Sorry if this isn’t the place to put this message, please excuse my little rant about the UK motorway system.
I was brought up in Stockport, Greater Manchester - before the M60 was completed and it was still called the M62/M63. I’m still amazed how/why they thought it a good idea to build a slip road joining the M60 so it becomes the outside lane. You come onto the motorway with your caravan behind you, doing the permitted 60mph only to find yourself in the outside lane with a procession of cars undertaking you not letting you move across to where you’re allowed to be…
However, several years ago I moved to the north east, meaning that occasionally I have to drive round Newcastle. As stupid as J25 of the M60 is, it pales into insignificance compared to the A167(M). Whoever thought it a good idea to have 50 yards of slip road join the outside lane of a motorway, especially when it’s on a curve so your view of traffic already on the motorway is limited should be sacked… especially when they’ve stacked the two carriageways on top of each other.
It seams like some road planners must be on crack while designing our road system.
Now I know it's there it's fine, but the first time I joined there I had t got a clue what was going on. Yes, there are signs, but they're just random arrows and lanes, and they don't really help much as you zip past them at 60mph.
It can be fun if you're in the middle lane, watching the horrified faces of people who clearly didn't realise they were about to join the outside lane of a motorway though!
It's not so bad when you're not towing. You can match your speed with the traffic that's already on the M60, then move over when you get the opportunity. When towing however, you're already doing at least 10mph less than anyone in the middles land, and no-one is gonna let you in... Oh no, they just keep on undertaking you...
With family still in Stockport but living in the north-east the two junctions of the M60 I constantly use are that one and J18 back onto the M62 east - the two worst junctions on the whole M60 imo.
I hate the M60 and M62! I have been driving for 36 years and towed caravans for at least 30 of those years but I hate going on those motorways! They are an absolute joke! Badly designed and mostly used by idiots who, as you say have no idea what towing a caravan is like so wouldn't dream of letting you pull in! (Can you tell I hate it yet?) Sorry, rant over!
I am always perplexed by the signs that just say Highway Agency,no other info.I didn't think the motorways were maintained by the Milk Marketing Board in any case.
Love the M60,everyone needs a challenge!
------------- Silence is golden
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I find this fascinating. My parents live very close to junction 25 M60 and although I have joined and exited the motorway at that junction many times, I don't think I have ever joined it northbound.
The cross Over at the Same junction the OP mentioned, is amplified by the fact traffic coming to that junction from the town centre, actually have to stop at a junction, which cross flows with traffic coming in the opposite direction.
The traffic comes out of the Town Centre, and the flow is on the left, you then stop at lights, and have then to cross over to the right, so the second part of the journey, the traffic flow is on the right.
There have been a number of serious accidents, due to people driving over the junction, into the left hand road way, and directly into traffic travelling in the opposite direction.
Who ever designed both, as they were both built at the same time, must have gone into work, and carried on drinking the strong stuff.
Because personalty I find the Crossover junction, much more frightening than the Motorway junction. And I've accessed the Motorway using it, and have to regularly create space to allow traffic to filter over, as I know, I'm one of the few who will do so.
Dave
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Topic: Rant on UK Roads
