 Poster: A snowHead
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Have deleted previous post as I found it was wrong. M20 closed from J8. A20 closed from Folkestone to Dover. Accident on M20 between J8 & 9 causing delays.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Any thoughts on routes? Looking at Google maps now I can see M20 seems to be a mess between Maidstone and Ashford but I am guessing that is parked up lorries and maybe for cars its not so bad?
We are staying in Ashford on Friday night, so thinking of taking the A2 / M2 to Faversham area and heading down to Ashford from there.
I also note that the M20 looks awful from Ashford down towards the Eurotunnel terminal. We will be leaving early on Saturday morning (5am) from Ashford but have no idea what the traffic will be like that time of morning.
Anyone with any knowledge of that area and suggestions, gratefully appreciated.
K
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| kosciosco wrote: |
Any thoughts on routes? Looking at Google maps now I can see M20 seems to be a mess between Maidstone and Ashford but I am guessing that is parked up lorries and maybe for cars its not so bad?
We are staying in Ashford on Friday night, so thinking of taking the A2 / M2 to Faversham area and heading down to Ashford from there.
I also note that the M20 looks awful from Ashford down towards the Eurotunnel terminal. We will be leaving early on Saturday morning (5am) from Ashford but have no idea what the traffic will be like that time of morning.
Anyone with any knowledge of that area and suggestions, gratefully appreciated.
K |
The route A251 from Faversham to Ashford should work for you, but may be slow with lorries using this route to try to circumvent Op Brock.
You should be OK at that time of the morning to get to Eurotunnel via the M20. They don't close the M20, just stack lorries between J11 & Eurotunnel, but prevent you joining the M20 at J11.
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| knackered knees wrote: |
| You should be OK at that time of the morning to get to Eurotunnel via the M20. They don't close the M20, just stack lorries between J11 & Eurotunnel, but prevent you joining the M20 at J11. |
According National Highways they have currently completely closed the M20 coastbound from J8-> J11.
Looks like there is not enough room to stack lorries between J8 and 9 so they are stacking all they way to 11, so its completely closed and diverting A20/A292 to rejoin M20 at J11.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Sounds like its going to be a fun journey 
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@Boarderfarce, unfortunately not on a cheeky stop on the way to Menorca
 the m20 was closed this morning, had to use the A20 from J8.
Drive in France is a breeze atm
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| Gazzza wrote: |
Looks like there is not enough room to stack lorries between J8 and 9 so they are stacking all they way to 11, so its completely closed and diverting A20/A292 to rejoin M20 at J11. |
Ashford is going to be gridlocked with that.
Here is the "recommended" route from the local authorities. But it takes everyone past the Inland Border facility where the lorries will go...madness
The diversion for all light vehicles such as cars (including tourist traffic bound for Eurotunnel and Port of Dover) and HGVs under 15'6 for local destinations is:
Exit the M20 at J8 and take the third exit at the roundabout and at the next roundabout take the first exit on to the A20
Remain on the A20 to Ashford and at the Drovers Roundabout take the second exit on to the A28
At the junction with the B2229 turn right and continue to the junction with the A2042
Turn left on to the A2042 and head east on to the A292
Remain on the A292 to the Lacton Interchange roundabout and take the third exit on to the A2070
Follow the A2070 to the next roundabout and then take the first exit to remain on the A2070 to the M20 J10 roundabout
Take the third exit on to the A20 and remain on the A20 to re-join the M20 at junction 11
Local suggestion - drive M2/A2 to Canterbury and take the B2068 which will take you to J11...just don't tell the world
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The M20 was closed this morning between J8-9 due to a horrible accident. Spanish truck driver was parked in Operation Brock, on the hard shoulder, in the "queue" He was parked on a bridge over a minor road, exited his cab, which being left hand drive was right next to the bridge railings, and fell onto the minor road below. He has been airlifted to hospital ins very serious condition.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Frosty the Snowman wrote: |
| The M20 was closed this morning between J8-9 due to a horrible accident. Spanish truck driver was parked in Operation Brock, on the hard shoulder, in the "queue" He was parked on a bridge over a minor road, exited his cab, which being left hand drive was right next to the bridge railings, and fell onto the minor road below. He has been airlifted to hospital ins very serious condition. |
Not heard that Frosty. Local news saying its a jackknifed lorry https://twitter.com/hashtag/kmfmtravel?src=hashtag_click
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| knackered knees wrote: |
| Frosty the Snowman wrote: |
