I hate this junction - thank you for showcasing its crapness. Last April I was driving home to Birmingham after flying into Heathrow on a late evening flight. Stopped at Cherwell Valley for a wee, then confused myself onto the M40 southbound, which meant a 20 mile round trip back to J9 to turn around. By the time I reached J10 for the second time, I needed another wee. I'm still trapped in this endless loop. Somebody please help me.
@amandadawson4533 This is a big problem across the UK... road layouts that are so poor and so poorly marked that regular users have found out how they work and are familiar with them, but anyone coming across them for the first time is confused and doesn't have time to work out what lane to be in
You're making a presumption here - National Highways don't employ planners. On the basis that what we're doing here is "maintenance" and not building new...
In the best traditions of Sir Humphrey, the purpose of road improvement schemes is not to improve the road, but to provide work for future road improvement planners!
What about the traffic lights on motorway slip roads. How is delaying a group of cars on a slip road going to improve traffic flow? What really happens is people are annoyed having to wait whilst they watch gaps on the motorway and then when the lights go green they test the efficiency of their traction control as all the cars try and join whilst bumper to bumper.
I used to use that junction very regularly, and on one occasion of being sat in traffic, I saw those signs of the load tilting off a truck bed and often wondered, theres a reason for that sign
No, the ideas absolutely do work, just the intent behind them is not what you think it is, and not something you're allowed to say on google comments. Let's just say the congestion is intentional. Because what do a portion of drivers do when the congestion on their route gets too severe? They stop driving. What has been a significant goal of the government for the past 40 years?
@@jimmydesouza4375 You think successive administrations who are on the opposite ends of the political spectrum have intentionally wasted tens of millions of pounds in a decades long sinister plot to hinder the public from using the primary means of transportation that underpins the continued function of our economy? Amazing.
@@jimmydesouza4375 There is another way they work. If the "improvements" did a good job in the first place, there would be no need to re-design a few years later. Doing a bad job creates future employment.
@@jimmydesouza4375 That's just bollocks and you know it. You need to stop reading the bile that the likes of Clarkson puts out in those Murdoch owned shitrags
@@TheRip72 Yes, it's part of the dynamic of "public sector bloat". People employed by the public sector do not do the work they're supposed to, because there's no firing pressure, and because they're unfireable that then means that the overarching govt who functionally have infinite finances just try to fix the problem by throwing more money at other people who will then also not do the job and become unfireable.
Silverstone Circuit were a big influence behind the A43 upgrade, I seem to recall Bernie Ecclestone getting his pants in a pickle over access to the circuit. It was in fairness, rather shit, with a minor road leading off the old A43 through Silverstone Village being the main entrance to the Circuit, and the British Grand Prix took about 3 days either side of the event to get everyone in vehicles in and out. (The posh Folks just flew in by Helicopter.) Now there is a Dual carriageway from the A43 to the Circuit, it has changed beyond all recognition over the last 25 years. I worked on the A43 upgrade (briefly), everyone said then the redesigned J10 wouldn't work, as traffic coming South on the A43, to join the M40 South, (which is the vast majority of the traffic), was impeding the exit of Traffic coming off the M40 North, wishing to take the A43 North. The Highways Boffs knew best. Hence why they removed the slip road and redirected the Southbound Traffic as per the video. Possibly the same Highways Boffs who designed the Marston Mortaine junction on the A421 between the M1 J13 and Bedford. To pass existing roads, they lowered the new road into a cutting, despite Locals telling them the area was prone to flooding. The solve the issue, they incorporated a pump station to drain this section of road. Unfortunately with the heavy rainfall of the 22nd September, the pump station couldn't cope, and flooded, knocking out the pumps. Now no-one can get to the pumps as they are still under several metres of water.
I seem to remember that access to Silverstone was one of the reasons that the FIA wanted to take F1 away from the track hence Bernie getting his knickers in a twist and the upgrade being approved
As a tanker driver I was on there yesterday, and coming off J10 southbound the traffic was backed up almost to the motorway 🤦🏻♂️ You can see the “improvements” they are trying to make on the slip road but that will probably be going on for a year or so 🤦🏻♂️
you can just bet when they first messed around with it someone pointed out the stupidity of what they were proposing but was dismissed because "they knew best" and they went ahead and implemented it anyway. Where I live there are two roundabouts fairly close together - the council in their wisdom decided they needed traffic lights to "help traffic flow". They were told "Don't be so f*****g stupid it will cause chaos" but they dismissed the concerns, did it anyway and yes at rush hour chaos ensued. Then providence intervened in the form of a large-scale power cut, all the lights stopped working and you've guessed it the traffic flow suddenly improved - the next thing is the council quietly took the lights away.
At least your council had the sense to learn from their mistake. We have the same issue on the A34 / Oxford ring road junction, which is normally clogged but improves whenever the lights fail. But good old Oxfordshire County Council hates cars and simply rubs it's hands with glee, and fixes the lights.
@@muzza_r Yeah, they keep fucking around with Junction 9 on the M40 and all it takes is one side of the M40 to be slow and that roundabout becomes a car park.
@@I_Don_t_want_a_handlewhy there isn't a free flowing slip.from a34 to M40 I don't know. My only thought is some councillor lives in Bicester and prioritises traffic leaving it over everyone else from Oxfordshire Hampshire and beyond (including France via Portsmouth Southampton)
That's because children are usually quite sensible when it comes to building. They don't overthink things like people who are paid for their thinking time do.
adding an extra lane to shorten the queue for the roundabout.. that definitely works. maybe they can make a parking lot where you get a little number so you know when you can get to where you're going without having to queue on the road
To be fair, as someone who uses that exit slip road regularly, I can see the logic of the latest changes… It’s only a single lane (although almost wide enough for two already), and most traffic is turning right, and struggles to get across the roundabout because a) it’s busy, and b) there is a pretty limited sight line, especially given how quickly the oncoming traffic is coming. But the left hand turn is fairly straightforward because it’s a two lane roundabout and you’re turning onto a dual carriageway. So if you’re turning left, as I usually am, you get stuck in a long queue of slow moving right turners, which is frustrating because when you finally get to the front you can usually go pretty quickly. And if you’re turning right, it feels a bit hairy. It does feel a bit of a sticking plaster but two lanes and traffic lights should resolve both those issues. More generally, apart from that slip road the traffic generally moves OKish in my experience, although it has previously struck me as quite a dangerous junction…. It’s such an odd layout, and with two major roads and the services drawing in passing traffic, I barely ever go over it without someone suddenly realising they’re in the wrong lane.
For those of us who use this south to north outbound from M40 to A43 usually in the morning and the reverse direction in the evening, the last change was a huge advance over the previous layout which incredibly ensured that all south-bound traffic had to cross the path of the north-bound traffic. However we do see the south-bound morning commuter traffic queuing north up the A43 at present. The other end of the A43 between the M40 and the M1 is another absolutely bloody awful junction design. All the same confounding elements, including a service station in the mix. You must have a look Jon!
