I noticed this morning at J31 M1 northbound that there are going to be roadwork/delays from January 11, 2007 for 11 months. I suspect the four lane project is going ahead on this section of the M1, coupled with the fact the cooling towers are coming down ... is this all connected? It has to be considerable project to last 11 months? Does anybody have any other information?

I have no further information, but i personally welcome the 4 lane M1. I have seen the health risk documents, and have lived within a mile of the M1/M18 junction and believe that this project will be a good thing for transport in the area.
I think the cooling towers should stay up though - drove past them the other night and the moon was just coming up behind them. It looked great.

I have no further information, but i personally welcome the 4 lane M1. I have seen the health risk documents, and have lived within a mile of the M1/M18 junction and believe that this project will be a good thing for transport in the area.
I think the cooling towers should stay up though - drove past them the other night and the moon was just coming up behind them. It looked great.
I too live within a couple of miles of J31 and think the 4 lane would be a good idea. Between J29 and J36 must be the most accident prone stretch in the country according to the Radio 2 traffic reports. The cooling towers are a Sheffield landmark and should stay, I agree!

There are arguments about pollution, but i have to say, what's more polluting; hundreds of cars stuck, engines running, for an hour every rush hour, or those same cars passing through within 15 minutes?

I cant see there being many delays, after all if they are widening, the majority of the work will be done on the hard shoulder. Luckily on that stretch there are no bridges to remove.


I do stick by my opinion though, theres only two ways to cut conjestion. 1: better public transport links. 2: teach people to drive on motorways correctly, instead of hogging the outside and middle lanes, when there is nothing on the inside

There are arguments about pollution, but i have to say, what's more polluting; hundreds of cars stuck, engines running, for an hour every rush hour, or those same cars passing through within 15 minutes?

Exactly. lets hope common sense prevails.

There are arguments about pollution, but i have to say, what's more polluting; hundreds of cars stuck, engines running, for an hour every rush hour, or those same cars passing through within 15 minutes?


We still haven't learn then, have we? Widening motorways leads to more traffic on them, so you still get the same jams but they're 33% more polluting due to more traffic in them.

We've been expanding the road network for the last fifty years, and never, not once, in any instance, has it led to an improvement in travel times. How much longer before people realise that expanding the road network does not improve travel times?

We still haven't learn then, have we? Widening motorways leads to more traffic on them, so you still get the same jams but they're 33% more polluting due to more traffic in them.

We've been expanding the road network for the last fifty years, and never, not once, in any instance, has it led to an improvement in travel times. How much longer before people realise that expanding the road network does not improve travel times?
Do you use the motorway network Heyesey??

There are arguments about pollution, but i have to say, what's more polluting; hundreds of cars stuck, engines running, for an hour every rush hour, or those same cars passing through within 15 minutes?

surely the cars that are stuck in the traffic are using less fuel as the speed is lower, as opposed to four lanes of traffic pootling along at 70mph?

More details here:

http://www.highways.gov.uk/knowledge/10575.aspx

surely the cars that are stuck in the traffic are using less fuel as the speed is lower, as opposed to four lanes of traffic pootling along at 70mph?

Less fuel per minute, yes, but they're there for vastly longer periods. The total amount of fuel a car gives out would be less if it never got stuck in traffic jams, but could travel constantly at 70mph.

Do you use the motorway network Heyesey??

Not if I can avoid it. Much more fun to take four hours to get to Luton by pootling around on country roads, than to take four hours by being stuck in a 3-hour jam from Leicester onwards.

I cant see there being many delays, after all if they are widening, the majority of the work will be done on the hard shoulder. Luckily on that stretch there are no bridges to remove.

They're currently widening the M1 past Luton, J10 to 6A - they've been doing that for about a year now and that's due to finish December 2008! And its truly a nightmare to get through at most times of the day. It routinely takes over an hour to cover a five mile stretch at rush hour.

You would think that it's just the hard shoulder that would be out of action but I don't think that's the case sadly.

Back to the point in question though, I think widening is the most realistic solution. With trains and busses so stupidly overpriced I don't think people will be leaving there cars at home in favour of public transport anytime soon.

I'd love to take the train, but if I buy a return ticket to London the day before I have to go it's about £110+, whereas if I take my car I can get there and back for £30. Granted there's tax, insurance and wear and tear but it's still far more economical for me to drive. Where's the logic? Come to think of it, I could probably fly there for alot less.

We still haven't learn then, have we? Widening motorways leads to more traffic on them, so you still get the same jams but they're 33% more polluting due to more traffic in them.

We've been expanding the road network for the last fifty years, and never, not once, in any instance, has it led to an improvement in travel times. How much longer before people realise that expanding the road network does not improve travel times?
If the road widening goes ahead I intend to buy another 3 cars and make many non-essential journeys to the east midlands and back just for the fun of it. :thumbsup:

If the road widening goes ahead I intend to buy another 3 cars and make many non-essential journeys to the east midlands and back just for the fun of it. :thumbsup:

well that's just silly.

well that's just silly.
;) Yup.

I get a bit sick of this stupid argument that more roads leads to more traffic. The baby boomers have all bought their cars. We're at about maximum for the number of cars the population is going to own and I don't think many of us sit on motorways for the sheer enjoyment of it.

well that's just silly.

So is the theory advanced by Heyesey.

Has anybody been caught up in the A57 queue to get on the M18 eastbound via M1 at J31 around 7.30am weekdays. Tried approaching it from another angle this morning ... down the Mosboro Parkway, Sheffield Parkway, M1 southbound and join the M18 from the other direction. Still as bad, if not worse. Has anybody any ideas around this problem as it is due to affect us for 11 months?

So is the theory advanced by Heyesey.

It's not a theory. It is exactly what has happened for the last fifty years. Silly or not, it is a proven, documented fact. More roads leads to more congestion.

Has anybody been caught up in the A57 queue to get on the M18 eastbound via M1 at J31 around 7.30am weekdays. Tried approaching it from another angle this morning ... down the Mosboro Parkway, Sheffield Parkway, M1 southbound and join the M18 from the other direction. Still as bad, if not worse. Has anybody any ideas around this problem as it is due to affect us for 11 months?
I've taken a different route last three mornings... worked loads better. Down to Rotherham, whiston crossroads, right onto east bawtry road and then back on at junction 1.
Although West Bawtry Road is about to start roadworks as well at the same time :loopy: so anyone who is coming from the parkway to join the m18 through wickersley/bramley is also going to cop it there :loopy:

It's not a theory. It is exactly what has happened for the last fifty years. Silly or not, it is a proven, documented fact. More roads leads to more congestion.

Thers much less congestion in all the towns and villages that have received by-passes: Worksop, for example, or Newbury....anywhere really.
The belief that road improvements lead to more vehicles is surely a case of confusing causation with correlation.

Although West Bawtry Road is about to start roadworks as well at the same time :loopy: so anyone who is coming from the parkway to join the m18 through wickersley/bramley is also going to cop it there :loopy:

..what an excellent piece of planning.Have another hour in bed and blame the roadworks :D

Maybe it's me that's thick or summat........but what is the point of widening the M1 when, after all the money spent on the Tinsley viaduct, it is still restricted to 2 lanes over the viaduct?

Or is that due to change??

......I think most of the work is to allow better flow, north and south, for the M18.