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Looks quite likely that Op Stack will still be in place tomorrow and I am heading to Dover for ferry en route to holiday in the Alps 🙂
Would I be as well to cut up to the M2 and take the A2 into Dover from Canterbury or does the official route along the A20 actually work OK?
Need to be in Dover for about 4.30pm so hopefully will miss the worst of the traffic (but who knows what might happen going anywhere near that there London place)
same dilemma for tunnel tomorrow @ 1900ish 2.5hr delay. 🙄
where you off to?
In the same boat here, catching the 3pm eurotunnel and no idea whats really going to happen just yet!
Have been listening to news reports on the radio all week saying that operation stack is in process causing a 2 hour delay at the train terminal. Sounds like all roads around that area are very busy.
Off to Destination X with TA.
The thing is I am not sure that the traffic is any worse than normal summer weekend (bad enough), but closing the motorway and forcing all the car & local traffic to use a 2 lane road can only result in gridlock, unless they somehow prioritise the diversion at the expense of side routes....
Anyone dealing with this regularly got any advice?
Having seen the weather warning for gale force winds tomorrow afternoon, I am kind of wishing I was on the Tunnel, even with the delays 🙂
Im off to TA too, maybe see you there!
Same dilemma for a 5pm Chunnel. Delays are due to migrant disruption rather than op stack as I understand it. Not sure if the backlog will still be in place tomorrow or not.
On the bright side, at the end of the journey, is another trip to Whiteroom and a second week self-guided. Cannot wait!
Les Arcs or Beufort-Areches Jim?
If the latter then will surely see you there
I *always* take A2-M2-A2 to dover ferry.
Not sure what makes A20/M20 and driving through Dover seafront any more official.
In some respects it's easier (depending where you're coming from). About 2-3 roundabouts on a 60/70mph road, then straight down a multi-lane road down the cliffs (with a 30 limit!) straight in to the port.
Channel Tunnel is more of an issue. I'd do A2/M2/A2 then down the road to Folkestone (that we used to take for the old Folkestone ferry) to skip the stack. But I don't know the easy way in to the Eurotunnel from there, since I always take the ferry (much cheaper IME).
I can't add much but will say they were stacking from j8 yesterday and the a2 was congested in parts but not too bad.
You need to check whether the a20 entrance is closed. If it is, you'll prob need to join stack and queue?
I'm local so try to avoid the traffic rather than see where it's going.
The war and peace rally is on so avoid the a20 between Folkestone and ashford as this will be congested due to that and stack.
Someone I know went through the lanes to get to Dover and then got told to go and queue on the M20 about 5 minutes from where he lives.
The A2 has been really slow at times recently and always has lots of accidents.
I did it on Saturday. The official diversion sends you on the A2.
Got 3 miles away from Dover at 6.10pm for 6.35pm P&O ferry, got through check in at 7.30pm and was told I'd be on a 9.30pm ferry, they were all running 3 hours late.
My SatNAv with traffic updates tried to take me back off the A2 and down the A256 but I ignored it. When we dropped down into the ferry port it looked clear from that direction so worth a punt.
I am currently waiting to (finally) get on the train. It took 4 hours to drive down from London!
We started on the m2 then deviated onto the m20.
I would leave now if you have an early train/ ferry.
Can't wait for Spain now!
Was only about 1 hour delay last Friday lunchtime,last couple of miles into Dover looked busy from all directions
My daughter has just been on a school trip to EuroDisney (got back at 5am this morning) - no problems either way (on Ferry). In fact they were ahead of schedule in both directions.
http://www.highways.gov.uk/news/breaking-news
The sooner more freight logistics depots with rail sidings are opened the better, so LGV, can drop their container off at a depot and then be put on an environmentally freindly train to its destination or local depot and then be picked up by a local operator, instead of one person driving up to 30 tones of stuff for many hours or holding up traffic on a motorway while parked up for many hours.
I'm in Dover and I can vouch for the A2 approach to the port. Definitely steer clear of the A20, as that's the official detour, plus War&Peace traffic too. Took my wife an hour to get from Ashford last night. If you get on the A20 though, head towards Hythe and take the coast road, then up to Capel-le-Ferne. Or A2 to Canterbury, then Bridge-Aylesham-Lydden-Temple Ewell.
I'm at the tunnel. Followed the official detour and had no problems,was about 20 mins slower than the normal motorway route in. Delays of 45 mins at the tunnel though.
Had to get to the Tunnel through Stack a couple of weeks back, on an evening crossing.
Guy who was driving blindly followed the diversion signs (until they disappeared at one point) as opposed to following my Tomtom which was putting in detours to avoid the worst of the traffic so it took a bit longer than it needed to, but we lost about an hour or more.
Getting through Ashford was a nightmare so best avoided.
They bring you back onto the M20 at J11 for the Tunnel, when we got there it wasn't helped by the 2 lorry drivers who couldn't read a sign that said stay in the 2 LH lanes and leave the 3rd lane for cars etc, so once the 2 lorries were out the way after an additional 20min delay, we pretty much drove straight onto the train.
Are there any online route planners that know what is going on? Just tried Google, bing and theAA and they all just went straight down the m20 with no delays.
Well we're on the road aberdeen to verbier at tunnel about 1930.
Has anybody ever done the numbers re what all this kind of thing costs (the Policing, loss to business etc), versus the genuine costs associated with letting all the attempting migrants in and giving the work permits ? It must be cheaper, surely ? Although cards on the table, I think all who want to immigrate to Britain should be let in, and there should be an amnesty for people here illegally. Get them paying tax and stop them being victims of all the criminal gangs involved in every bit of their experience from leaving their original home.