It's funny, if you watch a lot of Jon's videos you notice a lot of 'ghost junctions' where a service area was planned for but never built, you'll notice how they are normally on the motorway & not at a junction, where they cause the kind of havoc we see here.
Only tangential to this video, but who remembers when Cherwell Valley services burnt down? I used to drop in regularly. One day I turned up and it was a pile of ashes. For a while there were temporary facilities but subsequently they did a nice job of rebuilding it.
Much appreciated Jon boy. I must say, approaching this junction from the Southbound M40 is akin to 4 wheel russian roulette. The tailback stretches right back to the M40 itself. I was never a big fan of the 20 seconds or so when you were the last car in the queue knowing that a sleepy or texting Rumanian lorry driver travelling @ 70mph was just speeding towards your static rear end...
YEEESS!!! About time this sh*tshow of a junction was highlighted! I've been regularly driving through there since 1993 when I went to college/uni in Northampton from Reading. It's always been bad but some incarnations have been even worse than others. The services do complicate things for sure but it is ridiculous that a proper solution can't be designed and implemented to finally resolve things. Great investigation perfectly delivered, well done Jon!
You should only ever use these services if you are on the a43 heading onto the m40, otherwise you're just in for a hell of a time. Even then i'd much prefer to stop at the other petrol station at the roundabout on the a43 before these services!
As well as that logistics site, there are also plans to build a theme park to the south of where the services are, so that will be more traffic which needs to use the stretch of the A43 between the motorway and the Baynards Green roundabout with the B4100. Luckily I don't have to use J10 very often, but J9 southbound is equally bad - both of them being TOTSOs using the M40 to stitch the A34 and A43 together.
with what i learnt from Biffa and RCE on Cities Skylines 1 and 2, having two on/off slips are not good close together, ideally to have them further apart
100% agree. Ive come off the m40 south to that "roundabout", and as its only a straight over one, you sit at the motorway exit waiting for a gap. Plus all traffic entering the roundabout from the south side (that you're waiting for), is hitting it at speed, so a gap suddenly isn't a gap, which probably equals accidents.
You haven't mentioned the number of lorries that fell over on the roundabout by the northern south-bound M40 on-slip. It seemed to be a monthly occurrence
Now that's something you would hope would get some positive action going. Being stuck in traffic is one thing, but actual risk to life is just ridiculous.
Despite learning a lot about topology when I was at university, I still can't figure out the loops, crossings, sharp curves and irrational layout of this junction. It's like a madwoman's crochet.
I live close to this junction and used it just an hour or so ago. There was a LOT of traffic backed up from the A43 all the way into Ardley. It's also where I managed to end up accidentally on the M40 a few days after passing my test, my first time on the motorway having accidentally taken the wrong lane.
this is my local motorway junction and ive known it my whole life (23.7 years). Ive always loved the swooping slip road to join the NB carriageway, it gives you visibility of the vehicles coming up the M40 and it’s also fun. The only issue Ive had is leaving the M40 SB during busy times of the day where the traffic can back up the slip road and you can be waiting 5 mins in traffic on the slip road edging closer to the teardrop roundabout. The issue is that because the roundabout is a teardrop, traffic heading towards the A43 doesn’t have to give way to anyone meaning at busy times, there is no gap for the M40 exiting traffic to use to leave the off-slip and join the roundabout. I think that all they need to do is put traffic lights on the roundabout, or just alter the giveway priority to the traffic leaving the M40.
Sometimes I make the mistake of stopping at the services at junction 10 when I’m going up to Banbury from Portsmouth to visit my family. I always regret it. Always.
I remember when the Motorway was being built. The A43 was in those days already a busy road. That was before the new Junction 15a on the M1 was constructed There was even then controversy about the suitability of the proposed junction 10 M40.
“F#ckwitchery! Great expression which I shall henceforth use to describe any road ‘improvements” [Like the A1 Black Cat roundabout…. I expect to see you back there in a year or three, Jon.]
I used to regularly cross junction 10 on a commute from West Oxfordshire to Milton Keynes. The best incarnation for traffic flow was before they improved it. The first improvement was the worst by a long way. Basically two of the dominant flows, south from the motorway into oxfordshire, and south from the A43 onto the motorway, conflicted at the roundabout by the new southbound slip road, everything coming off the motorway had to give way to everything trying to enter the motorway, and it was a total disaster. And to add to the entertainment every so often a lorry would topple over on the new northbound entry slip road because the bend was too tight. I don’t think that bit has been fixed yet. 2nd set of improvements did fix some of the problems with traffic flow, but nothing like as good as it would have been if Oxfordshire‘s planners had left alone in the first place.
As someone who lives in Northants and regularly has to use this junction, it amazed me when I first drove through it wondering what witchcraft was at play to enable me to get where I needed to be. Needs to be totally rebuilt but with current traffic flows cannot ever see this being closed for the time required.
Used to live in this part of Oxfordshire. What makes it worse is that it's the junction for Silverstone race circuit so it is an abomination. I have a friend who is a road planner and he says who did they consult? The teletubbies?
100% . DId this a few weeks ago. Did not realise what a horrible junction and came off for the services. Regretted it immediately when I saw the queue to get back out of the services!
Switch Island. wonder if this abomination of a junction might be better without the lights. I went through recently when the lights were off. Didn't seem any worse. Perhaps some changes in priority might help.
As an American I am surprised to see the rest area even in contact with a surface road, The ones on our freeways tend to be their own totally independent facilities only in contact with the freeway. Toll roads usually make an exception and around back is a controlled access driveway so workers do not have to pay a toll.
That used to be the standard but the rents were too high so builders went for the cheaper option. The M40, and several others, had no services at all for many years. For what it's worth the M6T, our only toll motorway, has a full service station accessible with it's own junction
The successive-entry slip-roads is a common sight back home in the US and Canada, I didn't realize it was considered poor practice in the UK. It's especially common at partial cloverleaf interchanges (The "A4" style), where you have a loop ramp and regular curve ramp from the arterial, so traffic doesn't have to turn left to enter the expressway.
Yup, every time we go through this junction is has got worse, more congestion and more confusion. We always turn left at the roundabout on the A43 before the M40 now to go to Bister, much quicker and safer for us, not sure about the local and that new business park will only add to the fun! Thanks John for such a great series 🙂
There is no accountability People design this stuff with money they have not had to pay themselves and if it makes no improvement they just wash their hands and walk away That is this country all over , all our tax being pissed up against the wall
There's a trunk road junction near me where a bypass was added, extending through a trading estate. The original crossroads was upgraded to include traffic lights, with long tailbacks as it went from a seldom used sideroad into constant traffic. Then it was changed to a roundabout, which kept the tailbacks, just on a different road. Then back to a bigger crossroads, whereon the previous tailbacks returned. Undoubtedly another traffic management trainee will want to make their mark and we'll have another round of roadworks snarling it up even more badly for 6 months, after which the next iteration of tailbacks will seem minor.
Love how there's "no money to build housing" but, if you want to put a massive distribution centre in the middle of nowhere and add a load of traffic, go for it!
