A34

Big hold up on the A34 in case anyone is heading to The Arcadia today. We just got stuck for an hour until the Police came along and turned us all round to go north on the southbound carriagway. Newbury is completely bunged up, we went towards Hungerford and then turned South as we were only 4 miles from our destination ( a village south of Newbury) when we got stuck.

Now this is why we always leave early if we are heading to Southampton for cruises and why I think this new set time arrival policy won't work.

I live just outside the M25 and used to work near Winchester. It usually took me about 65-70 minutes to drive to work along the M3.

But sometimes it took rather longer, on one memorable occasion, I didn't get to work before it was time to get home again (8 hours later!) due to a crash which closed the M3.

On one cruise I met some passengers who had traveled from Kent, expecting to arrive at the Ocean Terminal by about 1pm. They were delayed due to an accident on the M25, and made the sailing by less than 5 minutes.... and that was after phoning P&O & letting them know they were going to be late. I think other passengers from Kent missed that particular sailing...

...and I'm afraid that is why we now go up the night before!

We are only about 2.5 - 3 hours drive away but....:cool:

Hope everyone gets there OK today.

Which is why so many of us travel down the day before. Our route M56, M6, M40 and A 34 on is prone to jams and it's not pleasant to start to a cruise in a panic.

One tip for traveling on the cruise day is to get ahead of the coaches running on your route, if you are held up so will they be behind you. The ship will wait for them but not very long for individuals.

I don't charge for these tips by the way.

David.

Big hold up on the A34 in case anyone is heading to The Arcadia today. We just got stuck for an hour until the Police came along and turned us all round to go north on the southbound carriagway. Newbury is completely bunged up, we went towards Hungerford and then turned South as we were only 4 miles from our destination ( a village south of Newbury) when we got stuck.

 

Now this is why we always leave early if we are heading to Southampton for cruises and why I think this new set time arrival policy won't work.

The new policy will work. If passengers encounter problems such as yours - they will wait for you :D

Also there are roadworks on the M3 around Basingstoke/A303 turnoff for anyone coming from London down to Southampton

Which is why so many of us travel down the day before. Our route M56, M6, M40 and A 34 on is prone to jams and it's not pleasant to start to a cruise in a panic.

 

One tip for traveling on the cruise day is to get ahead of the coaches running on your route, if you are held up so will they be behind you. The ship will wait for them but not very long for individuals.

 

I don't charge for these tips by the way.

 

David.

We now go down and have 2 nights, sometimes 3. :) being both retired helps.

The new policy will work. If passengers encounter problems such as yours - they will wait for you :D

Actually I was meaning the other way round. The fact you have to leave early just in case something happens and of course hopefully nothing will so you then arrive early. If they stick to their new rules you might have a long wait n the terminal.

Are they letting people board earlier than their set time at the moment?

I was on volunteer coastguard duty last evening and logged Arcadia 7 miles south of me at Prawle Point in South Devon. She was lurking in the mist doing only 13 knots.

We always leave home at 0900, drop the dogs off on the way and usually get to the port about 1245, so that allows for a 2 hour delay.

We live just a few minutes away from Jct 9 on the M3 and also the A34/A33 junction.... we so often witness major hold ups that we find ourselves leaving really early too 'just in case'. Even though we live so near!

We were on a cruise on Adonia last year and two couples on the next table arrived a couple of days late. They had got held up, with, I think, 6 or more, others, and 'missed the boat'.

It cost them a night in Southampton, air fares to Portugal, and a night in Lisbon

and other expenses totalling about £500, plus all the stress and arranging.

I prefer forty quid at the Premier Inn overnight!!:)

Just packed the car. We are going down to Southampton today. We are staying for two nights before our Azura cruise. Apart from the A34 we were going to use the A43 past Siverstone :mad:, but there are jams past the circuit as a meeting is being held this weekend. All I have to do now is find a map book to try and work out a new route.

Thanks for the info on the A34.

Just packed the car. We are going down to Southampton today. We are staying for two nights before our Azura cruise. Apart from the A34 we were going to use the A43 past Siverstone :mad:, but there are jams past the circuit as a meeting is being held this weekend. All I have to do now is find a map book to try and work out a new route.

 

Thanks for the info on the A34.

If you have a Smartphone, download Waze. It's always in the top 10 of best mobile Apps. It is a sat nav with a difference. The data for it is real time and is fed into it as you drive along by people such as myself so it is always up to date.

You can ask it to look at alternative routes too and it will also automatically re-route you if the route you're going on changes substantially.

I've been using it for about two years now and recommended it to loads of others who also now enthuse about it and recommend it to their friends and family.

The only drawback is that it doesn't download the maps onto your phone so to start off, you need to have a mobile signal. Once its started though it keeps going even if you lose the signal.

Thanks for that. Will check it out. It seems the delay on the A34 is now down to 10 mins.

Thanks for that. Will check it out. It seems the delay on the A34 is now down to 10 mins.

Oh is there a holdup again today then? It was before 7 on Wednesday morning, just south of Newbury, when we got stuck and the road was blocked all day. There was also an accident in the same place yesterday (Friday afternoon) two cars on their roofs. Not a good road, avoid going past Oxford at all costs during rush hour, we used to live there so speak from experience.