Results tagged “congestion charging” from Birmingham Mail - Is It Just Me

I travelled to Crewe last weekend to see Walsall humbled and like many a fan, or ordinary traveller up the M6 had to endure a nightmare stop start journey which took twice as long as it should have done.

There was no reason for this apart from an endless succession of overhead signs warning of congestion, queues, Armageddon and the like with regular speed limits of 40.

Then after four miles or so of crawling traffic came the all clear and the road was back to normal. Two of these hold ups were actually on sections between junctions with no road works nor anywhere where anyone could enter or leave the motorway which begs the question who could possible be queuing and for what?

I have a theory that we are being conditioned into believing there is a state of gridlock on our roads. For some time I have not believed a word emanating from any official body and that includes motorway signs. I think the only congestion on the M6 on Saturday was caused by signs warning of nonexistent problems and halving the speed limit.

Give it a couple of years of constant congestion and then road charging and congestion charging will be introduced before it is too late and we all grind to a halt. Miraculously all the motorway signs will then be switched off, except when there is a real problem, traffic lights will be phased logically, stupid traffic management systems will be scrapped and the powers that be will turn round and tell us that charging was the solution. Don't you believe it. We are seeing yet another Government con in action.