Joh, thank you!! I've used M40J10 on and off since it opened, travelling between the south coast and Midlands. I had vague memories of the various layouts it's been through. Now you've set the story out in vivid detail! Thanks again! Oh, and Cherwell is pronounced Char-well.
I used to go through this junction every day from m40 northbound to A43 and reverse in the evening. The first change was made in order to reduce congestion when the F1 grand prix was running at Silverstone, but that made it worse for the rest of the year!
I don't know how I stumbled upon this channel but I'm glad I did. Interesting facts/stories in a fun lighthearted way. Keep it up, slowly working my way backwards through the videos.
Ah - now I understand why I ended up coming out of the services and going south when I had intended on going north on the M40 earlier this year. I thought it was just me not concentrating, but it was all a lot more complicated than I thought!
Most people do not look at road markings in my experience, only elevated signs. People don't actually look at the road...despite what driving instructors have said times immemorial.
Everyone who uses this junction has developed their own strategy to make it as painless for them and them alone. The roadmarkings are invisible anyway,
I used to travel this route many years ago after the M40 had been built, seemed easy enough to start with, I don't think there were any services at the time. Used the route for the first time last year doing a bit of reminiscing about my previous job that took me that way years before, was a surprise to find the services but it seemed okay using the junction. Passed through last week going on holiday, both times it was raining heavily. Luckily the southbound journey was in the day so fairly easy to deal with the delay, coming back in torrential rain and at night I had to use the services, I'm surprised I didn't get squashed by a truck, it's not very easy to see the routing with low visibility, a nightmare. Thanks for another great vid Jon, keep up the great work.👍
Fun fact, a friend got a job as a surveyors mate when they built the M40 originally. They noticed a dip in one section and had to dig it up where they found a car that had been stolen in Manchester. I grew up near there and watched it evolve into a crap junction.
Enjoyed that. I used to have family who lived in the area and ended up coming off the M40 and heading towards the M1 there. Never understood what the hell was going on, even when it was quiet.
I live 4 miles from this junction John and I use it regularly when I travel north. I totally agree with everything you’re saying about being a nightmare. That said if you pick your times it works quite well for example I returnedfrom Coventry this evening getting off at Junction 10 at around 8:20 and it was fine Other times when I come off southbound, I’m almost on the motorway when the queue starts that scares me so I just drive down to Junction nine when there is often another bottleneck, can’t win at the wrong time of day Thank you again for all your effort and time in making these great informative videos which I always enjoy
I live in North Bicester, and once you get used to this road layout, it’s handy not having to drive down to junction 9 when coming back from Birmingham,
This made me chuckle. I’ve had to cross from A43 to B430 or M40 to A43 a few times for work and it’s always squeaky bum time. Can’t even describe how confusing it is. 😂
I've only ever used this junction for the CV Services when travelling south, and that's almost without exception on a Saturday morning, when traffic is still light. Therefore, I have very few, if any issues there, unless the services are busy (rare). Travelling back north, the junction is too early into my journey home, so I usually stop further north, nearer or beyond Birmingham.
I’ve used this junction a few times in the past year and have failed to negotiate it successfully on each occasion - no matter how carefully I try. My biggest issue is travelling north exiting the M40 to join the A43. I really need to try it when the junction isn’t busy (I’m usually trying on Friday evenings, sometime 5-8pm, depending on where I’ve been) and the volume of traffic adds to the chaos.
Junction 36 of the M4 at Sarn was a similar dumbbell design. A supermarket and shopping centre were built on the junction and caused chaos with traffic flows.
Most good video. When travelling north on a34 I like to come off 1 junction before the m40 .it's b430 a nice road going last raf wetern on the green and a couple of small villages.This joins up with the juntion in question and is often less congested in this direction.
Used to negotiate that mess regularly, took an hour to get from the next roundabout up the A43 to the services once, which is where I usually pulled in for the night. That 2nd southbound slip certainly caused some trouble, especially with the idiots coming off the next one that would refuse to give way to the traffic already on the motorway. When they build that distribution hub they'd be better off just completely starting over with a new junction.
This junction needs a free flowing link between the M40 (to/from the south) & A43 (to/from the north), so M40-A43 north/south through traffic can avoid the junction altogether. The rest of the junction can then be left to handle the B430, service station & any traffic that wants to go to/from the M40 north to the A43. Oh, and the A43 Baynards Green roundabout (just to the north of this junction) needs to be grade separated too as part of the scheme. Similar changes need to be made at the M40 Junction 9 (A34) too. Two major projects that will cost £millions but it will solve all the problems of congestion in the wider area.
I used to use this junction regularly, coming from the south to get to the A43 going north, and of course coming down off the A43 to join the M40 going south. It has always been a disaster area, especially at rush hour, which is, of course, when I usually had to use it, often having to use the services en route. To be honest, NOT having to use this junction was one of the main benefits of my retirement.
After the first redesign Fifth Gear did a feature on it and took a bunch of primary school kids to the junction and then presented them to the Highways Agency/Council. Bulk of them obviously were sh!t but this one girl did a design with I think two extra mini roundabouts. The Highways Agency/Council person looked at it and said, "Well this won't work because.........................Oh!" And I genuinely think that's where the idea for the second roundabout came from, that little girl on Fifth Gear.
Fun situation where initial planning was bad, but after it's built a complete do over would be too costly to do. Even if it'd be cheaper in the long run and the endless fiddling over time.
Worst junction ever, I used to use it every day. The slip road on the southbound m40 always got onto the hard shoulder. Leaving from Ardley was also a nightmare with trying to merge onto that roundabout. Glad I’m not the only one
A third lane is desperately needed on the roundabout at the services. This would enable two lanes of traffic to flow from M40 Northbound onto the A34. Currently two lanes are pinched into one on the roundabout because the right lane is a filter for the services and is blocked by traffic lights. Traffic lights on the second (false) roundabout would be a disaster. What is needed is a filter lane on the A34 to allow southbound M40 traffic to merge onto the A34.
I've used this junction many times before and it always boggles my brain how bad it is! You turn into the mess on the east side of the M40 and all hell break loose. Just daft!
When travelling south down the M1, then across the A43 and onto the M40 for one junction, I will sometimes use the services if I have to, as I have to queue whether going to the services or getting onto the M40, and southwards getting onto the M40 from the services isn't terrible. Going north though, I avoid those services if I can and stop at an Esso station on the A43 instead (I'm also not fond of Northampton services, hence not stopping there unless I really, really have to). I wish they could sort the junction out, but I'm not convinced they'll ever do that!
Spot on - it's always been a dreadful junction since the A43 upgrade, looking at the plans the only problem they're (hopefully) solving is southbound traffic exiting the motorway - not the awful traffic flow all around the rest of it! The other nightmare junctions heading south are J9 and J4 - each of those sees the motorway going down to 2 lanes through the junction and there are tailbacks ALL THE TIME.
I swear 99% of all traffic in Oxfordshire is due to either J9, or the Oxford Ring Road and specifically the absolute shitshow that is Peartree Interchange. J9 needs free flowing slips between the A34 and M40N, the Ring Road needs significant bypassing, and Peartree needs direct access between the A40 and A34
It would probably be better if southbound A43 traffic just headed straight down the old A43 rather than through two interchanges on and off a motorway. It's not as if the old road is a little lane with houses right up close. It's a road built to trunk standard.
