Unlit Motorways

[karatekid]

When did it get to the point where this country was so skint we couldn’t even afford to light up our motorways. Dark early nights, rain and spray in abundance, yet we drive on pitch black motorways. Madness.

[CrosspoolClarets]

The reason I don’t come back for many midweek home games despite having a ticket.

The bright red brake lights (2-3 times as bright as they used to be) on a dark A66/M66 are a nightmare as our eyes get older. Trying to drive down the M40 to London is even worse.

[houseboy]

They are simply a death trap but the authorities turn away and blame anyone but themselves for accidents. Halogen headlights don’t help either.

[bart_claret]

I was finding night driving really dangerous until I had my cataracts done. Now I'm like Lewis Hamilton.

[Dyched]

What about headlights?! These new cars are a nightmare when they’re behind you. Can’t see naff all.

[helmclaret]

When did it get to the point where this country was so skint we couldn’t even afford to light up our motorways. Dark early nights, rain and spray in abundance, yet we drive on pitch black motorways. Madness.

It’s Starmer that and this woke leftie communist lot! Tofu eating wokerati.

[houseboy]

I was finding night driving really dangerous until I had my cataracts done. Now I'm like Lewis Hamilton.

Snap. I had mine done about three years apart but before the first op on my right eye (my left eye has been naff all my life) night driving was like driving through a Pink Floyd gig. Bloody light show with lasers shooting off headlights.

[Boss Hogg]

They are death traps but we have to fund the foreign aid budget, legal aid and hotel accommodation somehow.

[JohnMac]

I got some yellow clip on lens for my glasses and they really do cut down the glare at night. Unfortunately they also seem to cut down my visual range too and I nearly hit a traffic calming island

[mikeS]

The lights were switched off in 2011.
Details here on the LCC site.
https://council.lancashire.gov.uk/ieDec ... spx?ID=886
Since then there have been numerous deaths and accident like the one below
https://www.burnleyexpress.net/news/cor ... sh-2657896

[bfcjg]

Totally agree, it's so dangerous on certain motorway stretches. We've got low energy LED bulbs, solar and wind power so the environmental excuse doesn't wash anymore.

[CaptJohn]

It makes it very difficult to dodge the potholes.

[The Hung Juror]

The stretch of the M65 between Brierfield and Burnley where they took the lights out and built the concrete central reservation is a complete nightmare at night after we have had heavy rain.

[Leon_C]

I think we're all in agreement that we'd prefer lit motorways.
But, were you to examine each RTC that has occured since the lights were removed, I'm confident that human factors (excess speed) were the most significant factor in most.
If people are driving like dicks, then lighting or no lighting, they're going to cause casualties.

[mikeS]

These articles were Found from a simple Google search on 'M65 accidents'
These from just 2024. Most occurring during the hours of darkness. None mention what speed the driver was doing.

Motorway safety review call after spate of crashes 5th November 2024
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1knv4l9ed7o

Horse killed and four injured - 28th October 2024 Junction 9. 2:30am
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2nwk124ego

Three teenagers remain in hospital with 'serious but stable' injuries after M65 crash at Burnley that claimed life of 17-year-old girl from Darwen. Wednesday October 2nd 3:30am
https://www.burnleyexpress.net/news/tra ... en-4813741

Appeal after man dies in collision. Saturday, September 7, 2024
https://lancashire.police.uk/news/2024/ ... collision/

Paul Marshall died following a three-vehicle accident on the motorway in Lancashire.

https://www.manchesterworld.uk/news/lov ... ay-3630906

A man who died following a collision on a Lancashire motorway has been named as Paul Marshall, 67, from Bury. Emergency services were called to a three-vehicle crash on on the westbound carriageway near junction four (Earcroft) shortly before 5.30am on Friday (11 March).

[Bosscat]

I think we're all in agreement that we'd prefer lit motorways.
But, were you to examine each RTC that has occured since the lights were removed, I'm confident that human factors (excess speed) were the most significant factor in most.
If people are driving like dicks, then lighting or no lighting, they're going to cause casualties.

Agreed ... the last few trips we have done there has been some attrocious driving on the motorways (daytime).

We had one come up behind us rapidly as I was overtaking a Truck. Then it cut up the truck and undertaking us (I was cruising at 70mph) at least 15 to 20mph mph faster, I had been about to pull over to the inside lane when it shot past us, then crossing 3 lanes to overtake then undertaking again ... my wife was convinced we would find them further up the M6 in a pile-up.

[Burnley Ace]

Slow down.

[Dyched]

The stretch of the M65 between Brierfield and Burnley where they took the lights out and built the concrete central reservation is a complete nightmare at night after we have had heavy rain.

I drive quite a bit on the local motorways. M6, M55, M65, M62. The stretch you mentioned is awful not helped by the amount of pricks that drive it.

[bobinho]

They are death traps but we have to fund the foreign aid budget, legal aid and hotel accommodation somehow.

Absolutely Boss… that £22bn black hole won’t fill itself…

Standby for action, they will be here before long…

You can actually see the intolerance from here!!

[Casper2]

It’s Starmer that and this woke leftie communist lot! Tofu eating wokerati.

Introduced in 2011 ,by the right wing looney nazi lot , fox eating Fascists .

[IanMcL]

It’s Starmer that and this woke leftie communist lot! Tofu eating wokerati.

They have been off for years.

