The A 12's Backed Up Again, But Why?

[David H]

Until the 2000s I used to whizz up the A12 from Romford to Colchester without slowing down below the speed limit nearly all the way. Last time I used it it was backed up to Harold Hill and didn't clear by Chelmsford so i turned off, and when I risked it today heading to the coast it was a lot better, but suddenly hit a wall at Hatfield Peverel, where I left (for nothing, you can't go anywhere useful from there), and carried on to Witham and went round the back roads east. I saw the road a couple of times passing by and it only cleared just south of Colchester. The only clue was an ambulance passing us but there were plenty all over Essex that day so may have been a red herring. Does anyone have a way of not just finding current jams but earlier ones to find what caused them starting with today's?

[Buenchico]

Click the links here:
http://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/Current+Affairs/Travel+&+Transport/Road/A12

[Buenchico]

Hmmm

Loking again at that link, it seems that clicking through to the Highways England website doesn't work (because the incidents have cleared). However anything which was picked up by the media is liely to retain valid links.(So look at the light type to see where those links go to before clicking on them)

[Buenchico]

PS: Knowing (from your previous posts) that you're interested in old buses and old road signs, have you ever travelled a bit further up the A12 to the Ipswich Transport Museum?

They've got plenty of buses
http://www.ipswichtransportmuseum.co.uk/
and a few old road signs:
http://www.ipswich-lettering.co.uk/museumtrnspt.html

[Old_Geezer]

Evening all. 'ello 'ello 'ello, what have we here ? "without slowing down below the speed limit nearly all the way" ? Hello sir, may I have a word ?

[EDDIE51]

The A12 is one of the most congested roads in the UK now.
The clue is in your question 'until the 2000s' there has been a LOT of development in the area in the last 17 years but the A12 has not been improved at all. It is almost at a continuous standstill now.

[naomi24]

Eddie, // It is almost at a continuous standstill now. //

That's not true at all. It gets a bit congested around the Chelmsford turn-off at times, but in the main it's a good, fast road.

[EDDIE51]

^The A12 also has more than it's fair share of speed cameras so if you do find it without much traffic don't try to exceed the speed limit !
I live in the area by the way which is why I know the road.

[naomi24]

You live somewhere near Cambridge, don't you Eddie? That's what you said when we were talking about Corrie McKeague's disappearance - and that's nowhere near the A12.

[EDDIE51]

I drive to Colchester and other places frequently and use the A12.It has become much more congested in recent years.

[HansUrbancka]

It's my guess that the A 12 could to come to a standstill with the road works planned for the next few months.

http://www.traffic-update.co.uk/a-roads/a12.asp

Hans.

[Hopkirk]

Go on Google maps and enable 'traffic' to see where the slow flow is. People with an app called Waze report accidents, and even if you don't have the app they still show see the reports.

[Hopkirk]

Sorry, I don't know what happened there.

I meant you still see the reports even if you don't have the app.

[TWR]

Glad I'm out of it Hop, I hear about it, I read about it, I know about it, nice to know I've been there, have a safe one.

[Hopkirk]

The good thing about the modern technology is that you can check traffic flow on your route before you set off, and change your plans to avoid big events. As I drive for a living this often is a huge help.

[TWR]

A long time since the Cummings / Gardeners Hop, you were posh if you had a radio.

[Hopkirk]

Yes, I missed the 'good old days'.

[David H]

I said I didn't need to go below the speed limit, ie I was on the speed limit. I think my grammar was adequate. Oddly the traffic reports online include stuff up to a year old, and seem to randomly save some and wipe others within hours of the event. On the way LBC said traffic was backing up from Gants Hill when I was a mile west, and it was fine (for the first time in years). My phone often pops up local weather and traffic conditions but wouldn't be looking when I was driving and once you hit the jam is too late. I want to use it once more this year and hope it doesn't require a lengthy detour for the third time in a row.

[Hopkirk]

Radio traffic news is hopelessly out of date. Many times I have been on a free running road while hearing it has dreadful traffic problems.