To think there really should have been a sign on the motorway?

[lilaccottagegarden]

Have been trapped on the m6 travelling south for two and a half hours and showing no signs of alleviating. DS (21 months) getting very upset.

Why on earth don’t they put some sort of warning up? From what I’ve seen on twitter it’s a junction closure so plenty of chances.

My sympathies.

It's too late for today, but whenever I drive any distance, especially on a motorway, I put my destination into Google maps (even if I know the way) as it gives you advance warnings of such scenarios and suggests and alternative route. It's saved me on many occasions - you might end up driving further, but it's quicker in the end.

google maps claims there has been a crash, but there hasn’t been. That’s what I’m annoyed about. Of course accidents will happen but a crash, even a nasty one, would have been cleared by now.

Which stretch are you on? I have travelled it regularly for 20 years between Cheshire and Cumbria and the electronic signs have always warned well in advance and even before joining when there is an issue

Approaching junction 33.

The M6 is closed southbound between 33 and 32. I was caught in it yesterday. Happening for 4 weekends in a row.

There is uproar about this locally.
I knew about it but from an event I was going to attend, rather than an official notification.

We were stuck on the M5 yesterday for about six hours… signage was non existent

Yes … I know that now, @randomchap

Do you use any sat nav apps like Waze? I always check before going on any motorway in case of problems (planned like weekend closures or unexpected like accidents). Obviously that doesn’t help if you’re already stuck though, hope you’re moving again soon!

We drove by there yesterday and there were signs up.

Full closure for bridge repairs for several weekends. I can't imagine why there are no diversion signs as the closures would have been planned for months

I like the Waze app for information about travel routes. Hope you are moving again soon.

I’m a bit worried as there are reports of people being here for ten hours plus, DS has nearly finished his drink.

From what I’ve seen on twitter it’s a junction closure so plenty of chances.

You're seeing that now @lilaccottagegarden because you’re checking your route….. while en route.

If you had done a cursory check on major roads before leaving, the same information would have been there

I don’t understand how some folk believe if they travel their usual route 52 weeks a year, that for all 52 weeks there’ll be no road closures

YABU

Well, me and everybody else then.

We used to drive to Cheshire quite often to visit family and were forever being caught in traffic. The worst one was when it took us 9 hours to do a 4 hour journey, most of the time was stuck between junctions, due to a lorry fire.

Things like that do happen and are really annoying.

My gripe here is that it was planned. All the highways agency need to do is to put a sign on the motorway.

I was stuck in it for 10 hours yesterday. There was no warning signs until about 2 miles from the closure - I’d been stuck 6 hours at that stage. The same return journey took 7 minutes. Google maps completely unaware of the issue, highways agency reporting delays of 75 minutes!!!
The lack of organisation is shocking!!

Thanks @Sclover0604 - did look on Google maps and nothing. We’ve been in it since midday. Awful.

Also the diversion simply cannot cope with the full weight of M6 traffic - it’s a single carriageway road through villages and is the only alternative route.

It's been known about for a couple of weeks. Signs up on the connecting junctions M55 since last week. I just wonder it they have only put them.up on the local junctions. Missing the fact lots of people get on north of Carlisle and stay on till wingan/ Manchester. Causing utter carnage again and it's uni moving in weekends and blackpool lights too, just making things worse.

We got on at the Lakes - nothing there.

I've been on this road today too, Google maps was showing as the road fully open, same as yesterday. It's a total mess. I knew it was closed, so disregarded the sat nav, but thousands of people are currently trapped with only an inadequate diversion route and no way out.

I really feel for you op, and hope you get through soon.

Google Maps hasn't been that reliable for road closures for us recently - including a full, planned M25 closure on the way back from holiday, with all the alternative routes it suggested feeding back into the closed section. No mention of the closure at all.

Interesting to read of another app to try instead.

There was planned closure on this stretch but strangely this morning local police posted on Facebook saying closure due to accident. Not sure if they reported wrong reason or if there was an accident before it was due to close so caused chaos?