[IanMcL]

When I drive at night, once it is late, the traffic thins. Very restful. I can close my eyes and drive for ages and open them and it is still dark and restful.

[GetIntoEm]

in a lot of instances its down to poor driving.

over the past few weeks of bad weather its easy to spot the careless ones, traffic steadily moving at 50-60mph in heavy rain, low visibility, and you get a VW Golf whizzing past in the outside lane easy doing 80mph.

its about driving to the conditions, this includes the dark.

[bobinho]

They have been off for years.

Yeah, he knows. He’s just trying to suggest that we all blame Starmer and his cronies for everything and in doing so we are unreasonable and incorrect. Meanwhile, he and others conveniently ignore the uncomfortable truths we can all see when we aren’t blinded by the anti Tory rhetoric in the press/media. Having just read the thread, can’t find anyone attempting to lay the blame at this govts door, so his point is lost.

[dougcollins]

Yeah, he knows. He’s just trying to suggest that we all blame Starmer and his cronies for everything and in doing so we are unreasonable and incorrect. Meanwhile, he and others conveniently ignore the uncomfortable truths we can all see when we aren’t blinded by the anti Tory rhetoric in the press/media. Having just read the thread, can’t find anyone attempting to lay the blame at this govts door, so his point is lost.

You're right -it was the Tories that stole the lights.

[jos]

Slow down.

That can be just as dangerous if you're not making due progress.

I agree with sticking to the speed limit though.

[ClaretOfMancunia]

These articles were Found from a simple Google search on 'M65 accidents'
These from just 2024. Most occurring during the hours of darkness. None mention what speed the driver was doing.

Motorway safety review call after spate of crashes 5th November 2024
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1knv4l9ed7o

Horse killed and four injured - 28th October 2024 Junction 9. 2:30am
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2nwk124ego

Three teenagers remain in hospital with 'serious but stable' injuries after M65 crash at Burnley that claimed life of 17-year-old girl from Darwen. Wednesday October 2nd 3:30am
https://www.burnleyexpress.net/news/tra ... en-4813741

Appeal after man dies in collision. Saturday, September 7, 2024
https://lancashire.police.uk/news/2024/ ... collision/

Paul Marshall died following a three-vehicle accident on the motorway in Lancashire.

https://www.manchesterworld.uk/news/lov ... ay-3630906

A man who died following a collision on a Lancashire motorway has been named as Paul Marshall, 67, from Bury. Emergency services were called to a three-vehicle crash on on the westbound carriageway near junction four (Earcroft) shortly before 5.30am on Friday (11 March).

All very sad accidents, but doesn't really prove or disprove anything re the lights being off. The only thing that might point to that theory is whether the number of accidents at night, as a proportion of journeys made on that stretch of motorway during the hours of darkness, have gone up or down since the lights were turned off.

[mikeS]

Good point Mancunia.
These four examples that I've listed cropped up in Google searchof accidents all occurred recently. It looks like all of them were in the hours of Darkness. There must be similar data for previous years and it would be interesting to compare accidents occurring at Night and during the day and for what reason. Maybe the department of transport are on the case as they are for the smart motorways.

[Vincent'sCap]

All very sad accidents, but doesn't really prove or disprove anything re the lights being off. The only thing that might point to that theory is whether the number of accidents at night, as a proportion of journeys made on that stretch of motorway during the hours of darkness, have gone up or down since the lights were turned off.

Not sure we should blame the lights I'd put it down to the bellends who havnt got a clue how to drive I'm sure driving licences come in lucky bags these days

[cbx750]

An old article but still may be relevant.

https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/car-news/ ... switch-off

[karatekid]

Surely we can all agree that motorways with lights are safer after dark and don’t make you as stressed or tired.

[Clovius Boofus]

Surely we can all agree that motorways with lights are safer after dark and don’t make you as stressed or tired.

You'd hope so.

[Casper2]

Not sure we should blame the lights I'd put it down to the bellends who havnt got a clue how to drive I'm sure driving licences come in lucky bags these days

So all the people injured and killed on unlit motorways are bellends , ok then

[helmclaret]

They have been off for years.

It was a sarcastic comment

[Damo]

We have to do our bit to prevent global warming/reduce our carbon footprint/preserve the ozone layer/save the polar bears etc.
Blackpool will be under water in next to no time if we aren't careful

[Swizzlestick]

Ignoring the tedious political points, it’s a joke that they’re unlit. I get there’s some awful drivers out there but it’s just totally unnecessary. It was particularly bad at junction 2 where you come off for the M61, tonight - really poor visibility. Can’t be saving that much money.

[dsr]

Ignoring the tedious political points, it’s a joke that they’re unlit. I get there’s some awful drivers out there but it’s just totally unnecessary. It was particularly bad at junction 2 where you come off for the M61, tonight - really poor visibility. Can’t be saving that much money.

They ought at least to have lights at junctions. Coming to an unlit junction that you don't know is not easy.

[LincsWoldsClaret]

Highways England are responsible for motorway lighting - their remit is to improve major roads but instead we get dark, pot-hole filled dangerous roads.

[karatekid]

In Australia they use photoluminescence paint so the road markings glow in the dark. We’re lucky to see the white lines in daytime.

[Jakubclaret]

More people need to be relaxed when driving the answer is there.

[Bosscat]

More people need to be relaxed when driving the answer is there.

Don't start on the idea of drug taking and driving ffs