# Is cyclists allowed on the motorways?



## Bhitucyclist (22 Apr 2019)

Hi friends, 
I am new to the forum. I have been cycling /commuting for a few years now. But must say i am not a pro and possibly dont know all the traffic rules that i possibly need to follow. So far i have been lucky! This satday i went for a long ride to dartford and onmy way back lost track of the cycling track. Saw the M25 to london and after a lot of doubt .. followed another cyclist on to the road. My god it was scary and i could not change lanes to get to the lane coming to london ... continued on the left side of the road and ended up closer to the dartford crossing... then found a diversion and entered the town and took a train back. 
I am thinking is it allowed to ride on the motorway ? If yes are there tips that i could use to try again. If its allowed then i want to try again . Thanks and good to be part of the forum


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## DCLane (22 Apr 2019)

No - cyclists aren't allowed on motorways. Nor are they allowed on some dual-carriageways if there is a no cycling sign.


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## DCBassman (22 Apr 2019)

Welcome!
No, not allowed on motorways. There are a few A roads also, but definitely not motorways.


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## Bhitucyclist (22 Apr 2019)

Thanks both! I am glad i made it back !!!
Lesson learnt


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## Bhitucyclist (22 Apr 2019)

But out of curiosity is there anyone who does ride on the motorways in the forum ?


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## vickster (22 Apr 2019)

If the road signs are blue, pretty sure that’s a definite sign no cyclists allowed


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## vickster (22 Apr 2019)

Bhitucyclist said:


> But out of curiosity is there anyone who does ride on the motorways in the forum ?


No. It’s illegal, dangerous and frankly stupid!


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## ColinJ (22 Apr 2019)

vickster said:


> If the road signs are blue, pretty sure that’s a definite sign no cyclists allowed


Not if they are _One Way_ signs!


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## Bhitucyclist (22 Apr 2019)

vickster said:


> If the road signs are blue, pretty sure that’s a definite sign no cyclists allowed


What do you mean by that ? Where is the sign coloured blue? Usually the names of roads are always on green boards. Sorry i am not understanding


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## Bhitucyclist (22 Apr 2019)

DCLane said:


> No - cyclists aren't allowed on motorways. Nor are they allowed on some dual-carriageways if there is a no cycling sign.


Hmmm the other day i took the flyover while returning from richmond to hammersmith... that road was an A road ... but then when you check routes in google map for cycling even A routes are also shown.


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## Bhitucyclist (22 Apr 2019)

vickster said:


> No. It’s illegal, dangerous and frankly stupid!


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## Racing roadkill (22 Apr 2019)

No. Or certain tunnels, or stretches of certain A roads.


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## roadrash (22 Apr 2019)

signs with a blue background, as used on motorways , cycling is not allowed on motorways AT ALL, cycling is not allowed on some A roads, and even some A roads where it is allowed , I would not even consider using them from a safety point of view


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## Racing roadkill (22 Apr 2019)

Bhitucyclist said:


> Hmmm the other day i took the flyover while returning from richmond to hammersmith... that road was an A road ... but then when you check routes in google map for cycling even A routes are also shown.


That road is legal for cyclists ( the A40 / A4 Hammersmith flyover )
You’d need your head read if you used it in rush hour though.


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## Bhitucyclist (22 Apr 2019)

Thanks ! I was blissfully unaware of the ban on the A roads! Motorways i was kind of guessing! But it would have so much easier if it was allowed ! 
Does anyone here do a lot of rides on the national cycling tracks ?


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## Crackle (22 Apr 2019)

Buy yourself a copy of the highway code, it has everything you need to know about using UK roads


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## User169 (22 Apr 2019)

Is this thread for real?! Lol.


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## Bhitucyclist (22 Apr 2019)

DP said:


> Is this thread for real?! Lol.


Yes ... i had a question and asked in the forum , i thought thats what it is for .:. Discussions and sharing info and helping each other out ?


