# Road Conditions North South?



## cater_racer (May 1, 2005)

I'm in Chester at the moment (Wednesday Morning) but am booked on the Saturday 14:00 Dover Calais ferry.

I'm thinking that I'll try to get down to Caterbury on Friday, via the M6, M1, M25, M2.

Is this shear folly? I'll ask the AA, but does anyone have more direct experience?


----------



## TR5 (Jun 6, 2007)

That's a 64,000 dollar question!

It certainly is a no no today, but who knows what Friday brings!


----------



## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

At the moment the M2 and A2 are well salted and Ok to get to Dover.


----------



## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Hi Cater

Can't help much, except with what I can see out of the window.

About six inches of snow and the main A442, which has had the snowplough and *looks *passable.

The significant factor is the lack of traffic. At this time in the morning we would have to wait for a gap in the traffic stream, sometimes long enough to get me cursing  , but since I started typing this reply to you there hasn't been a single vehicle going past.

I can't remember it being so quiet, so there has to be major problems somewhere nearby - even if our bit is passable. :roll:

Not a good omen.

Dave


----------



## chapter (May 1, 2005)

this may help see here
chapter


----------



## bazajacq (May 26, 2009)

we have the same problem , we are in norfolk , and have ferry booked for tomorrow night from dover , hoping the m11 , m25, m2 will be ok . thing is , should we stay or should we go ?


----------



## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/travelnews/local/motorways.shtml

M20 has problems with the snow by the looks of it so we are lucky this time (at the moment)


----------



## Wizzo (Dec 3, 2007)

I live in Nottingham and work in Bingham virtually on the A46 Newark to Leicester road. Very little snow so far this week (about an inch at most) although some more northern parts of Notts have been affected badly.

Might be worth you considering coming east via A50 and travelling more down the eastern side? This could change though!

JohnW


----------



## dinger (Jul 30, 2007)

*snow*

I have just travelled from J8 M20 up to M25 then through the Dartford tunnel, all running ok , but just two lanes.

More snow forecast for this afternoon so that could change things dramatically.


----------



## flexable54 (Apr 16, 2009)

*north south*

Hi just me aware its just as bad if not worse in FRANCE I cant get out of my Home & have just had 3 of our Truck Drivers phone me 1 is in Cherbourg & the Police will not allow him to leave 2 others Have been taken of the Motorway near ST Lo & parked in a compound with 20 other Trucks for their own safety  
Good Luck :lol:


----------



## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

chapter said:


> this may help see here
> chapter


This is more useful for traffic info - it's saved us fruitless waits on the M.11 several times now.

http://www.highways.gov.uk/traffic/traffic.aspx


----------



## bozzer (Jul 22, 2009)

We are booked on the St Malo ferry on Sunday.
We've decided to cancel and rebook, but there's the problem. When do we rebook for?
Only charged £10 for changes to booking but thought this the best option at present.
The forecast for our area is no snow today but sofar we've had a couple of heavy showers and now snow flurries.
We are in the happy position of retired so can easily change.
Safe journey to all

Bozzer


----------



## cater_racer (May 1, 2005)

Thanks everyone!

I'll keep a weather eye (getit?) on the situation and use the :http://www.trafficengland.com/motorwayflow.aspx

Which seems the best info.

I'm retired too Bozzer, and the ferry would be easy to fudge but I've got a string of stop-overs booked from next Tuesday onwards across Spain and Portugal to the Algarve

I'm using Aires until Bordeaux then campsites after then.

Once I'm down there I've got 5 weeks booked on sites before comming back in March.


----------



## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

I'd go for it Cater.

It's not like being in the car if you did get stranded.

You can have a pee and a cuppa, or even a meal with no problem - other than fending off other stranded motorists looking on with envy!! 8O :lol: 

Just off on holiday you will have provisions in the fridge, and could add a few more just in case.

Yeah - give it a go! :wink: 

Dave


----------



## bozzer (Jul 22, 2009)

Go for it Cater

We have a 200m track to dig out and it has 8in of snow on it. Then when we are out the roads are bad enroute to the Motorway.

We have a rally booked for 20th Feb so no pressure there and we have not booked en-route campsites.

Have a good trip.

Bozzer


----------



## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

M 20 blocked but M2 A2 looks Ok today
http://www.theaa.com/traffic-news/index.jsp


----------



## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

The M20 is blocked West bound due to a incident not the snow so that will clear today then.
It is between J7 and J8

And 2 lanes blocked on the Coast bound due to jacknifed lorries.


