Drove to Merseyside and back, ten hours. On the way home signs (and the radio) told me both the North Circular and the M11 were shut. Plenty of cones on the M25 as usual.
On the M1 there were warnings of smoke (particularly frightening since you can't slow down because cars behind you won't be able to see you so they will hit your bumper and you can't keep going at the same speed for fear of ploughing into cars ahead of you) and 'an incident', whatever that might be.
Of course when it came to the smoke and the incident there was nothing. Just distressing signs. I didn't try the A406 and M11 but the one thing that comes across strongly is that the infrastructure of Britain is certainly far too weak.
We need new transport links, particularly fast and cheap rail.
Posted by Jonathan Brind.