So the m5 is shut in parts tonight and I was wondering whether you should just crack on and follow a diversion or plan an alternative route? Are they always set up to take in to consideration HGV height etc?
Use your common sense, depends on the sections closed the time of night and the obvious diversions that you can see on the map.
Night closures can lead to some horrendous jams on the narrowed motorway leading to the diversion (and some unbelievable tortuous signed diverts), if i know of a closure i try where possible to plan my times and my own diversion keeping as far as possible from the official divert…not always possible.
Juddian:
Use your common sense, depends on the sections closed the time of night and the obvious diversions that you can see on the map.
Night closures can lead to some horrendous jams on the narrowed motorway leading to the diversion (and some unbelievable tortuous signed diverts), if i know of a closure i try where possible to plan my times and my own diversion keeping as far as possible from the official divert…not always possible.
Yeah I appreciate you use common sense, I just wouldn’t want to plan my own diversion and end up at a low bridge. That’s why I tend to follow the signs…
My answer would be no, they don’t consider hgv, especially the higher trailers. Take the A1 bypass around Newcastle/Gateshead, it’s closed virtually every night at various places. One of the diversions takes you under three bridges, one with a max ht of 14,9, thing is they dont let you know that until it’s in front of you. Coming the other way there’s no warnings either. It’s only because we know the local roads that we don’t use them so it must be a nightmare, no pun intended, for those that don’t.
Michael Douglas:
Are they always set up to take in to consideration HGV height etc?
As a Double Deck jockey I can safely say, NO. Proceed with caution.
Where is the M5 shut tonight? Heading from Somerset to M42.
Diversion routes have been previously (long time ago!) agreed on with the local authority, the police and Highways England (if it’s their road that’s closed) usually standard bridge height of 16’6" is looked for, but on some major A roads that isn’t achievable, but the local authority don’t want send ALL the traffic sent down a B road or local road just to miss the bridge, The matrix boards are not set up to take a message about bridge heights, and I suspect not enough characters on them anyway. If you don’t know the local routes, then if driving a high vehicle, I would stop somewhere safe to check for an acceptable route.
All signed diversions unless posted and here’s a word SHOULD be suitable for ALL VEHICLES.
If you find on the diversion it’s not then contact the police or highways as every re route has to be cleared by
A, the police
B the council
And c the highways .
A safety officer is ment to check the route before any closer is implemented to ensure all signage is correct and in place .
A38 Plympton south had a diversion last week.
At the 2nd roundabout it had a pictogram of a round about with 5 exits the roundabout actually only had 4 exits and it was saying 2 NDS exit when it should have been 1st exit .
From Traffic England website;
M5
J3
Southbound
Future Road/Slip Closure
Roadworks
The M5 southbound entry slip at junction J3 will be closed due to roadworks, between 10 pm and 6 am, from 5 October 2015 to 10 October 2015.
N/A
5/10/2015
22:00
10/10/2015
06:00
Click to move to map
M5
J3
Arrow
J4A
Southbound
Future Road/Slip Closure
Roadworks
The M5 southbound will be closed between junctions J3 and J4A due to roadworks, between 10 pm and 6 am, from 5 October 2015 to 10 October 2015.
N/A
5/10/2015
22:00
10/10/2015
06:00
Click to move to map
M5
Southbound
Future Road/Slip Closure
Roadworks
The M5 southbound entry slip from Frankley Services will be closed due to roadworks, between 10 pm and 6 am, from 5 October 2015 to 10 October 2015.
N/A
5/10/2015
22:00
10/10/2015
06:00
Click to move to map
M5
Northbound
Future Road/Slip Closure
Roadworks
The M5 northbound entry slip from Frankley Services will be closed due to roadworks, between 10 pm and 6 am, from 5 October 2015 to 10 October 2015.
N/A
5/10/2015
22:00
10/10/2015
06:00
Click to move to map
M5
J4
Southbound
Future Road/Slip Closure
Roadworks
The M5 southbound entry slip at junction J4 will be closed due to roadworks, between 10 pm and 6 am, from 5 October 2015 to 10 October 2015.