----------



## BJT (Oct 31, 2008)

Get going pronto! Fill with food and bottles of water en-route and stop overnight when the driving gets too bad. Keep an eye on the bottled gas though and exchange in good time.
There are several CC and C&CC sites open all year en route where you can stop and hook up, buy gas etc. - Peterborough on the A1 is one and Cantebury has an aire, or the CC site at Black Horse Farm, Folkestone. You can always stay a couple of days near the port rather than risk missing the ferry and other bookings.
I will be heading for dover for the 31st Jan, and may leave here on the 29th just to make sure I get there slowly but in one piece rather than do it on one hop although it is only 140 miles! Stick to the French main roads which seem to be treated better than lesser ones, and the toll roads are treated best but at some cost for their use!!
Good luck, and bon voyage. :n00b:


----------



## sennen523 (May 6, 2006)

Hi locovan, Thanks for the Kent roads situation, please keep it coming.
We are due to travel to Canterbury on Sunday, then Eurotunnel on Monday. Here in Rhos-on-Sea (North Wales) there is very little snow.

Thanks.


----------



## Invicta (Feb 9, 2006)

Very heavy snow last night, "at last"! according to my 7 year old grandaughter whose school is one of many around here closed today.

I can see the A2 to and from Dover from my house. There is traffic on it, mainly lorries but much lighter than usual. I have just seen a gritting lorry going towards Dover. The main road through my village (Bridge) that used to be part of the A2 has not been gritted and no traffic at all has been up and down my lane.

From BBC web site: M20 Kent - *Two lanes closed and stationary traffic London bound , jackknifed lorry and fuel spillage between J8, Leeds Castle and J7, Maidstone, congestion to J9, Ashford*,

I have heard as Mavis has done that there are closures on the M20 due to a jacknifed lorry. My youngest daughter (BA Cabin Crew) is due in to Heathrow this afternoon from Houston, Texas. We are anxiously watching the weather forecasts and road conditions for her to get home to Canterbury.


----------



## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

sennen523 said:


> Hi locovan, Thanks for the Kent roads situation, please keep it coming.
> We are due to travel to Canterbury on Sunday, then Eurotunnel on Monday. Here in Rhos-on-Sea (North Wales) there is very little snow.
> 
> Thanks.


Ok I will as it has snowed again so conditions will change all the time but they are salting the roads very well.


----------



## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

http://www.highways.gov.uk/traffic/traffic.aspx

You have problems on the M1 coming down

We have had another 2inches of snow and It is snowing heavy now so there will be loads of problems today.


----------



## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

Traffic alert for A2 (both ways) - A2 Kent - One lane closed both ways , roadworks between Bridge and Aylesham , in Kingston

And visabilty on M2 is bad due to snow falling

Traffic alert for M2 (both ways) - M2 Kent - Snow and ice both ways at J4, Gillingham
Traffic alert for A299 Thanet Way (both ways) - A299 Kent - Blizzard, snow and visibility reduced on Thanet Way both ways at M2


----------



## 96706 (Nov 13, 2005)

Well done Locovan 

Who needs Kaddy Lee-Preston,






when we have the *gorgeous* Mavis :lol:


----------



## Wizzo (Dec 3, 2007)

Still no further snow here in Nottingham / Bingham. Main roads easily passable. If I was heading out from here would go A1 A14 M11.

JohnW


----------



## loughrigg (Nov 10, 2008)

locovan said:


> Traffic alert for A2 (both ways) - A2 Kent - One lane closed both ways , roadworks between Bridge and Aylesham , in Kingston
> 
> And visabilty on M2 is bad due to snow falling
> 
> ...


Just across the Thames from Mavis in South Essex we've seen very little snow since yesterday morning - I could see the very grey clouds heading towards north Kent so knew where some of the snow was going!

Temperature has dropped very sharply since midnight from around zero to -7.5c at 7am so plenty of black ice around. My wife had a couple of scares on the way to the station this morning where the road had iced badly between patches of salting.

I've got to drive about 30 miles in a couple of hours to baby-sit my brother's kids while he goes to a funeral - hopefully the roads away from the coast are OK.