| The M20 was closed this morning between J8-9 due to a horrible accident. Spanish truck driver was parked in Operation Brock, on the hard shoulder, in the "queue" He was parked on a bridge over a minor road, exited his cab, which being left hand drive was right next to the bridge railings, and fell onto the minor road below. He has been airlifted to hospital ins very serious condition. |
Not heard that Frosty. Local news saying its a jackknifed lorry https://twitter.com/hashtag/kmfmtravel?src=hashtag_click |
I think Frosty is/was correct. Traffic services were saying M11 shut eastbound from J8 to J11, and then again from J11a to Dover. I'm not traveling this weekend, but I am going to the EoSB on 15th (Good Friday) so have been researching alternative routes. If J10 is closed, then A28 and A251 rat runs may not help much. Am wondering about going M26->M20->A249->M2->A2->B2068 (or some variation of) if it's still as bad in a weeks time.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@knackered knees, @Judwin, Both incidents occurred this morning 
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Coming cross country from the south coast it was a doddle this evening, got here an hour before departure, quick pee stop and now boarding.....only hope it's so easy for everyone else tomorrow. Just take your time and breathe 
Eurotunnel is busy but efficient.
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We are travelling tomorrow via the tunnel, it’s impossible to get a sense of the diversion and added time needed. Google maps refuses to plot a route that isn’t on the M20, even though on its own map it’s showing as shut!
Manually adding stops on Google to force it on the diversion route seems to suggest it’s only 15minutes longer winding round the A20 than going M20, which just can’t be right!
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You know it makes sense.
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When things are royally buggered, for days, on routes used regularly by local commuters who know every trick in the book, none of these apps are going to pull rabbits out of a hat.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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If everybody on the road had perfect information (and the apps probably come close) every journey would take the same time.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I've played with Waze as google maps does seem to be being a bit useless about it. It seems the a20 diversion should take 20 mins longer - this is also what the snowhead above said it was like at 4am. But with huge volumes of traffic it's going to be a lot longer.
My plan is either use the a20 if we leave as hoped by 9am, and the traffic on diversion isn't too bad, OR if it looks awful then go via the route outlined above ie M26->M20->A249->M2->A2->B2068 which I think adds an hour but should be less affected by awful hold ups.
Our friends have decided to leave at 4am (!!) and we are going to leave "by" 9am (hopefully) - once we've made it to the alps we'll let you know which family had the best ratio of stress to sleep!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@ish303, viamichelin manages to do it - uses the A20?
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@jellyspoons, that's correct for alternative route IF they are both equally free flowing, 30mins should cover it.
But with the M traffic all on A route, then that would be a surprise as the volume will skew it unless live data is available for you to see on the fly. Not so much alternative though, hopefully the morning start will give you an easier time of it to get on your way.
Interesting to hear which one worked the best though.
Via Michelin is usually very good for route, timing, tolls etc.
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Based on my journey to Folkestone today, you should expect delays of 3-4 hours....
Google started with a 52 mins delay estimate, it just went up from there. I'm now going to bed in Calais instead of Reims.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@ish303, Google seems to have stuck its head in the sand on this one and pretend that the M20 isn't closed! Viamichelin is showing an interesting route once you get to Ashford via residential roads which could be interesting during Friday daytime...
I would take the A28 (Canterbury not Tenterden, so 2nd exit) at the Ashford Drovers roundabout. Follow road to end (past Sainsburys at first traffic lights). At 2nd traffic lights turn left, follow road until roundabout then turn right onto A2070. Stay on this road until you get to J10 roundabout (will go past Julie Rose stadium and then William Harvey hospital). At J10 roundabout take 1st exit back onto A20.
Ashford snarls up badly on a Friday normally, so things will be worse tomorrow. Not sure what time you you are intending to travel, but I would allow at least 1 - 1.5 hrs extra as a minimum.
You could try the M2/A2 route and hook back onto Stone Street just after Canterbury which will take you to J11 on M20, but the M2/A2 was really backed up today.
Check available route finders as you are travelling before you get into Kent to see what they say is looking best, it's so fluid. We live between Maidstone and Ashford, on Monday it took my partner over 1.5 hrs to get home, today back to 30mins.