Biggest issue is single slip for entry south bound and having two lanes enter it. Just make it 2 lanes all the way down. Then close the enty lights to enter the services from north bounds make them use the loop of whats left of the old entry round about to get into the services
The worst bit of the whole thing is the 2 into 1 lane on the southbound sliproad. Ends almost immediately after about 100 yards after the traffic lights hanging you out to dry on the outside of lorries that fill the inside lane exclusively.
I use this junction quite often and completely concur with your thoughts as the so-called powers-that-be absolutely ballsed this one up! The Northbound entrance slip road isnt quite so bad (Depending on how much traffic is coming up the exit slip road when approaching from Ardley.). The southbound exit slip road is a complete nightmare! You could be stuck there for ages as there often seems to be a constant stream of traffic coming down from the main part of the junction as there are no traffic controls in that direction. Still, I never really expect traffic planners to actually plan anything!
Considering the M40 is relatively new (as motorways go) it has a few dubious junctions. The junction for the A34 is horrendous in the southbound direction, with huge queues in the rush hour bringing all three lanes to a frequent standstill as Audi & BMW drivers don't like to join the back of the queue, instead continuing in lane 3 until the 100yd marker then stopping everyone so they can push in. Further north as you approach the A46 exit (as you go n/bound) there is a slip road that joins you so close to the A46 exit slip-road that chaos frequently ensues, once again made worse by the previously mentioned Audi & BMW bar-stewards on their way home. Indeed the more I think about it the more I figure "ban Audi's and BMW's from the motorways" and the roads would all be fine.
Move the services; redo the junction as a stacked roundabout. Why are they not keeping the distinct flows of traffic in mind every time they make an "improvement"? **sigh**
Pretty sure it was 5th Gear who featured this years ago, and got primary school kids to have a go redesigning it! As someone who drives over this twice a day, and has done (on and off) for many years, the worst part about it is the people who drive on it. 90% of drivers cant read the lanes, or the signs, or anything for that matter - they get lost, daudle, go down incorrect junctions. More than once ive seen people reversing up the M40 sliproads!
A 43 was a horrible road back in the day mostly much improved now ( rather like the a 421 a1 to m1 ) but still really bad at the Cherwell end I also remember in the early mid ninties when I first started HGV driving there were NO. services all the way from Dover via Folkestone m25 m 40 until Birmingham
A43-M40 southbound- before 'improvements', after 1st 'improvement ' to beat the queue us truckers used to head into cherwell services, turn by fuel station & run straight out again. This led to the road surface getting ripped up by constant streams of 44tonners. Nasty, but saved a 15min wait until you hit the 20min wait to get off M40 for A34, another crap junction. An easy fix would be to upgrade the bridge (weight limit)at A43/A34 junction so north-south traffic could avoid M40 completely. Maybe a county councillor lives on the old A43 section.. who knows?!
The issue here is (and always was) the sheer stupidity of combining the services with a busy junction. Using the services has always been a nightmare for northbound M40 traffic. So much so that having made that mistake once in all my years driving on the M40 I never used them again. So much extra distance to cover and always queues. Southbound was not so bad, I did use that sometimes on the way home. On balance though I’m very glad that a change in employment meant I could say good bye to M40 junction 10 forever.
I stayed at the Travelodge in the services last weekend (for Rustival 2, was hoping you would be there but alas...) and was thinking what your view of the mess that is the junction would be. Now I know!!
I hate this junction - thank you for showcasing its crapness. Last April I was driving home to Birmingham after flying into Heathrow on a late evening flight. Stopped at Cherwell Valley for a wee, then confused myself onto the M40 southbound, which meant a 20 mile round trip back to J9 to turn around. By the time I reached J10 for the second time, I needed another wee. I'm still trapped in this endless loop. Somebody please help me.
“Big Ben, Parliament!...”
I honestly don't get the fuss. I literally use this junction all the time n find absolutely nothing wrong with it
When exiting Churwell driver must have gone left and ended up m40 south
@@georgedowns4034
I agree it's easy when you use it all the time but can completely understand why it confuses people.
@amandadawson4533 This is a big problem across the UK... road layouts that are so poor and so poorly marked that regular users have found out how they work and are familiar with them, but anyone coming across them for the first time is confused and doesn't have time to work out what lane to be in
Pretty sure that anyone with a driving licence is barred from getting any job as a road planner :/
It does feel like it
Yep, when you see some of the bends/corners in modern roads, you can tell they only cycle or catch a bus.
You're making a presumption here - National Highways don't employ planners. On the basis that what we're doing here is "maintenance" and not building new...
These jobs are only open to members of the institoot of Shartographers.
@@willtricks9432 😂
In the best traditions of Sir Humphrey, the purpose of road improvement schemes is not to improve the road, but to provide work for future road improvement planners!
😂
I cannot think of any roundabout that has been improved by the addition of bloody traffic lights
What about the traffic lights on motorway slip roads. How is delaying a group of cars on a slip road going to improve traffic flow? What really happens is people are annoyed having to wait whilst they watch gaps on the motorway and then when the lights go green they test the efficiency of their traction control as all the cars try and join whilst bumper to bumper.
Revenue from traffic light cameras.
I’m currently in Spain and Granada has traffic lights on all the roundabouts. It’s mad.
In the US, I cannot think of any traffic light that was improved by the addition of fkin roundabouts!
@@mmburgess11 uhhh you're supposed to eliminate the traffic light when adding roundabouts
and also uh the entirety of Carmel, Indiana?
Yes it is that bad and you missed the awful camber on the sliproads that has resulted in multiple HGVs rolling over .
You're just being a camber bear. Are you French? 😁
Yep I've seen several trucks over here, mostly container wagons....and often not on UK plates....
@@SFNightOwlcamber sands&?
I was just coming to make that comment. Lots of serious accidents.
I used to use that junction very regularly, and on one occasion of being sat in traffic, I saw those signs of the load tilting off a truck bed and often wondered, theres a reason for that sign
Another great episode highlighting absolute waste of taxpayers money on ideas that don’t work. Keep em coming Jon 👍🏾👍🏾
No, the ideas absolutely do work, just the intent behind them is not what you think it is, and not something you're allowed to say on google comments. Let's just say the congestion is intentional. Because what do a portion of drivers do when the congestion on their route gets too severe? They stop driving. What has been a significant goal of the government for the past 40 years?
@@jimmydesouza4375 You think successive administrations who are on the opposite ends of the political spectrum have intentionally wasted tens of millions of pounds in a decades long sinister plot to hinder the public from using the primary means of transportation that underpins the continued function of our economy? Amazing.
@@jimmydesouza4375 There is another way they work. If the "improvements" did a good job in the first place, there would be no need to re-design a few years later. Doing a bad job creates future employment.