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## Dayvo (22 Apr 2019)

DP said:


> Is this thread for real?! Lol.



Yeah, I suspected a wind-up from the off. Sounds like a Harry Enfield character.


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## vickster (22 Apr 2019)

Bhitucyclist said:


> Thanks ! I was blissfully unaware of the ban on the A roads! Motorways i was kind of guessing! But it would have so much easier if it was allowed !
> Does anyone here do a lot of rides on the national cycling tracks ?


If you’re not a driver and new to cycling on roads, it would be sensible to read a book called Cyclecraft and the Highway Code as above


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## Bhitucyclist (22 Apr 2019)

vickster said:


> If you’re not a driver and new to cycling on roads, it would be sensible to read a book called Cyclecraft and the Highway Code as above


Thanks... i will get that one. Thanks a lot. Didnt know such book existed


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## vickster (22 Apr 2019)

ColinJ said:


> Not if they are _One Way_ signs!


Not on motorways / major trunk roads


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## User169 (22 Apr 2019)

Bhitucyclist said:


> Yes ... i had a question and asked in the forum , i thought thats what it is for .:. Discussions and sharing info and helping each other out ?



Nice try, but no cigar.


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## classic33 (22 Apr 2019)

vickster said:


> Not on motorways / major trunk roads


Directional or Police Signs.


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## snorri (22 Apr 2019)

Th Highway Code is available to read on the internet, here is a link..
https://www.highwaycodeuk.co.uk/uploads/3/2/9/2/3292309/the_official_highway_code_-_30-11-2018_2.pdf

Rule 253 tells us cyclists should not be using motorways, there should have been a sign informing you of that, here is the sign......


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## Bhitucyclist (22 Apr 2019)

snorri said:


> Th Highway Code is available to read on the internet, here is a link..
> https://www.highwaycodeuk.co.uk/uploads/3/2/9/2/3292309/the_official_highway_code_-_30-11-2018_2.pdf
> 
> Rule 253 tells us cyclists should not be using motorways, there should have been a sign informing you of that, here is the sign......
> ...


This is really helpful. 
But i did see someone else go in the motorway... that cyclist looked like a proper racing kind. Anyways thanks for the help.


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## Ming the Merciless (22 Apr 2019)

Which junction of the M25 did you join at?


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## Ming the Merciless (22 Apr 2019)

Bhitucyclist said:


> Thanks ! I was blissfully unaware of the ban on the A roads! Motorways i was kind of guessing! But it would have so much easier if it was allowed !
> Does anyone here do a lot of rides on the national cycling tracks ?



There is no ban of A roads , you are quite entitled to ride on them. Suggest you get yourself a copy of the Highway Code


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## Bhitucyclist (22 Apr 2019)

YukonBoy said:


> Which junction of the M25 did you join at?


Not sure i was following the cycling track... it turned left the road sign said ... london ...and then vanished ... i guess i should have followed on the track to dartford. Not sure


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## Ming the Merciless (22 Apr 2019)

Bhitucyclist said:


> Not sure i was following the cycling track... it turned left the road sign said ... london ...and then vanished ... i guess i should have followed on the track to dartford. Not sure



Find it on a map so we know where you were. It's all a bit vague at the moment. The M25 is not continuous round Dartford way there is a section of A road before the M25 starts again.


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## theclaud (22 Apr 2019)




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## welsh dragon (22 Apr 2019)




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## vickster (22 Apr 2019)

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/rules-for-cyclists-59-to-82

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.cyclinguk.org/article/whats-legal-and-whats-not-your-bike?amp


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## Sharky (22 Apr 2019)

Not quite sure which road you were on, but the approach road to the Dartford tunnel is technically not part of the M25. I think from the A2 junction to the tunnel is just an "A" road, so would not be illegal to ride on. But that section is just like the rest of the M25, so not advisable.

There are lots of quieter roads round Dartford, but stay away from the A2.