Good luck, try not to get too stressed and enjoy your holiday 
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Well we are on the road. Heading to Dover from Portsmouth. Google maps recommends m25 m2 a2. We've decided to hug the south coast all the way and avoid motorways. Will update on progress
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@Boarderfarce, just been watching the news .... good luck!
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So yesterday, we left Leighton Buzzard considering using the 251 mentioned above. Past Dartford Waze chose that as it's option, Garmin wanted to use the closed m20. So windey lanes later we arrived at the M20 roundabout which leads to the Eurotunnel sliproad, Sliproad CLOSED! Waze offered no other options. Went for a pee and extortionate diesel top up at the sevices. Got some convoluted directions from staff. Thought, let's go back round the roundabout to see what the options were, half way round they reopened the slip. So journey took approx 2 hours longer than usual and 90 mins longer than Waze predicated at the start. A lot of rear end crashes on the route, 6, all separate and on local and motorways.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Have driven to Eurotunnel this morning. Came off m20 near Maidstone and used A20 until the diversion took us back on M20 a junction before the tunnel. No traffic queues but the a20 is obviously a lot slower with roundabouts etc and this was between 6 and 7 am. Very short queue at checkin and reached flexi plus lounge within half an hour. It looked as though there was a bit of a queue building between the terminal and passport control.
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| anarchicsaltire wrote: |
| So yesterday, we left Leighton Buzzard considering using the 251 mentioned above. Past Dartford Waze chose that as it's option, Garmin wanted to use the closed m20. So windey lanes later we arrived at the M20 roundabout which leads to the Eurotunnel sliproad, Sliproad CLOSED! Waze offered no other options. Went for a pee and extortionate diesel top up at the sevices. Got some convoluted directions from staff. Thought, let's go back round the roundabout to see what the options were, half way round they reopened the slip. So journey took approx 2 hours longer than usual and 90 mins longer than Waze predicated at the start. A lot of rear end crashes on the route, 6, all separate and on local and motorways. |
Was that J11? I can't see how they can close that as that is the officialy re-entry after the diversion (and also the only way you can reach tunnel whilst J8-11 is closed, as the slip at 11a is always closed in traffic situations).
Anyway glad you got back on after the services otherwise that'd have been a nightmare as I don't think there is another route.
Google maps has finally updated itself and now shows a route following the A20 diversion rather than routing down the closed M20.
I'm due to leave a 4, for a 6.30pm ish train, but to have any hope of that I think I will have to try and leave a couple of hours earlier, or accept we'll be on a later train. Have got flexi at least.
I was monitoring it all day yesterday, but because the traffic is holding back it doesn't look like there was too much problem at the tunnel itself and everything seemed to run fluidly and to time.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Update. We left home at 5am and went along the south coast avoiding all the motorways. Traffic very light. We rejoined the m20 at j11 no problems at all. Straight though then to Dover Dock and on the ferry. Glad we left earlier.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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There's a route directly onto the tunnel slippway (halfway along it) from the A20, from inland direction you'd need to go past it (on rhs) a few hundred mtrs to a roundabout, then loop back to go left into entrance.
We've used that before, once when M-way was snowed under, to get into check in.
Looking on a sat nav should allow you to pin it.
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We left Bristol at 6am and have just arrived at the tunnel. We ignored the overhead signs to go via A2/M2 because the M2 looked awful around Canterbury. Apple maps kept us on the M20 until junction 7 and the diverted through Ashford. Overall delay probably about one hour. I would trust Apple/ Google maps over the official advice because it looks like they are trying to send you a long way round to keep cars out of Ashford, but it was actually fine.
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You know it makes sense.
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| ski3 wrote: |
There's a route directly onto the tunnel slippway (halfway along it) from the A20, from inland direction you'd need to go past it (on rhs) a few hundred mtrs to a roundabout, then loop back to go left into entrance.
We've used that before, once when M-way was snowed under, to get into check in.
Looking on a sat nav should allow you to pin it. |
Is that Junction 11a? That seems to be a good bet.
Operation Brock has closed the M20 at the moment so everything seems a bit chaotic.
I'm heading to Ashford tonight and staying there before an early train on Saturday morning, hoping we don't have too many issues
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| kosciosco wrote: |
| ski3 wrote: |
There's a route directly onto the tunnel slippway (halfway along it) from the A20, from inland direction you'd need to go past it (on rhs) a few hundred mtrs to a roundabout, then loop back to go left into entrance.