@@jimmydesouza4375 That's just bollocks and you know it. You need to stop reading the bile that the likes of Clarkson puts out in those Murdoch owned shitrags
@@TheRip72 Yes, it's part of the dynamic of "public sector bloat". People employed by the public sector do not do the work they're supposed to, because there's no firing pressure, and because they're unfireable that then means that the overarching govt who functionally have infinite finances just try to fix the problem by throwing more money at other people who will then also not do the job and become unfireable.
Silverstone Circuit were a big influence behind the A43 upgrade, I seem to recall Bernie Ecclestone getting his pants in a pickle over access to the circuit. It was in fairness, rather shit, with a minor road leading off the old A43 through Silverstone Village being the main entrance to the Circuit, and the British Grand Prix took about 3 days either side of the event to get everyone in vehicles in and out. (The posh Folks just flew in by Helicopter.) Now there is a Dual carriageway from the A43 to the Circuit, it has changed beyond all recognition over the last 25 years.
I worked on the A43 upgrade (briefly), everyone said then the redesigned J10 wouldn't work, as traffic coming South on the A43, to join the M40 South, (which is the vast majority of the traffic), was impeding the exit of Traffic coming off the M40 North, wishing to take the A43 North. The Highways Boffs knew best. Hence why they removed the slip road and redirected the Southbound Traffic as per the video.
Possibly the same Highways Boffs who designed the Marston Mortaine junction on the A421 between the M1 J13 and Bedford. To pass existing roads, they lowered the new road into a cutting, despite Locals telling them the area was prone to flooding.
The solve the issue, they incorporated a pump station to drain this section of road. Unfortunately with the heavy rainfall of the 22nd September, the pump station couldn't cope, and flooded, knocking out the pumps. Now no-one can get to the pumps as they are still under several metres of water.
Yup...I remember "back in the day" the Northamptonshire side of the A43 being dualed, and that last section of Oxfordshire A43 to the M40...wasn't.
This would make another good episode
I seem to remember that access to Silverstone was one of the reasons that the FIA wanted to take F1 away from the track hence Bernie getting his knickers in a twist and the upgrade being approved
As a tanker driver I was on there yesterday, and coming off J10 southbound the traffic was backed up almost to the motorway 🤦🏻♂️
You can see the “improvements” they are trying to make on the slip road but that will probably be going on for a year or so 🤦🏻♂️
The A34 northbound exit to Silverstone is still shit.
The german term "Verschlimmbessern" applies here perfectly.
They've improved things so many times, it got worse. They improworsened it.
you can just bet when they first messed around with it someone pointed out the stupidity of what they were proposing but was dismissed because "they knew best" and they went ahead and implemented it anyway. Where I live there are two roundabouts fairly close together - the council in their wisdom decided they needed traffic lights to "help traffic flow". They were told "Don't be so f*****g stupid it will cause chaos" but they dismissed the concerns, did it anyway and yes at rush hour chaos ensued. Then providence intervened in the form of a large-scale power cut, all the lights stopped working and you've guessed it the traffic flow suddenly improved - the next thing is the council quietly took the lights away.
At least your council had the sense to learn from their mistake. We have the same issue on the A34 / Oxford ring road junction, which is normally clogged but improves whenever the lights fail. But good old Oxfordshire County Council hates cars and simply rubs it's hands with glee, and fixes the lights.
@@muzza_r Yeah, they keep fucking around with Junction 9 on the M40 and all it takes is one side of the M40 to be slow and that roundabout becomes a car park.
As an American, I don't understand how traffic lights and roundabouts go together. We install roundabouts _to get rid of_ traffic lights!
Heh, we have a roundabout locally that had traffic lights added, and that also flows much better when there’s a power outage, so can relate.
@@I_Don_t_want_a_handlewhy there isn't a free flowing slip.from a34 to M40 I don't know. My only thought is some councillor lives in Bicester and prioritises traffic leaving it over everyone else from Oxfordshire Hampshire and beyond (including France via Portsmouth Southampton)
I recall someone once asked children to fix this and they came up with better ideas then the engineers. Possibly an episode of Fifth Gear
That's because children are usually quite sensible when it comes to building. They don't overthink things like people who are paid for their thinking time do.
This is a great little case study of why we should all be sceptical of well-meaning but ill-considered public policy.
adding an extra lane to shorten the queue for the roundabout.. that definitely works. maybe they can make a parking lot where you get a little number so you know when you can get to where you're going without having to queue on the road
Vehicle number 58 please!
To be fair, as someone who uses that exit slip road regularly, I can see the logic of the latest changes… It’s only a single lane (although almost wide enough for two already), and most traffic is turning right, and struggles to get across the roundabout because a) it’s busy, and b) there is a pretty limited sight line, especially given how quickly the oncoming traffic is coming. But the left hand turn is fairly straightforward because it’s a two lane roundabout and you’re turning onto a dual carriageway. So if you’re turning left, as I usually am, you get stuck in a long queue of slow moving right turners, which is frustrating because when you finally get to the front you can usually go pretty quickly. And if you’re turning right, it feels a bit hairy. It does feel a bit of a sticking plaster but two lanes and traffic lights should resolve both those issues.
More generally, apart from that slip road the traffic generally moves OKish in my experience, although it has previously struck me as quite a dangerous junction…. It’s such an odd layout, and with two major roads and the services drawing in passing traffic, I barely ever go over it without someone suddenly realising they’re in the wrong lane.
Rarely visit that part of the world, but as soon as you mentioned a 'shit junction' I knew exactly where you meant.
I remember years ago when they improved it we had to queue on the Motorway
It's not like there's a massive clue in the title.
You're lucky, I have to endure it more than is right or fair!
For those of us who use this south to north outbound from M40 to A43 usually in the morning and the reverse direction in the evening, the last change was a huge advance over the previous layout which incredibly ensured that all south-bound traffic had to cross the path of the north-bound traffic. However we do see the south-bound morning commuter traffic queuing north up the A43 at present.
The other end of the A43 between the M40 and the M1 is another absolutely bloody awful junction design. All the same confounding elements, including a service station in the mix. You must have a look Jon!
Yes that is shit too. Why only one lane from the A34 to the M1?!
Yes, that one is awful too. The services entrance is crazy.
It's funny, if you watch a lot of Jon's videos you notice a lot of 'ghost junctions' where a service area was planned for but never built, you'll notice how they are normally on the motorway & not at a junction, where they cause the kind of havoc we see here.
Only tangential to this video, but who remembers when Cherwell Valley services burnt down? I used to drop in regularly. One day I turned up and it was a pile of ashes. For a while there were temporary facilities but subsequently they did a nice job of rebuilding it.
Nope. I remember that happening at Fleet on the M3.
I remember that. Can’t remember exactly when it happened but saw it on the local news
Much appreciated Jon boy. I must say, approaching this junction from the Southbound M40 is akin to 4 wheel russian roulette. The tailback stretches right back to the M40 itself. I was never a big fan of the 20 seconds or so when you were the last car in the queue knowing that a sleepy or texting Rumanian lorry driver travelling @ 70mph was just speeding towards your static rear end...
