Vixen Q.
1/5
I cannot find words to say how much I hate my experience driving your motorways. I don't know who thought variable speed limits, all those years ago, but they are the worst thing that have ever happened. I have been driving for nearly 30 years, 10 of which as a lorry driver, in the 90's the roads had traffic and we had traffic jams at certain times of day, so we knew when to avoid those area's and leave earlier. Now we sit in traffic jams all day everyday, especially on the M25, because for some reason you lot think that going at 40 miles an hour works. Let me tell you this. It DOESN'T. You put the speed limits to that and the entire motorway comes to a halt. You then get back to 60 and the traffic clears. Thanks to this stupid set up my daughter and I and probably loads of other people, missed the All Blacks match in Cardiff yesterday (2.10.15). We live in Crawley in West Sussex and we left at 14.00 to get to a match that kicked off at 20.00. We had to be there by 7 at the latest, as we had park and ride tickets and it takes 25-30 mins to get to the stadium. It normally takes 3-3 1/2 hours to get there. Everything was running great until we hit junction 13 on the M25 and there were speed limits. The traffic came to a stand still. We checked, there was no accident and no road works, just traffic, Caused by you. We finally got off the M25 and onto the M4, at about 16.00. We thought great, we'll get there in time, then it started again. 40 miles an hour. It cleared every now and again, when the speed limit went up to 60 and then stopped again when it went back down to 40. We finally reached the bridge, not the toll booths about 18.45 and we were still in traffic. It then took another 45 mins to get through the toll booths and the traffic was so backed up that the other side was almost at a stand still, we knew we weren't going to make it. By the time we would have got through all that, got to the park and ride, got on the bus and then made our way to the stadium, we would have missed the match. Oh yeah I forgot to mention, we are both disabled and use wheelchairs. We decided that there was no point going any further and turned around and started home. We normally stop on the way, but because we thought we were going to be late, we stayed in the car and drove through. To give a comparison, we went up there the day before to watch the Wales match and again on the M25 we got caught in traffic, caused by variable speed limits, but because the M4 didn't have any, we got there in time, by about 45 mins. I usually love driving and enjoy going places, but lately it has become an absolute nightmare, all because of the way the motorways are controlled. My daughter has different appointments around the country to go to different hospitals and we know we have to give ourselves at least an extra hour or so, to get there on time. It never used to be this bad, but now it is out of control. If this is what the so called smart motorways are going to be programmed to do, then driving to places is never going to be easy again. It say's 'Variable Speed limits, making your journey safer and easier'. They make our journeys hell, cars breakdown and then accidents happen. The only time you should use these is when there is a hazard. I challenge your bosses to go onto the M25 and drive through all the speed limits and then see just how much aggravation they are causing. Because of this the one event I have been waiting for, for years has now been completely destroyed and I actually broke down in tears in the traffic jam and I have been crying on and off since. So thank you for that and if I thought I could I would claim compensation, I would. Word for advice LEAVE THE TRAFFIC ALONE, WE WORK FINE WITHOUT YOU. I am also sending an email to the management and the transport minister. I am not letting this go and I'm pretty sure I can get plenty of support.