Mike


----------



## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

cater_racer is just leaving so I wish him a safe journey and just take it easy and then he has France to contend with, a real nightmare for all of you travelling today.
At least Southern Spain will be warmer while we are all having this snow


----------



## 96706 (Nov 13, 2005)

Friend of mine ( a retired Copper) travelled down to Denia over the New Year. He emailed me last night to say how warm it was even till quite late in the afternoon. Shorts & T shirt kind of day . Lucky B. we thought :twisted:


----------



## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/travelnews/local/kent.shtml

http://www.bbc.co.uk/travelnews/local/motorways.shtml
Todays road conditions
M2- A2 -M20 all seem to be open but there are delays and care is needed but these things can change so keep checking.
The Traffic is moving from the M2 as I can see this from my bedroom window.
We have had a lot of snow overnight.


----------



## bazajacq (May 26, 2009)

thanks for your all your info locovan , travelled down from norfolk to dover yesterday evening and no problems , in calais at the moment and its very windy and cold , bit of snow about , going to head south in awhile , if i can get internet i will try and post conditions , thanks again


----------



## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

bazajacq said:


> thanks for your all your info locovan , travelled down from norfolk to dover yesterday evening and no problems , in calais at the moment and its very windy and cold , bit of snow about , going to head south in awhile , if i can get internet i will try and post conditions , thanks again


That would be great if you can for all those who are following you.
Have a safe Journey :lol:


----------



## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/travelnews/local/kent.shtml

11.45 am update says the A2 passiable

open affecting all driving lanes 
A2 Kent - Hazardous driving conditions both ways , ice and snow between Dover and Canterbury

Last updated: 9th January 2010 at 11:29

open affecting all driving lanes 
M20 Kent - Hazardous driving conditions both ways , ice and snow between J10, Ashford South and J8, Leeds Castle

Last updated: 9th January 2010 at 11:43

The Speeds at the Junctions of the M2 
Jct 1 67mph 
Jct 2 66mph 
Jct 3 47mph 
Jct 4 47mph 
Jct 5 34mph 
Jct 6 22mph Faversham the traffic is slow. 
Jct 7 30mph


----------



## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

The weather forecast has just been on and they predict long heavy snow later this afternoon, evening and night so the conditions will get worse.
It is snowing now and I cant see the traffic that comes off the M2 visablity is poor.


----------



## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

Travel updates and latest sailing information from P&O Ferries.
Dover-Calais

This is the update for 14h00 on Saturday 9th January 2010

Some of our sailings are experiencing delays of approx 90 minutes due to gale force winds.

Traffic is free flow into port of Dover.

For the latest travel updates, please call our dedicated information line on 0845 832 8888


----------



## wakk44 (Jun 15, 2006)

*Roads are treacherous*

The roads are in a dangerous state in the east midlands this morning,main roads gridlocked with traffic stuck on the ice.
http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/h...ing-Notts/article-1701371-detail/article.html

Just tried to venture out in the car but soon came back after seeing 2 close prangs with cars sliding on the black ice.

Just walked the dogs round the block and the worst areas are where people have cleared the snow from their drive and it has frozen overnight,it makes the pavement like an ice rink :x


----------



## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/travelnews/local/motorways.shtml

A2-M2 is ok so far.


----------



## bigbazza (Mar 6, 2008)

Wow, we have a Mavis Traffic.
Go girl


----------



## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

HMRC have told farmers that if they grit roads or assist stranded motorists whilst having red fuel in their tank they will face prosecution. They are able to grit their own roads or routes to assist animal feed deliveries and milk collection but nothing else. Good to see HMRC has got the right spirit for this national emergency.


----------



## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

rayc said:


> HMRC have told farmers that if they grit roads or assist stranded motorists whilst having red fuel in their tank they will face prosecution. They are able to grit their own roads or routes to assist animal feed deliveries and milk collection but nothing else. Good to see HMRC has got the right spirit for this national emergency.


Its the same as charging £250.00 to get your car back when they towed the Vehicles that got stuck on Bluebell Hill Maidstone and they towed the cars nearly 30 miles away to Queenborough Compound.

Its all so unbelievable when all they had to do was salt the Hill they know it is the highest point in Kent. 
But then they were told to cut down on salting the road.


----------



## bozzer (Jul 22, 2009)

How ridiculous of HMRC

Does this mean our farmer friend who we will probably need to help us get away on the 23rd Jan cannot tow us out. Or can we give him a cup full of our diesel then he isn't running on red diesel!!!

Help one another isn't something that government advocate. 

We wouldn't want to move today black ice. My brother called and said don't go anywhere - he'd been out in his Jeep and said the roads were bad the worst since the bad weather began. Our son was getting his vehicle out when his neighbour, a policeman, said don't try to move yet. He'd had to abandon his car.

We'll still have our friend tow us out if need be. After all he's only helping us get to our winter pasture - Spain

Jan


----------