YEEESS!!! About time this sh*tshow of a junction was highlighted! I've been regularly driving through there since 1993 when I went to college/uni in Northampton from Reading. It's always been bad but some incarnations have been even worse than others. The services do complicate things for sure but it is ridiculous that a proper solution can't be designed and implemented to finally resolve things. Great investigation perfectly delivered, well done Jon!
I like to think that Jon intentionally timed the filming of the introduction to get that lovely 900 cabriolet in the background.
Bet the owner is a friend and in the Saab club.
Great video for a crap junction and the main reason I usually stop at Warwick services instead!
You should only ever use these services if you are on the a43 heading onto the m40, otherwise you're just in for a hell of a time. Even then i'd much prefer to stop at the other petrol station at the roundabout on the a43 before these services!
The services on the a43 on the roundabout just before the motorway ie baynards green at their prices you are better off using Tesco at Brackley
As well as that logistics site, there are also plans to build a theme park to the south of where the services are, so that will be more traffic which needs to use the stretch of the A43 between the motorway and the Baynards Green roundabout with the B4100. Luckily I don't have to use J10 very often, but J9 southbound is equally bad - both of them being TOTSOs using the M40 to stitch the A34 and A43 together.
with what i learnt from Biffa and RCE on Cities Skylines 1 and 2, having two on/off slips are not good close together, ideally to have them further apart
100% agree. Ive come off the m40 south to that "roundabout", and as its only a straight over one, you sit at the motorway exit waiting for a gap. Plus all traffic entering the roundabout from the south side (that you're waiting for), is hitting it at speed, so a gap suddenly isn't a gap, which probably equals accidents.
Oh you know it so well
@@AlexanderCarter-gr5og Its also bad when anything at Silverstone is happening, this is the junction all south traffic takes to get there.
You haven't mentioned the number of lorries that fell over on the roundabout by the northern south-bound M40 on-slip. It seemed to be a monthly occurrence
Now that's something you would hope would get some positive action going. Being stuck in traffic is one thing, but actual risk to life is just ridiculous.
I had to use Cherwell services to charge my car on the way home from France recently in the middle of the night. Utterly bewildering.
That's why I no longer go to France😅
That's why I do not own a milk float. It must make you bewildered, not just at night.
Don't bother. Go one junction up and use the Instavolts in Banbury. More of them and a normal motorway junction.
Despite learning a lot about topology when I was at university, I still can't figure out the loops, crossings, sharp curves and irrational layout of this junction. It's like a madwoman's crochet.
Thats a bit harsh. Mad women are generally very good crocheters 😂
Happy hookers if you will 🤣
I live close to this junction and used it just an hour or so ago. There was a LOT of traffic backed up from the A43 all the way into Ardley. It's also where I managed to end up accidentally on the M40 a few days after passing my test, my first time on the motorway having accidentally taken the wrong lane.
this is my local motorway junction and ive known it my whole life (23.7 years). Ive always loved the swooping slip road to join the NB carriageway, it gives you visibility of the vehicles coming up the M40 and it’s also fun. The only issue Ive had is leaving the M40 SB during busy times of the day where the traffic can back up the slip road and you can be waiting 5 mins in traffic on the slip road edging closer to the teardrop roundabout. The issue is that because the roundabout is a teardrop, traffic heading towards the A43 doesn’t have to give way to anyone meaning at busy times, there is no gap for the M40 exiting traffic to use to leave the off-slip and join the roundabout. I think that all they need to do is put traffic lights on the roundabout, or just alter the giveway priority to the traffic leaving the M40.
Sometimes I make the mistake of stopping at the services at junction 10 when I’m going up to Banbury from Portsmouth to visit my family. I always regret it. Always.
Never be tempted to use these services when travelling northbound! It’s far better to avoid them entirely.
No point. You're only one junction from your destination.
What? I didn’t say where I was going. FYI, it was usually Lichfield that I was driving to, I’d not even be half way there at Cherwell Valley.
I remember when the Motorway was being built. The A43 was in those days already a busy road. That was before the new Junction 15a on the M1 was constructed There was even then controversy about the suitability of the proposed junction 10 M40.
“F#ckwitchery! Great expression which I shall henceforth use to describe any road ‘improvements” [Like the A1 Black Cat roundabout…. I expect to see you back there in a year or three, Jon.]
They keep making "IMPROVMENTS" and you keep making "CONTENT" ..... Win-Win for everyone!.... Keep it up Jon.... love your work!
I used to regularly cross junction 10 on a commute from West Oxfordshire to Milton Keynes. The best incarnation for traffic flow was before they improved it. The first improvement was the worst by a long way. Basically two of the dominant flows, south from the motorway into oxfordshire, and south from the A43 onto the motorway, conflicted at the roundabout by the new southbound slip road, everything coming off the motorway had to give way to everything trying to enter the motorway, and it was a total disaster. And to add to the entertainment every so often a lorry would topple over on the new northbound entry slip road because the bend was too tight. I don’t think that bit has been fixed yet.
2nd set of improvements did fix some of the problems with traffic flow, but nothing like as good as it would have been if Oxfordshire‘s planners had left alone in the first place.
As someone who lives in Northants and regularly has to use this junction, it amazed me when I first drove through it wondering what witchcraft was at play to enable me to get where I needed to be. Needs to be totally rebuilt but with current traffic flows cannot ever see this being closed for the time required.
Used to live in this part of Oxfordshire. What makes it worse is that it's the junction for Silverstone race circuit so it is an abomination.
I have a friend who is a road planner and he says who did they consult? The teletubbies?
100% . DId this a few weeks ago. Did not realise what a horrible junction and came off for the services. Regretted it immediately when I saw the queue to get back out of the services!
You definitely need to do a top ten or top twenty series of the UK's worst junctions. Start at Switch Island M57/8. Been changed so many times.
Switch Island. wonder if this abomination of a junction might be better without the lights. I went through recently when the lights were off. Didn't seem any worse.
Perhaps some changes in priority might help.
As an American I am surprised to see the rest area even in contact with a surface road, The ones on our freeways tend to be their own totally independent facilities only in contact with the freeway. Toll roads usually make an exception and around back is a controlled access driveway so workers do not have to pay a toll.
Yep, that's the way to do it. Used to be that way here (UK) too until someone decided to put services on the junctions!
That used to be the standard but the rents were too high so builders went for the cheaper option. The M40, and several others, had no services at all for many years.
For what it's worth the M6T, our only toll motorway, has a full service station accessible with it's own junction
The successive-entry slip-roads is a common sight back home in the US and Canada, I didn't realize it was considered poor practice in the UK. It's especially common at partial cloverleaf interchanges (The "A4" style), where you have a loop ramp and regular curve ramp from the arterial, so traffic doesn't have to turn left to enter the expressway.
Yup, every time we go through this junction is has got worse, more congestion and more confusion. We always turn left at the roundabout on the A43 before the M40 now to go to Bister, much quicker and safer for us, not sure about the local and that new business park will only add to the fun! Thanks John for such a great series 🙂
I lived in Bicester and worked in banbury it’s an absolute nightmare x
There is no accountability
People design this stuff with money they have not had to pay themselves and if it makes no improvement they just wash their hands and walk away
That is this country all over , all our tax being pissed up against the wall
"John stop being a nob" proper cracked me up that did.
