A40 rush hour 'worst ever' Forest of Dean commuters claim

“dontyaknow - regardless of the congestion, door to door times, and costs would be lower by road compared with travel to the railhead or a new bridge and then having to double up the time for the return journey - and people can only carry small bags if going by bus, or rail - Congestion is not caused by off-peak travellers just for an afternoon out who can time their trip to miss the peaks, but regular commuters that go to Gloucester and beyond including school traffic. There is also a significant component travelling from England to the Forest of Dean and Wales avoiding the tolls. Door to door time is the essence there.”

“As others have said it is not really the A40, but what follows from there. I'd like to see the A40 between Over and Longford doubled (very expensive), A road linking Minsterworth with Hempstead (very doubtful) or perhaps a new railway station either just South of Highnam roundabout where the A48 crosses the railway line and could attract communters from the Forest, Ross on Wye and Newent, or perhaps at Westbury on Severn as 'Cinderford Parkway'.

Either way, it could have Free parking and fares low enough to get people on board. It could free up a lot of cars from the city centre and have buses running from there as well.”

“Walker100 - a second crossing will have to be tolled - and for much of the Forest of Dean, it makes sense to return through Gloucester and M5 from points South than pay the extortionate toll returning. The additional time involved is small.

Doubt if there is money at present to build another crossing and even if there was one, the Forest roads will be constricted for any through routes to be established - traffing ending on the A40 or A48 although reducing congestion at the Gloucester end.

It will help if the tolls on the Severn Bridge were abolished as that will reduce people from the North crossing over at Gloucester and on to the A48, and A40 to access the Forest of Dean and Wales.”

“Matt1006/Geraint - general comment on both the A40 and A48 - so most of the roads 60MPH - on the dual carriageway sections - it used to be 70 in the past - and with the present arrangements with some imagination/exit lanes/reduction in junctions, the whole stretch can be made a fast dual carriageway.

There is somehow a view in Britain that slowing down traffic is somehow good - quite the opposite - drivers get bored tail-gating/lowered attention by the myriad signs, and slow/stop driving increases fuel consumption/pollution.

In Germany, almost all towns and villages have fast bypasses or through routes and ~63MPH on most two way roads and no limits on Motorways.
The accident rate statistics are revealing - Fatalities on German roads are 7.2 per 100,000 vehicles compared with 7 in the U.K - interestingly fatalities in the US which has wider road lanes, 65MPH limit on motorways and 40 and 50 on non-motorways, the rates are more than twice - 15 per 100,000 vehicles, and over 12 per 100,000 inhabitants per year.

Speed by itself is not the main determinant in traffic accidents - and Gloucestershire has gone mad reducing speeds from the previous 60MPH national limit to 50 or lower on most stretches, even on country roads with no houses.

Aberdeen ring road with houses on both sides and huge amount of traffic - 50MPH, Churcham - A40 rural stretches 50MPH with many locations with traffic lights road lanes narrowed from what they were previously, little wonder you get congestion. Most people will drive according road and traffic conditions and will make better time if the mandatory limits were raised and slower stretches reduced/overtaking lanes that existed previously reinstated.”

“If we're talking national speed limit, then it would be 70mph, as it's a dual carriageway. Which would certainly be bonkers with the current configuration of the A40 in this location. But get rid of the right turns & associated traffic lights, and it would then work.”

“Surely it is now time to build a new Severn crossing, possibly South of Minsterworth to meet up with J12 of the M5. This would enable traffic to avoid what is now the bottleneck of Castle Meads Way and come into Gloucester from the East at 11a or bypass Gloucester entirely if heading South.

Having said that, other projects may be just as important, such as J10 remodeling or dualing the A417 a Nettleton Bottom. What's the priority?”

“60mph Bonkim? Bit risky on a stretch of road with multiple traffic lights and right turns and continual delays caused by funnelling traffic. However; if they got rid of all traffic lights and right turns and made traffic joining or leaving the A40 turn left only and to carry on up to the Highnam or Over roundabout, then delays could be minimised and 60mph would probably be fine.”

“increase speeds to the national max of 60MPH and the congestion will reduce significantly - at some locations where there are few hazards 30MPH is too low - seriously lowering speed often increases accident potential, as also the forests of unwanted road signs that distract attention. Why do you need 50MPH on the dual carriage section from Gloucester to Highnam?”

“A private lane for a single household and nuts to everyone else using the road - I doubt if even Price William would get away with that! Has this guy got something on the Highway Authority bosses or are funny handshakes and brown envelopes involved?”

“The roundabout at Over is the main bottleneck however what compounds the issue is the poor driving of motorists especially during rush hours.

In particular is the amount of vehicles that turn right into Gloucester from the left hand lane. The road markings clearly state that you should be in the right hand lane for Gloucester.

The inevitable occurs that the vehicle in the left hand lane turning right has to cross over the lane of traffic going straight over from the right hand lane.

This type of driving is both selfish and dangerous, and carried out by all sorts of drivers, including those driving buses, coaches and HGV's

As this is common practice during rush hours it is now also common other times of the day, as soon as there is a build up of traffic in the right hand lane vehicles stay in the left hand lane and turn right at the roundabout, again including buses, HGV's etc.

As stated earlier this practice is common across all types of drivers, even people carrying young children on their way to school, putting their children and other drivers at risk on a daily basis.

Having to get to your destination as quick as possible (and the left hand lane is quicker) is no excuse for this type of driving.

Something certainly needs to be done regarding the amount of traffic on this road however drivers need to start driving within the Highway Code and not putting themselves and other road users at risk.”