesterday, took 9 hours. Roadworks a lot of the way, why oh why roadworks in August! I nearly lost the will to live….😫
The roadworks on the M6 are lasting years, so it's not just "August" - they're semi permanent, year after year. The smart motorway "upgrade" means lanes are closed for years as they do the whole length rather than just the areas they're working on. Crazy due to congestion it causes but it means they don't have to change where the closures are.
Badbadbunny · 22/08/2021 07:44

[quote DysmalRadius]@beigebrownblue

THANK YOU!!! The information you've posted is really helpful, and I am now in the throes of researching a sleeper train for my youngest son's birthday which he will LOVE! Where will you be going when you do book? (Not that I'm going to copy you because you're such an awesome travel guide or anything... Wink)[/quote]
Be warned, the EustonScotland sleepers are notoriously unreliable. Almost on a weekly basis, one of them can be delayed several hours or cancelled. Th e Paddington or Kings Cross ones are more reliable.

topcat2014 · 22/08/2021 07:45

I took a short expensive train whilst on holiday so dd got to see a real live one rather than heritage.

As a realistic means of transport outside of people who want to live and work in major cities trains are pointless and prohibitively expensive

User7458 · 22/08/2021 08:32

DS uses trains and has no car, but he is single, lives in a rented city centre flat and works within a mile of his home so for him it is probably easier and cheaper but for most families it wouldn't be. We live in a town of about 30,00 people and don't have a railway station within 5 miles and bus stop is quite a walk from station if we bussed to it.

User7458 · 22/08/2021 08:33

that's 30,000 people

DysmalRadius · 22/08/2021 08:58

@Badbadbunny

Thank you too! I was randomly putting in departure and destination stations and marvelling at the choice, so that's definitely a good way to narrow down the options!

TheatricalGiraffe · 22/08/2021 09:12

@Lemonsyellow

So someone please tell me why he'd spend £271 on a return train fare when the car will cost maximum £50

But the car doesn’t cost £50. You need to include a proportion of the cost of the car - many thousands - insurance, MOT, servicing, breakdown cover, etc.

Insurance is £350 for the year, Service is about £250 again for the year Breakdown and MOT I don't need to pay as it's a new car (well it's 2 years old now). The breakdown cover was included for three years when we bought the car.

So... what's that £600? Which works out at less than £2 a day for the upkeep (excluding fuel)...Still not seeing the benefit of spending £271 on ONE train journey..

derxa · 22/08/2021 09:14

But let's be honest, the city solicitor who chooses to live rurally is not the same as the farmer dragging sheep out of ditches. Confused

DinosApple · 22/08/2021 09:23

The trick is to leave home at 3am.
It's tough, and not popular, but that means theres a lot less traffic and you're there for breakfast.

We've been to Cornwall, Wales and Northumberland like that and live in East Anglia.

Frazzled2207 · 22/08/2021 09:30

@lannistunut

Stop driving everywhere, your car is part of the problem.
I agree with this generally but in a pandemic it seems the more sensible option

Anyway OP I agree entirely. I am in greater Manchester and have family in north Wales and have been shuttling between both a fair bit this summer and it’s way worse than previous years
Traffic is getting worse anyway plus now you have people not wanting to get public transport and not able to go abroad which has made it much worse

Hrpuffnstuff1 · 22/08/2021 09:42

The volume of traffic is high, however, rubbernecking, lane hopping incorrect navigation all cause traffic issues.

It's often remarkable when finally passing an area of congestion, there's actually nothing happening other than people being in the incorrect lane to exit a motorway or gawping at a broken down HGV/car or an accident.

ConstanceGracy · 22/08/2021 10:18

Nope.. definitely the weather.
Had two holidays cancelled so only done a few weekends away this summer holidays and I really miss the sun and change of scenery.
Really wish we’d booked something else abroad and not wasted time off here in the cloudy and wet U.K.

newnortherner111 · 22/08/2021 11:01

I do not have a car. I hire one for some holidays, often at the destination or nearby, as it can be half the price or less than hiring in London. The issue is that about 25% of people have car licences who should not, and many of the 75% have cars far larger than those they took their test in. No-one in an urban area needs a Chelsea Tractor, and if they had to re-take their driving test in one or have a normal size car, I know what most would choose.

Badbadbunny · 22/08/2021 14:42

@Hrpuffnstuff1

The volume of traffic is high, however, rubbernecking, lane hopping incorrect navigation all cause traffic issues.

It's often remarkable when finally passing an area of congestion, there's actually nothing happening other than people being in the incorrect lane to exit a motorway or gawping at a broken down HGV/car or an accident.

