OT - New Cobham Services on M25

[goldstone]

So now we have a 50mph average speed limit on both sides of the M25 through the construction zone for this new service area ... and apparently it is going to be in place for a year.

It seems to me that all they need to do initially is build the entry and exit lanes to the project and then reopen the full width of the M25 carriageways. Surely that cannot take a year? The construction can then continue within the service area without disrupting the M25 traffic. Or is that to glaringly simple?

A further question would be why they didn't construct the entry and exit lanes for this project when they first built the M25 so that whenever it was built it could be done with minimum disruption to the motorway. Or didn't they have that much foresight?

Personally I question the need for a further service area there when there is one not that much further along the M25 at Clackett Lane.

The delays the project is causing on the M25 during the rush-hour are REALLY PISSING ME OFF.

 

[manilaseagull]

leave before or after rush hour?

I travel the M4 every day through the average cameras and its never delayed, neither is the A404 average speed camera area.

 

[goldstone]

leave before or after rush hour?

I travel the M4 every day through the average cameras and its never delayed, neither is the A404 average speed camera area.

Impossible on the M25 in that area. I believe the rush hour starts at 5am!

 

[Notters]

So now we have a 50mph average speed limit on both sides of the M25 through the construction zone for this new service area ... and apparently it is going to be in place for a year.

It seems to me that all they need to do initially is build the entry and exit lanes to the project and then reopen the full width of the M25 carriageways. Surely that cannot take a year? The construction can then continue within the service area without disrupting the M25 traffic. Or is that to glaringly simple?

A further question would be why they didn't construct the entry and exit lanes for this project when they first built the M25 so that whenever it was built it could be done with minimum disruption to the motorway. Or didn't they have that much foresight?

Personally I question the need for a further service area there when there is one not that much further along the M25 at Clackett Lane.

The delays the project is causing on the M25 during the rush-hour are REALLY PISSING ME OFF.

You clearly don't live in Brighton then. Clackett lane is no use to us! It's 96 miles from Newport Pagnell to Pease Pottage and can take hours, especially at Rush Hour. In France they have to have service stations something like every 9km!

 

[adrian29uk]

About time too. Its disgusting that there are no services all the way from Toddington on the M1 all the way down to Pease Pottage on A23.

Worst feeling in the world when you get stuck in traffic and need a p*ss.
And the nearer you get to the services the worse it bloody gets lol.

 

[Bob!]

Where's Cobham? What Junctions is this going to be between?

 

[Tooting Gull]

There has been talk about this for years, I think it's about 70 miles from Clackett Lane to the next one round going clockwise, which is way longer than most, and too big a gap.

Can see the need for it, but living very close to J11, will be a nightmare during construction.

 

[Davemania]

Is it between junctions 9 and 10 or around 10?

 

[goldstone]

You clearly don't live in Brighton then. Clackett lane is no use to us! It's 96 miles from Newport Pagnell to Pease Pottage and can take hours, especially at Rush Hour. In France they have to have service stations something like every 9km!

But it will be less than an hour from Brighton? I don't deny the need for one between Pease Pottage and Luton, but somewhere north of the M4 would have been better.

 

[goldstone]

Is it between junctions 9 and 10 or around 10?

It's between 9 & 10 where the M25 crosses the railway.

 

[Brixton Seagull 2]

I've done this stretch of M25 every day for 10 years. The only way to do it and stay sane it to leave at 6:15am, then 4:30pm to come home. This way you miss the worst of the traffic. Going clockwise, always use the exit slip lane for J10 and rejoin the M25 rather than turnoff for the A3. Saves a good 10 mins of sitting around.

 

[Tooting Gull]

It's between 9 & 10 where the M25 crosses the railway.

Correct, much closer to 10. It was *ahem* also approved by Sec of State John Prescott following a long-running planning row and fierce objections from residents. Given that it will also be useful to me, I'm feeling an empathy for this service station already.

 

[goldstone]

Going clockwise, always use the exit slip lane for J10 and rejoin the M25 rather than turnoff for the A3. Saves a good 10 mins of sitting around.

Nearly always plan for that, but move over just before the slip road if the traffic is moving OK at that point. Do the same at J11.

 

[Publius Ovidius]

From BAG:

Try living in Chertsey, it's impossible to get anywhere round there using the M25 at the moment!!! Now they've put the 50mph average speed the other way, it's going to get worse! I've got an interview at Sutton on Monday, going to have to leave loads of time to get there now.

 

[goldstone]

Just found a link to the site. The service centre will be to the west of the motorway. Exit and entry slip roads only on the east side.

Extra Motorway Services - Location: Cobham

 

[ady1973]

I find it no problem at all....I work up at Heathrow and use that stretch of the M25 most days.....I start at 7am so I leave B.Hill around 5:20 in the morning arrive in Heathrow around 6:30ish.
About time we had some services there, not just for fuel, but to stretch the legs after a night shift too, Or if it's been a real bad shift have a few minutes sleep too.

Stay in 2nd lane doing 50mph as per instructions and you don't get trapped in the 1st lane immediately after the roadworks , which is for Guildford (jct 10). Plus no-one should be going faster than you anyway.

 

[BensGrandad]

It was an obvious choice of where to put a new service station as the M25 needed it. More are still needed with the restrictions etc on driving hours for lorries. I wonder how long it will be before we follow the route of France and charge for the motorways. I noticed driving in Portugal that already the signs are upo for the charges on the route from Western Portugal through to Seville in Spain but not sure when they will be unveiled and the charges enforced.

This 50mph has been in force there for some time now so it isn't new.

 

[Geriatric Seagull]

Is a service station needed? Given that most of the time that part of the M25 is at a standstill, why not just have a couple of burger vans running up and down each lane?

 

[Muzzy]

Services on that stretch of motorway should have been done years ago! Pease Pottage is too close from Brighton to be of any use when travelling northbound so I've been using Beaconsfield on the M40 of late! It's always been a long way to travel from the start of the M23 to Either Reading M4, Oxford M40 or Toddington M1 so the inconvenience will be worthwhile once finished!

BTW Notters, service stations in France tend to be approx every 50km/35miles unless you count Aires as proper stopping places!

 

[BensGrandad]

BTW Notters, service stations in France tend to be approx every 50km/35miles unless you count Aires as proper stopping places!

At least you can stop and have a rest in them if tired plus a lot have snack vans etc in them plus toilet facilities, so are effectively service sations.