N/A
5/10/2015
22:00
10/10/2015
06:00
Click to move to map
M5
J4A
Arrow
J3
Northbound
Future Road/Slip Closure
Roadworks
The M5 northbound will be closed between junctions J4A and J3 due to roadworks, between 10 pm and 6 am, from 5 October 2015 to 10 October 2015.
N/A
5/10/2015
22:00
10/10/2015
06:00
Click to move to map
M5
J4
Northbound
Future Road/Slip Closure
Roadworks
The M5 northbound entry slip at junction J4 will be closed due to roadworks, between 10 pm and 6 am, from 5 October 2015 to 10 October 2015.
N/A
5/10/2015
22:00
10/10/2015
06:00
Click to move to map
M5
J5
Southbound
Michael Douglas:
So the m5 is shut in parts tonight and I was wondering whether you should just crack on and follow a diversion or plan an alternative route? Are they always set up to take in to consideration HGV height etc?
The problem is they’ve got so many signs out that make no sense as to what’s shut and what’s not. It would be better if they had on line map / plans we the public could download …
The A4174 is being closed for 21 nights from the Puckelchurch roundabout to the Tennis court A420 roundabout 8pm to 6pm as of tonight .for re surfacing 
. A main chuffing route CLOSED .
I can’t understand why they don’t contriflow the traffic onto one side
Nick . how did we manage BEFORE they built the ring road 
. ?¿?
Thanks Biffo looks like I will just miss it.
boredwivdrivin:
Nick . how did we manage BEFORE they built the ring road
I know but there are so many new restrictions on the old routes now ie speed and weight limits… It’s just a heads up as what would only take 15 mind will now take 3 or 3 times that now
It’s a logistical nightmare almost every night for the night trunk and pallet hub lads. Especially as the tossers at Highways England seem to have the road closures planned all at the same time 
I understand roads need to be shut and its best to be done at night but why shut one road for roadworks and then nearly every major route around it have some sort of closure?!
It’s like the 20 miles of roadworks every 40 or so Mile on the M1 about a quarter of the roadworks are actually being worked on at one time
Like a previous poster said, they ‘should’ accommodate all vehicles, and if you find yourself looking at a bridge you won’t get under, I’d say you’re well within your remit to put the hazards on and contact the police for assistance, although common sense would avoid all that.
Logic would dictate that the highways/police/council have a duty to ensure that all vehicles capable of using the original route are able to use the entirety of the diversion route.
In my experience, motorway diversions are USUALLY suitable for any vehicle, including deckers. Some of them can be a bit tricky though. I have seen in the past a diversion with a “diversion not suitable for HGV” sign, but I can’t remember where though.
M5. All the way down from Bristol the matrix has been flashing A38 closed after A384…
WRONG it’s shut 1 junction before and you rejoin at A384. The 38 at the formentioned junction is closed on the 8th.
Hiways answer was the diversion was on to a road that is… Now get this… " it’s not one of our roads "
BillyHunt:
My answer would be no, they don’t consider hgv, especially the higher trailers. Take the A1 bypass around Newcastle/Gateshead, it’s closed virtually every night at various places. One of the diversions takes you under three bridges, one with a max ht of 14,9, thing is they dont let you know that until it’s in front of you. Coming the other way there’s no warnings either. It’s only because we know the local roads that we don’t use them so it must be a nightmare, no pun intended, for those that don’t.
With the greatest of respect, you are talking rubbish. There is a huge yellow sign at the side of the road northbound just after the left bend after the A194M split that clearly states the bridge height on the main diversion route through Team Valley and overheight vehicles must leave at the next junction (Angel, A167) and use that route instead. Sounds to me more like a case of the driver blindly (no pun intended) following his satnav instead of the actual signs placed along the roadside.
Cheers for the replies fellas. It was supposed to be shut from 4a to jct3 heading northbound. I got there and it was still open. Could be due to the weather maybe? But it was supposed to be shut tonight for 5 nights!
Remember the crash that closed the M6 at Lancaster a year or 2 ago? They diverted the traffic off at carnforth and a decker hit the low bridge just along from the truck stop whilst following the official diversion. Dont trust them!