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## furball (22 Apr 2019)

Which points do you cycle between?
There are always people on the forum who will know the area and be able to advise you which roads are suitable and which ones to avoid.


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## Bhitucyclist (22 Apr 2019)

vickster said:


> https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/rules-for-cyclists-59-to-82
> 
> https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.cyclinguk.org/article/whats-legal-and-whats-not-your-bike?amp


Really useful links thnKs


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## Bhitucyclist (22 Apr 2019)

furball said:


> Which points do you cycle between?
> There are always people on the forum who will know the area and be able to advise you which roads are suitable and which ones to avoid.


I dont have fixed routes ... just practicing long distance routes for upcoming L2p challenge


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## Bhitucyclist (22 Apr 2019)

Sharky said:


> Not quite sure which road you were on, but the approach road to the Dartford tunnel is technically not part of the M25. I think from the A2 junction to the tunnel is just an "A" road, so would not be illegal to ride on. But that section is just like the rest of the M25, so not advisable.
> 
> There are lots of quieter roads round Dartford, but stay away from the A2.


I was returning to london from somewhere near dartford


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## fossyant (22 Apr 2019)

I would suggest you get some cycle training and read said publications mentioned earlier before you get yourself injured. The roads aren't for folk that haven't got a clue.


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## Bhitucyclist (22 Apr 2019)

fossyant said:


> I would suggest you get some cycle training and read said publications mentioned earlier before you get yourself injured. The roads aren't for folk that haven't got a clue.


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## MontyVeda (22 Apr 2019)

DP said:


> Nice try, but no cigar.


I think the OP is not accustomed to UK, or even European roads... so it's a fair question. Better to ask than assume.


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## furball (22 Apr 2019)

fossyant said:


> I would suggest you get some cycle training and read said publications mentioned earlier before you get yourself injured. The roads aren't for folk that haven't got a clue.


+1
You need the skills to know which roads are safe to ride on and how to safely negotiate the numerous permutations of road layout and traffic conditions on your chosen roads.
If you are looking to do longer distances look at routes that take you away from the major conurbations. Maybe use the train to get away somewhere more rural. Learn to read maps, plan your route. Check out approaches to junctions on Street view so you know where to postion yourself to be safe.


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## Ming the Merciless (22 Apr 2019)

How do you know you were on the M25. What large blue signs did you see between slip roads? The M25 won't take you to London just send you in an infinite loop.


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## Pat "5mph" (22 Apr 2019)

@Bhitucyclist I Googled what your username means 
I'm a bhitu cyclist too 
If you don't want to end up like the ghost in the cartoons, stay away from busy roads, get some UK adult cycle training before your long ride, actually, no, get some training right now!
All the best!


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## vickster (22 Apr 2019)

If you live in Hammersmith

https://www.lbhf.gov.uk/transport-and-roads/cycling/cycle-training-and-maintenance

*FREE 1-2-1 cycle training for adults*
Free 1-2-1 cycle training is available for adults living, working or studying in Hammersmith & Fulham. The sessions deliver private tuition in safe, confident road cycling and are arranged at a date, time and place to suit you and are tailored to your level of experience. See some glowing testimonials at the bottom of this page.

We take a £5 payment by PayPal on booking, which is refunded when you complete the training that you have booked. This is to deter people from booking then not attending.


a two-hour one-to-one cycle training session for anyone who lives, works or studies in the borough
bikes can be provided for complete beginners
female and male instructors will train anywhere in Hammersmith & Fulham
possibility of lesson for adult with child, eg to learn how to cycle safely to school with your child.
*Basic cycle skills*
Learn to cycle with a free session tailored to you. You'll practice in a safe, off-road environment with a fully qualified instructor. In a session you'll learn the basics, build skills and gain confidence to navigate around your local area.

*Urban cycle skills*
Improve your cycling skills with a free session tailored to you. You'll start in a safe off-road environment to refresh your cycling technique and develop new skills before moving on to practice on quiet roads. Your instructor will support you throughout to help you cycle with more confidence.