We've used that before, once when M-way was snowed under, to get into check in.
Looking on a sat nav should allow you to pin it. |
Is that Junction 11a? That seems to be a good bet.
Operation Brock has closed the M20 at the moment so everything seems a bit chaotic.
I'm heading to Ashford tonight and staying there before an early train on Saturday morning, hoping we don't have too many issues |
We're staying in Hythe tonight and are on the 8AM train in the morning, looks like a simple route to the 11a junction, guess we'll have a go at that..
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Poster: A snowHead
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That slip from the A20 on to the tunnel entrance at 11A seems to be closed according to google maps.
[url=]http://www.google.com/maps/@51.0940457,1.1070635,16z/data=!5m1!1e1[/url]
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Fri 8-04-22 10:51; edited 1 time in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@kosciosco,
Not 11a junct, but look on mapping and close detail of the slipway as it approaches the tunnel barrier control at entry. It's within about 400 mtrs of the check in booths.
Detail has A20 roundabout literally just north and parallel to checkin slip.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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My one plan. Scuppered.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Nb it is currently pouring with rain on the A26 in northern France which means the speed limit is 110 not 130. A lot of British cars seem to be driving at 130 kph regardless!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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You can only access Eurotunnel from the M20, not the side entrance from the A2O. Just driven from J11 to Folkestone and all is clear past Eurotunnel, but they have coned off on ramp to M20 at J12, so will probably be looking to close A20 from J13 of M20 - where you go through the tunnels.
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| Gilly76 wrote: |
| My one plan. Scuppered. |
Gilly, its just as easy to drive to J11 either via Saltwood or London Road as it is to come up Blackhouse Hill and enter Eurotunnel from the A20. Personally I would go via Saltwood as you will have less on port bound A20.
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| knackered knees wrote: |
| Gilly76 wrote: |
| My one plan. Scuppered. |
Gilly, its just as easy to drive to J11 either via Saltwood or London Road as it is to come up Blackhouse Hill and enter Eurotunnel from the A20. Personally I would go via Saltwood as you will have less on port bound A20. |
KK - Perfect. We're staying in Saltwood so that's the way we'll go. Cheers
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Bit confused by all the options!
#1 Google Maps says use M20 divert off at 9, go through Ashford and come back on at 10. But Kent Live said at 07:41 says "Hard closures have been put in place by Kent Police and National Highways on all Coastbound slips which join the M20 between J8 and J11." Why is J9 to J10 closed? Does that mean you can not use the M20 9 through to 11?
#2 Standard alternative as I understand it is to use M2/A2 and then come from the south side but because the slip that you can access from M20 J12 is closed you have to go to J11 and double back to get on the Eurotunnel slip at 11a?
#2a Waze is saying us M2/A2 but shortcut down the B2068 to get to J11.
Any corrections or other options I missed?
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| Layne wrote: |
Bit confused by all the options!
#1 Google Maps says use M20 divert off at 9, go through Ashford and come back on at 10. But Kent Live said at 07:41 says "Hard closures have been put in place by Kent Police and National Highways on all Coastbound slips which join the M20 between J8 and J11." Why is J9 to J10 closed? Does that mean you can not use the M20 9 through to 11?
#2 Standard alternative as I understand it is to use M2/A2 and then come from the south side but because the slip that you can access from M20 J12 is closed you have to go to J11 and double back to get on the Eurotunnel slip at 11a?
#2a Waze is saying us M2/A2 but shortcut down the B2068 to get to J11.
Any corrections or other options I missed? |
1 - M20 closed all through to J11. see https://www.kenttraffic.info/
2 - You can only access Eurotunnel from M20, so even if you came via Dover - which is a no, no - you would have to leave London bound carriageway at J11 & then effectively do a u-turn back to 11a. Rather than go to Dover, use the A260 which comes off the A2 after Canterbury and joins A20 just before J13 at the Roundhill Tunnels
3 - All depends on the M2/A2 Brenley Corner interchange between Faversham and Canterbury. There have been delays here as the police are stopping lorries trying to beat the system.
There are ways to cut across country, but these are narrow and winding and we locals will be using them and will be getting p1ssed off with lorries and vans blocking small lanes  and they probably won't save you time.
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