It's also remarkable that a lot of areas which are congested literally every day is down to bad road/junction planning, which could have been avoided with slight road modifications. Such as at, say a crossroads with one lane, that's taking traffic going left, right and straight on and where the left direction is blocked due to a pedestrian crossing or another junction, so all traffic is held back, even those wanting to go straight on or turn right which are free-flowing. A simple bit of widening and a left hand lane would release all the other traffic. Simple, but even small thing like that take a decade or so to get done (which should have been done in the first place if the traffic planners designing the road had half a brain!).
Moonface123 · 22/08/2021 15:16

Going on previous threads where holidays appear to be more vital

than oxygen, is there anyone on MN who has actually enjoyed theirs ?
Because l have yet to read a positive post.
Even before people have gone away we've had the ' Its going to be shit, I've changed my mind," nonsense.
We have become a nation addicted to complaining.

PaperMonster · 22/08/2021 15:27

@Moonface123 - had a flipping amazing UK holiday this summer! Glorious weather and lots to see and do!!

Etulosba · 22/08/2021 15:28

and many of the 75% have cars far larger than those they took their test in.

Is this really an issue? You probably won’t because you don’t own a car, but most people are likely to have a hell of a lot more valuable driving experience than they did when they took their test.

Do you really believe that people should not be able to drive a car longer that than they took their test in?

Thadhiya · 22/08/2021 15:39

@lannistunut

Stop driving everywhere, your car is part of the problem.
Yes, the great British transport system means getting a bus then a train then a bus then a train then another train then a cab to your accommodation is the best way to travel.
Amboseli · 22/08/2021 15:39

We prefer trains for long distances. They are expensive but we book well in advance and have a friends and family Railcard which makes it a bit cheaper. The DCs get carsick on long car journeys. And it's nice to be able to sit at a table and chat/read/eat etc.

We've done a couple of overnights, London to Glasgow and London to Penzance which we all really enjoyed.

We seem to have been very fortunate to not have suffered delays and we can afford them.

This year we went to Majorca and were glad we did having heard about people's experiences of UK holidays.

Let's hope overseas travel next year is more 'normal' and everyone who wants to is able to go abroad.

lannistunut · 22/08/2021 15:45

@User7458

Covid restrictions were in place for everyone.

Some roadworks got done in the first lockdown, people could go to work if they couldn't work from home apart from certain sectors like non essential shops and hospitality. They probably didn't do them because it was 'the wrong time of year' or some excuse like that, road repairs always seem to be do in July /August.

Yes, some could be done, but there were covid restrictions, so things took longer. Having to maintain some distance, travel separately, not share equipment all make work take longer.

Plus many staff were diverted to more critical activity e.g, emptying bins - because bin staff were also working under covid restrictions.

Plus staff were isolating due to either infection or contact. Lack of staff reduces how much work canbe done.

They don't not do them because it was the wrong time of year, they have a lot to get through.

lannistunut · 22/08/2021 15:47

@derxa

But let's be honest, the city solicitor who chooses to live rurally is not the same as the farmer dragging sheep out of ditches. Confused
Why the face - this is about needing a farm-standard vehicle vs a regular car.
igelkott2021 · 22/08/2021 16:00

Not read the full thread but yes. When I visit my mum it's about 3 hours usually - maybe a bit more depending on how often/long I stop for.

Last time we went (early August) it took 5.5 hours!!!!

I imagine it's been even worse this weekend as the M4 was closed/restricted for "smart" motorway works.

And parking is often/always a nightmare.

Why are you all being sheep and travelling at the busiest times to and from popular locations because my mum lives in Devon. Can't do much about that. Of course people could stop all going to Cornwall and blocking the roads for those of us visiting aging parents...and we wanted to go early August because there was a 10k race I wanted to do. You do have a point though - why is everyone going on holiday in August when they don't all have school-aged kids and aren't married to teachers?

igelkott2021 · 22/08/2021 16:01

road repairs always seem to be do in July /August

yes apparently everyone has the entire summer holidays off and doesn't have to get anywhere Confused

igelkott2021 · 22/08/2021 16:02

@Etulosba

and many of the 75% have cars far larger than those they took their test in.

Is this really an issue? You probably won’t because you don’t own a car, but most people are likely to have a hell of a lot more valuable driving experience than they did when they took their test.

Do you really believe that people should not be able to drive a car longer that than they took their test in?

No but it is a fact that people cannot drive (and more to the point park) their massive SUVs properly
igelkott2021 · 22/08/2021 16:03

is there anyone on MN who has actually enjoyed theirs

haven't booked to go on one - between Brexit and covid, the hassle versus enjoyment ratio seems to be firmly on the side of hassle .

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