Much same on M1 from J15A to J20. Seems that funding is such that rather than do (a) replacement of M6>M1 viaduct and (b) remodelling of the M1/M6>A14 interchange together they do (a) then having just tidied up the landscaping excavate it again in less than a year to facilitate (b).

Same with (c) installing concrete central barrier and (d) converting J15A to J19 to smart motorway. Work on (c) started in 2014 and just finished in 2015 as (d) started.

TBH the smoothing effect of the 50 limit is such that it's real world impact on journey time is negligible (unless there's an accident in the narrow lanes/no hard shoulder section). Similarly it takes no great imagination to realise that keeping 20 miles at 50 is better for ALL than constantly shifting short limits around places work is taking place right now.

Edited by Bromptonaut on 23/05/2016 at 20:51

Driving along this stretch many times over many years I'm always puzzled at why so many mnay drivers are overtaking me at around 60MPH. Do they know something I dont? Are the average speed cameras working? Surely so many drivers cannot be unaware or the speed controls? I don't get it.

Light hearted reply...

Drive along at a true 60mph on the entire stretch, wait 3 weeks....

If you are doing 50 on your speedo, you are doing a bit less, and those you think are doing 60 are probably not doing enough to trigger a ticket, but who knows.

you can check somewhere how many tickets are issued.. someone will post a link.

And yes the roadworks are a pain!

According to Highways England, the works started in November 2014. I remember them saying initially that they would be completed at the end of 2016. However that has now been revised to "by the end of June 2017". What is the betting that miss that deadline as well?

Meanwhile the existing road surface is taking a real pounding, causing a lot of potholes, which keep reappearing as fast as they patch them.

I have also wondered about the number of vehicles that significantly exceed the 50 mph limit. Noticeable among them are airport minibuses, who I assume use the motorway regularly. I also wonder how they get away with it.

I found this PDF on-line; a bit old but gives a scale.

When you consider the number of vehciles that would have been up and down the motorway in that time, it's a very small number. Of course certain cars (Audis, to pluck a name from the air) have invisibilty cloaks I'm sure, so won't feature in these figures.

The 50mph speed restriction on the M3 is a joke, it's like a long term temporary feature. Very frustrating section of road, if possible I will avoid travelling on it, recently I went to Gloucester and used the M25 to the M4 instead of M3 and going around Bracknell.

And it's about time SPECS cameras automatically adjusted to allow higher speeds at off peak times eg overnight.

I go along that M3 stretch every couple of weeks and rarely see any more than a handful of workers. There seems no urgency to finish whatever they are doing..anyone know whats supposed to be being built? As for the cameras I just stick the cruise control on 50.