There's a trunk road junction near me where a bypass was added, extending through a trading estate. The original crossroads was upgraded to include traffic lights, with long tailbacks as it went from a seldom used sideroad into constant traffic. Then it was changed to a roundabout, which kept the tailbacks, just on a different road. Then back to a bigger crossroads, whereon the previous tailbacks returned.
Undoubtedly another traffic management trainee will want to make their mark and we'll have another round of roadworks snarling it up even more badly for 6 months, after which the next iteration of tailbacks will seem minor.
Love how there's "no money to build housing" but, if you want to put a massive distribution centre in the middle of nowhere and add a load of traffic, go for it!
Thank you for highlighting this Jon. Keep on being incredible ❤
Joh, thank you!! I've used M40J10 on and off since it opened, travelling between the south coast and Midlands. I had vague memories of the various layouts it's been through. Now you've set the story out in vivid detail! Thanks again! Oh, and Cherwell is pronounced Char-well.
I used to go through this junction every day from m40 northbound to A43 and reverse in the evening. The first change was made in order to reduce congestion when the F1 grand prix was running at Silverstone, but that made it worse for the rest of the year!
I don't know how I stumbled upon this channel but I'm glad I did. Interesting facts/stories in a fun lighthearted way. Keep it up, slowly working my way backwards through the videos.
Ah - now I understand why I ended up coming out of the services and going south when I had intended on going north on the M40 earlier this year. I thought it was just me not concentrating, but it was all a lot more complicated than I thought!
junction 10 would improve considerably if people got in the right effing lanes to begin with. same goes for Junction 4
most problems in the world would be solved by people actually using their brains but yea
Most people do not look at road markings in my experience, only elevated signs. People don't actually look at the road...despite what driving instructors have said times immemorial.
Ah yes, the sort of road junction where you need to, via osmosis I guess, just know which lane to be in 2 miles ahead, quality design.
@@S.ASmith road markings are fine as long as you can see them, when you can't because of things being parked on top of them they're of zero use.
Everyone who uses this junction has developed their own strategy to make it as painless for them and them alone. The roadmarkings are invisible anyway,
I used to travel this route many years ago after the M40 had been built, seemed easy enough to start with, I don't think there were any services at the time. Used the route for the first time last year doing a bit of reminiscing about my previous job that took me that way years before, was a surprise to find the services but it seemed okay using the junction. Passed through last week going on holiday, both times it was raining heavily. Luckily the southbound journey was in the day so fairly easy to deal with the delay, coming back in torrential rain and at night I had to use the services, I'm surprised I didn't get squashed by a truck, it's not very easy to see the routing with low visibility, a nightmare. Thanks for another great vid Jon, keep up the great work.👍
When first opened, the "services" were in a field near to where McDonalds is now.
Fun fact, a friend got a job as a surveyors mate when they built the M40 originally. They noticed a dip in one section and had to dig it up where they found a car that had been stolen in Manchester.
I grew up near there and watched it evolve into a crap junction.
I remember seeing Cherwell Valley services going up in smoke as I drove along the M40
Enjoyed that.
I used to have family who lived in the area and ended up coming off the M40 and heading towards the M1 there. Never understood what the hell was going on, even when it was quiet.
I live 4 miles from this junction John and I use it regularly when I travel north. I totally agree with everything you’re saying about being a nightmare.
That said if you pick your times it works quite well for example I returnedfrom Coventry this evening getting off at Junction 10 at around 8:20 and it was fine
Other times when I come off southbound, I’m almost on the motorway when the queue starts that scares me so I just drive down to Junction nine when there is often another bottleneck, can’t win at the wrong time of day
Thank you again for all your effort and time in making these great informative videos which I always enjoy
I live in North Bicester, and once you get used to this road layout, it’s handy not having to drive down to junction 9 when coming back from Birmingham,
This made me chuckle. I’ve had to cross from A43 to B430 or M40 to A43 a few times for work and it’s always squeaky bum time. Can’t even describe how confusing it is. 😂
There is also now massive tail backs in the services too if you want to leave via the southbound slip.
What a mega mess up of a junction great video John take care 🧲⚓️👍
I've only ever used this junction for the CV Services when travelling south, and that's almost without exception on a Saturday morning, when traffic is still light. Therefore, I have very few, if any issues there, unless the services are busy (rare). Travelling back north, the junction is too early into my journey home, so I usually stop further north, nearer or beyond Birmingham.
I’ve used this junction a few times in the past year and have failed to negotiate it successfully on each occasion - no matter how carefully I try. My biggest issue is travelling north exiting the M40 to join the A43. I really need to try it when the junction isn’t busy (I’m usually trying on Friday evenings, sometime 5-8pm, depending on where I’ve been) and the volume of traffic adds to the chaos.
Another insightful assessment of the chaos that is J10, well said John, thanks. Keep em coming.
Cherwell Valley Services. My favourite service station when I'm going south! Always thought the junction was overly complicated.
Man makes a career of pointing out the stupidity of road planners.
An inspiration to every content creator.
Junction 36 of the M4 at Sarn was a similar dumbbell design. A supermarket and shopping centre were built on the junction and caused chaos with traffic flows.
Most good video. When travelling north on a34 I like to come off 1 junction before the m40 .it's b430 a nice road going last raf wetern on the green and a couple of small villages.This joins up with the juntion in question and is often less congested in this direction.
But you still have to go through the junction...
Have you done a video on Switch Island where the M57 meets the M58 and another host of roads and the various changes it has had over the years?
Used to negotiate that mess regularly, took an hour to get from the next roundabout up the A43 to the services once, which is where I usually pulled in for the night. That 2nd southbound slip certainly caused some trouble, especially with the idiots coming off the next one that would refuse to give way to the traffic already on the motorway. When they build that distribution hub they'd be better off just completely starting over with a new junction.
This junction needs a free flowing link between the M40 (to/from the south) & A43 (to/from the north), so M40-A43 north/south through traffic can avoid the junction altogether. The rest of the junction can then be left to handle the B430, service station & any traffic that wants to go to/from the M40 north to the A43. Oh, and the A43 Baynards Green roundabout (just to the north of this junction) needs to be grade separated too as part of the scheme.
Similar changes need to be made at the M40 Junction 9 (A34) too.
Two major projects that will cost £millions but it will solve all the problems of congestion in the wider area.
I used to use this junction regularly, coming from the south to get to the A43 going north, and of course coming down off the A43 to join the M40 going south. It has always been a disaster area, especially at rush hour, which is, of course, when I usually had to use it, often having to use the services en route. To be honest, NOT having to use this junction was one of the main benefits of my retirement.
After the first redesign Fifth Gear did a feature on it and took a bunch of primary school kids to the junction and then presented them to the Highways Agency/Council.
Bulk of them obviously were sh!t but this one girl did a design with I think two extra mini roundabouts. The Highways Agency/Council person looked at it and said, "Well this won't work because.........................Oh!" And I genuinely think that's where the idea for the second roundabout came from, that little girl on Fifth Gear.
