Motorways are not fit for purpose

[Brieandcamembert]

Four times in the last few weeks I've needed to go places on the motorway in different parts of the UK. Every time there has been some sort of delay. One time it should have been a 25 minute journey that took me 55 as I had to come off the motorway and detour. Another was a 20 minute jam for no discernible reason. I did a longer trip of around 100 miles and in that time there were 3 lots of congestion. A lorry hitting a car, a broken down car and a jam of 18 minutes caused by lorries overtaking and middle lane drivers clogging the whole system.

Tonight my satnav twice warned of traffic situations on my way to a friend's so I came off the motorway and was 20 minutes late.

I find it absurd that a motorway should work very effectively with people driving along in a straight line and periodically going around one another but actually you always need to allow much longer than you really need. I think volume of cars is a problem but I honestly think much of it is terrible driving. People driving too slow (55 ish) not overtaking properly and moving back in, then the tailgaters so they haven't got the stopping distance when things do happen.

It's starting to really annoy me that you can't ever just plan to anywhere.

Aibu to think a second part of your driving test on the motorway should be compulsory.

M25 is basically a carpark now. Every time I’ve needed to go in it we’ve had a crap journey. It’s a bonus if we actually get somewhere in the time it should take- always assume at least a 30-45 min delay.

Took us 12 hours to get from Cornwall to North ofEmgland.

Traffic jams the entire way apart from one 30 mile stretch. This wasn’t even in the school holidays..

I’ve done four trips of 200+ miles in the past month and haven’t been delayed by accidents - slightly by roadworks but not terrible.

But of course they’re ‘fit for purpose’ unless you could get where you wanted to go without the motorway in less than 55 minutes.

According to one website, between 2000 and 2020 the number of cars on the road went up from 27.2 million to 32.7 million. An increase of 5.5 million, which is roughly 20%. I'm fairly sure that motorway capacity has not increased in line with that.

Quantity of traffic is the problem. Which basically means every person driving a vehicle is part of the problem. However, many drivers seem to be in denial about that, pinning the blame on all the other traffic.

Not true, say the RAC. Undertaking needn't involve a lane change, and shouldn't be done unless in slow traffic queues.

Oh OP, are you suggesting that people who don’t have access to a motorway can’t get a license?
Everyone north of Perth should have a bike or a horse maybe?

That's certainly one option. Although I live rurally so bikes and horses do irritate me too...
I was however, more thinking that to be legally allowed to drive on a motorway you need to have proven you know how. Otherwise yes get a horse.

I've driven on five motorways today, all worked perfectly fine.
The drive up and down the busiest part of the M8 through Glasgow is a local road to me though, so a bog standard motorway seems like nothing in comparison.

It would be actively counterproductive here, as the only nearby motorway is two lanes with widely spaced junctions, whereas the dual carriageway is three lanes with some interesting junctions (although admittedly the bit they usually use in the test is only two).

Motorways are so much better than windy country roads!

I don't like smart motorways though and refuse to go in the danger/ ex hard shoulder lane.

If someone is middle lane hogging I just undertake them and give them the evil eye.

Some motorways are better than others though.

I hate the M1 and A1(M) and of course the M25.

But the M40, M6 toll, M6 in Cumbria and M74 are good drivable roads with great views! (And good service stations)

The M4 through west berkshire is torture.

Right hand lane, everyone pushing 90. Middle lane has a couple of tiny cars tootling along at 55. Left lane. Empty.

Every time I drive down there there's an accident. It's not the busiest stretch of motorway, but the standard of driving is a disgrace.

I do lots of motorway driving almost every day for work. When it goes wrong it's horrible. But most days it's fine. I'm not sure what any alternative would be.

It’s not the motorways that are the problem, it’s the volume of traffic on them. Build more lanes and the level of traffic will just increase to fill them. Spend the money improving the rail network to move more freight off the roads and making it a viable alternative to long distance driving for more people instead.

It’s the volume of traffic. I mostly drive on motorways in Scotland and the north of England and they’re fine (well, apart from the M8 obv, which is usually awful). I prefer to avoid driving south of Preston or Leeds as suddenly you hit the traffic and it’s pretty crap.

What we should be doing is investing heavily in public transport esp rail and subsidising tickets so that road journeys are less appealing.

Those bloody lorries struggling to over take each other and causing terrible tail backs. Especially on two lane motorways!

I've been on motorways a lot since the schools broke up (holiday plus visits to family) and I've spent hours sitting in traffic. Motorways no longer work for the number of vehicles that are using them.

Lots of 'phantom' hold ups are caused by bad drivers getting too close to the vehicle in front of them and braking sharply causing a chain reaction of everyone behind them to break , slow down and then sometimes stop . By the time the cars at the front have got moving there can be miles of tail backs.

couple of Weds ago? I was on my way from Birmingham to Somerset - passed that (5 lorry pile up) - felt so sorry for everyone in your direction - awful incident - M5 seems prone to them

I don;t mind motorway driving but I do get frustrated at people who use the middle lane the whole time

Yes ghosty, that's the one. There was a crash at 4am between a car and a lorry, then the pile up and hour later. If course they had to close the road and investigate (crash detectives on BBC iPlayer follows these guys, great watch!) but it fucked the entire area for hours. It was still awful on our return a few hours later! The M5 is generally awful for crashes.

The problem is that the alternatives are so expensive and too indirect. We drove our electric car that costs v little to charge and parked at the venue. Getting the coach or train would have been a lot more expensive with more connections. Cars are so convenient.

Oh dear, I was driving 55mph on motorway in last few days.... mixed right in with the lorries. Small car with large roof load. Didn't find motorways that bad. Not delayed.

In France there are times when HGVs are banned from motorways and the national road network. Mostly it's Saturday night to Sunday night but the times are extended from early July to mid-August and around Bank Holidays.