29/07/2018
So witness true intelligence from Highways England!
So, Saturday night around 9:00pm, I pass an accident on the opposite carriageway of the M25 between the infamous Clacket Lane Services and J5. Obviously not sure what has gone on but the upshot is that a Mercedes has ended up off the motorway, through the fence and into the field, wrecked. Go back up to Gatwick around midnight, all the activity has gone but the Merc is still in the field where the Highways Officers have been kind to the cows and placed a cone at each corner with one of those marker lights on top obviously so they don’t bump into the car. Flight is delayed so it is around 3:30am when I am on the way back with my customers and the Merc is still in the field. Next I go up to Heathrow with customers and pass the scene around 9:00am and yep, it’s still there after at least 12 hours, overnight while the traffic on the motorway is very light. Now for the really inteligent part, I come back fro Heathrow passing the scene,again, around 10:30am and the Highways Agency have got 2 lanes closed with a recovery vehicle lifting the car out of the field. Result = Total meltdown on the M25, the M26 and the A21 both North & South Bound as drivers try to avoid it impacting on the A25 as well.
All those people, a lot trying to get to the airport for flights or meeting people. There were coaches obviously with people going places along with others going about their normal business! Way to go Highways Agency a really well thought out piece of planning. Let it sit there for 12 hours when it is quiet then shut the road at a peak time, Absolute muppets!!😆