Fun situation where initial planning was bad, but after it's built a complete do over would be too costly to do. Even if it'd be cheaper in the long run and the endless fiddling over time.
Worst junction ever, I used to use it every day. The slip road on the southbound m40 always got onto the hard shoulder. Leaving from Ardley was also a nightmare with trying to merge onto that roundabout. Glad I’m not the only one
That is such a crazy mess. Someone must have been enjoying some magic mushrooms to come up with that series of designs, . 🍄🚧
A third lane is desperately needed on the roundabout at the services. This would enable two lanes of traffic to flow from M40 Northbound onto the A34. Currently two lanes are pinched into one on the roundabout because the right lane is a filter for the services and is blocked by traffic lights.
Traffic lights on the second (false) roundabout would be a disaster. What is needed is a filter lane on the A34 to allow southbound M40 traffic to merge onto the A34.
Just been on the M40 this week , totally agree with you.
I love the M40 (but that's probably because I only ever rarely go along it for a leisure/pleasure activity, like going to Heathrow for my holiday!)
I've used this junction many times before and it always boggles my brain how bad it is! You turn into the mess on the east side of the M40 and all hell break loose. Just daft!
When travelling south down the M1, then across the A43 and onto the M40 for one junction, I will sometimes use the services if I have to, as I have to queue whether going to the services or getting onto the M40, and southwards getting onto the M40 from the services isn't terrible. Going north though, I avoid those services if I can and stop at an Esso station on the A43 instead (I'm also not fond of Northampton services, hence not stopping there unless I really, really have to). I wish they could sort the junction out, but I'm not convinced they'll ever do that!
Spot on - it's always been a dreadful junction since the A43 upgrade, looking at the plans the only problem they're (hopefully) solving is southbound traffic exiting the motorway - not the awful traffic flow all around the rest of it!
The other nightmare junctions heading south are J9 and J4 - each of those sees the motorway going down to 2 lanes through the junction and there are tailbacks ALL THE TIME.
I swear 99% of all traffic in Oxfordshire is due to either J9, or the Oxford Ring Road and specifically the absolute shitshow that is Peartree Interchange. J9 needs free flowing slips between the A34 and M40N, the Ring Road needs significant bypassing, and Peartree needs direct access between the A40 and A34
It would probably be better if southbound A43 traffic just headed straight down the old A43 rather than through two interchanges on and off a motorway. It's not as if the old road is a little lane with houses right up close. It's a road built to trunk standard.
Biggest issue is single slip for entry south bound and having two lanes enter it. Just make it 2 lanes all the way down. Then close the enty lights to enter the services from north bounds make them use the loop of whats left of the old entry round about to get into the services
The worst bit of the whole thing is the 2 into 1 lane on the southbound sliproad. Ends almost immediately after about 100 yards after the traffic lights hanging you out to dry on the outside of lorries that fill the inside lane exclusively.
I use this junction quite often and completely concur with your thoughts as the so-called powers-that-be absolutely ballsed this one up!
The Northbound entrance slip road isnt quite so bad (Depending on how much traffic is coming up the exit slip road when approaching from Ardley.). The southbound exit slip road is a complete nightmare! You could be stuck there for ages as there often seems to be a constant stream of traffic coming down from the main part of the junction as there are no traffic controls in that direction. Still, I never really expect traffic planners to actually plan anything!
Considering the M40 is relatively new (as motorways go) it has a few dubious junctions. The junction for the A34 is horrendous in the southbound direction, with huge queues in the rush hour bringing all three lanes to a frequent standstill as Audi & BMW drivers don't like to join the back of the queue, instead continuing in lane 3 until the 100yd marker then stopping everyone so they can push in.
Further north as you approach the A46 exit (as you go n/bound) there is a slip road that joins you so close to the A46 exit slip-road that chaos frequently ensues, once again made worse by the previously mentioned Audi & BMW bar-stewards on their way home.
Indeed the more I think about it the more I figure "ban Audi's and BMW's from the motorways" and the roads would all be fine.
Another good video. from the M40, I thought J9 was terrible where the A34 meets and the M40 is reduced to 2 lanes with 1 lane unnecessarily shaded.
Absolute classic! The “improvements”…the: “oh well, at least they won’t…😂” great work Jon!
I have used that junction many times. Now, I just go straight through Bicester and rejoin the A43 further up.
I see a couple of days ago the diggers moving in! My immediate reaction was great what fuck up have we got coming next!!! Lights??? Really….. 🤦♂️🤦♂️
Cleaning this up for a family audience, why did this phrase come to mind, 'Couldn't organise an alcoholic drinks party in a brewery!'
That is by far the best "polite" phrasing of that
Another Informative and excellent video Jon.
Move the services; redo the junction as a stacked roundabout. Why are they not keeping the distinct flows of traffic in mind every time they make an "improvement"? **sigh**
They will probably cock that up aswell
100% agree mixing motorway services with busy junctions is almost always a disaster in terms of the congestion caused.
Same as the mess at the black cat roundabout on the A1 Cambridgeshire
Pretty sure it was 5th Gear who featured this years ago, and got primary school kids to have a go redesigning it!
As someone who drives over this twice a day, and has done (on and off) for many years, the worst part about it is the people who drive on it. 90% of drivers cant read the lanes, or the signs, or anything for that matter - they get lost, daudle, go down incorrect junctions. More than once ive seen people reversing up the M40 sliproads!
I'm looking forward to your next video about the rubbish junction. Looking at its previous "improvements" I think you'll be back in less than 2 years.
A 43 was a horrible road back in the day mostly much improved now ( rather like the a 421 a1 to m1 ) but still really bad at the Cherwell end
I also remember in the early mid ninties when I first started HGV driving there were NO.
services all the way from Dover via Folkestone m25 m 40 until Birmingham
Great insight there, Jon.
The other entertaining fail with the furst redesign was that the tight curves meant lorries were frequently tipping over.
A43-M40 southbound- before 'improvements', after 1st 'improvement ' to beat the queue us truckers used to head into cherwell services, turn by fuel station & run straight out again. This led to the road surface getting ripped up by constant streams of 44tonners. Nasty, but saved a 15min wait until you hit the 20min wait to get off M40 for A34, another crap junction. An easy fix would be to upgrade the bridge (weight limit)at A43/A34 junction so north-south traffic could avoid M40 completely.
Maybe a county councillor lives on the old A43 section.. who knows?!
The issue here is (and always was) the sheer stupidity of combining the services with a busy junction. Using the services has always been a nightmare for northbound M40 traffic. So much so that having made that mistake once in all my years driving on the M40 I never used them again. So much extra distance to cover and always queues. Southbound was not so bad, I did use that sometimes on the way home.
On balance though I’m very glad that a change in employment meant I could say good bye to M40 junction 10 forever.
I stayed at the Travelodge in the services last weekend (for Rustival 2, was hoping you would be there but alas...) and was thinking what your view of the mess that is the junction would be. Now I know!!