But that is probably just simplistic....
P.S perhaps the SNP could let them all into Scotland if they promise to vote Yes in the next referendum. This place needs some more color.
Ginger is a colour
😆
True, true. Perhaps we could arrange some kind of exchange.
I have to drive past it every night. M2/A2 is the official route now. If coming from the east on the M25 just come down the M2. If coming from the west on the M25 come down the M26 and leave the M20 at jn7 (A249) which cuts across to the M2 (much quicker than doing the extra 3 junctions on the M25).
Hi
I live in Maidstone and come down the M2 to the coast to work. Jn7 of the M20 (ie about 2 miles before the Stack Diversion at Jn8) was pretty packed. I have to pass over this and take the A249 to join the M2 at Jn5.
My normal journey (in the opposite direction to most rush hr traffic) is quite swift, but with Stack, it is slower and there is more traffic around.
This am traffic was queuing on the A249 before the slip road to the M2 and I could see stationary traffic coast bound on the Mway. I took a country lane diversion and joined the M2 further down, just before traffic moves off to the A2. As far back as I could see it was 2 lanes of crawling traffic.
If you are coming via M25/M26/M20, it may be worth considering coming off the M20 at Jn4 and taking the A228 or Jn6 and A229 to get to the M2.
Both are a bit longer, but you'll be on the M2 and I guess most traffic will come off the M20 at Jn7 to get to the M2.
Can't vouch for the A20, but on Sunday ams, I'm out on my road bike from Maidstone to Ashford from 5.30 and I rarely see other cars. Sunday just gone was noticeably busier.
One option, may be to miss the A2 and take the A299 to Ramsgate then A256 to Dover. It's longer but you'll be approaching from a (hopefully) quieter direction.
Hope it goes ok, I'm supposed to be getting the ferry in 2 weeks!
We've just got on the M4 from Bristol - booked on a 5pm Chunnel. Wish us luck!
The annual pilgrimage has begun 8)
It wasn't actually bad at all, we're drove along get the a2 m2 a2 way and didn't get stuck in any traffic at all at approximately 12-1pm
Has anybody ever done the numbers re what all this kind of thing costs (the Policing, loss to business etc), versus the genuine costs associated with letting all the attempting migrants in and giving the work permits ? It must be cheaper, surely ? Although cards on the table, I think all who want to immigrate to [s]Britain[/s] [b]Cumbernauld[/b] should be let in, and there should be an amnesty for people here illegally. Get them paying tax and stop them being victims of all the criminal gangs involved in every bit of their experience from leaving their original home.
FIFY 😉
We got stuck on the A20 so ended up coming off and navigating the country lanes of Kent. A 6 hour journey in total (would normally be 3) but we still got to the terminal earlier than planned and got put on an earlier train. Have just arrived in France!
Well arrived and on the 2330 train that is now leaving at 2350.
Bit of an epic journey
In a word, you're pretty much ****ed, if you must, use the M2, A2. The way this thing works, the French strike Tuesday to Friday, during which period they assist would be migrants to enter the tunnel, in exchange for tyre burning services which the french police who are in the same union turn a blind eye to. Then over the weekend, for which they are paid double time, they work normally which clears the backlog, they seem also to be working monday, not sure why, but by doing this they get to earn a five day weeks money whilst screwing us over.
They hate the English in case you were wondering.
tyrionl1 - Member
They hate the English in case you were wondering.
Don't be a racist dick. Are you a pissed-up Friday night Farage?
The EuroStar and Channel Tunnel services are full of non-UK people.
The strikers are just thugs out to disrupt innocent people whilst claiming it's about employment rights etc.
Still here at terminal due to migrant activities all trains stopped
Getting out of car park is the biggest challenge.
3 hour delays overnight! Good luck bruneep.
Made it over just another 8 hrs to destination.
Any updates?
Things are compounded here by the War & Peace show, so the A20 is packed with Military Vehicles, things usually get sorted over the weekend because 'they' go back to work for double time. But the people smugglers have found a new way to launch migrants onto the empty freight cars, so there's been a couple of big rushes which have shut it down, ferry is probably the most reliable route to France right now.
M2 - A2 works.
drove to Maidstone earlier and M20 was clear up to jct 7 . signs said closed after jct 8 to 11 .
coming back at 5pm , radio said it was getting better .
The only access to the tunnel is via J11A M20, the other access on the A20 is closed for road works at the moment so you need to get to J11 and join the M20 there.
If heading down you want to avoid the diversions on to the A20 then you could pick up the A2 and head for Canterbury.
Here you can leave the A2 and head into the centre and follow the signs for Hythe, once you pass the cricket ground and turn right at the lights you're now on Stone Street, this road goes straight to J11 where you take the first left to join the M20. Bare in mind that getting across town can take some time during the day so if you don't mind 10 mins of country roads there is another option......
Instead of coming of the A2 at Canterbury carry on until the next exit at Bridge. At end of slip road turn right. follow for 200 yds or so. At cross roads go straight over. Keep on this road for 5 mins or so, and at the end turn left, this is Stone Street, As above follow down the J11.
Hope this is of help.
So interesting so many uk residents are having so much difficulty leaving and so many imigrant workers are having so much trouble trying to enter at the same time.
Either way its going to result in bankrupties among truck owners, and small companies as their stock is ruined,or arrives late and is refused at the destination, or they just cant afford to pay the drivers wages for not driving and making deliveries and pickups.
Whats the answer.
Surely if more than 1000 folk try to enter a country against the will of that country isn't that technically an invasion?
= Army.