*Advanced cycle skills*
Perfect your cycling techniques with a free one-to-one session from a fully qualified trainer. Improve your performance when dealing with complex junctions, heavy traffic or cycling at night and receive assurance that you are cycling efficiently and effectively.

and also if you're riding alone, learning some basic bike fixing skills might be useful

*FREE bike maintenance courses*
We run free cycle maintenance courses for people who live or work or study in Hammersmith & Fulham, because basic knowledge about how to maintain your bike is essential for keeping your bike roadworthy and staying safe on the road. We don’t want people giving up cycling just because they don’t know how to fix their first puncture!

*Choice of venue:* Cycle maintenance courses are held at:


the Macbeth adult education centre in Hammersmith - course details and booking information
the Bikeworks base in Maxilla Walk (access via Landsdowne Close) W10 6NQ - further details and online booking can be found on the Bikeworks website. We take a £5 payment by PayPal on booking, which is refunded when you complete the training that you have booked. This is to deter people from booking then not attending.


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## Sharky (22 Apr 2019)

YukonBoy said:


> How do you know you were on the M25. What large blue signs did you see between slip roads? The M25 won't take you to London just send you in an infinite loop.


The roads coming off the bridge are probably signposted M25/London, expecting london traffic will leave the m25 in a mile and join the a2.


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## Bhitucyclist (22 Apr 2019)

Thanks for all the fantastic tips.. i have been cycling inside london for quite a few years.. the usual commuting to work and wondering around. All fine with that. All the links had great info that i will use. 
But this year i am practicing for l2p so having to do longer practice rides ... which staying within london becomes repetitive and boring..so looking to up my road sense when i venture outside london. I usually just follow the road and after a few hours turn back to find my way home.. not great with reading maps hence making all these mistakes of getting into wrong roads. I think i need to learn reading maps better. 
Any tips on that welcome


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## Bhitucyclist (22 Apr 2019)

Sharky said:


> The roads coming off the bridge are probably signposted M25/London, expecting london traffic will leave the m25 in a mile and join the a2.


Yes you are right ...i was just following the signs to london


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## vickster (22 Apr 2019)

Have you considered joining some cycling club rides which will be longer and quicker?

You could plan routes on a website like Ride with GPS and then download to your phone (there are also plenty you could borrow to adapt from that site or Strava or cycle-route.com etc)


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## Bhitucyclist (22 Apr 2019)

vickster said:


> Have you considered joining some cycling club rides which will be longer and quicker?
> 
> You could plan routes on a website like Ride with GPS and then download to your phone (there are also plenty you could borrow to adapt from that site or Strava or cycle-route.com etc)


Yes thinking of joining a club ... did a few with dirty weekend last year. But they are a bit more advanced than myself. 
Looking for a club for slower cyclists


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## Bhitucyclist (22 Apr 2019)

Pat "5mph" said:


> @Bhitucyclist I Googled what your username means
> I'm a bhitu cyclist too
> If you don't want to end up like the ghost in the cartoons, stay away from busy roads, get some UK adult cycle training before your long ride, actually, no, get some training right now!
> All the best!


Ha ha ha ! Yes i am a bhitu ... but thats no reason not to do want i want to do !


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## Bhitucyclist (22 Apr 2019)

vickster said:


> If you live in Hammersmith
> 
> https://www.lbhf.gov.uk/transport-and-roads/cycling/cycle-training-and-maintenance
> 
> ...


I actually wrote to them for my council area, Never got a reply ...will try other training camps. Lets see


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## vickster (22 Apr 2019)

Bhitucyclist said:


> I actually wrote to them for my council area, Never got a reply ...will try other training camps. Lets see


Which council?

If H&F, phone 020 8980 7998 as the link


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## vickster (22 Apr 2019)

Bhitucyclist said:


> Yes thinking of joining a club ... did a few with dirty weekend last year. But they are a bit more advanced than myself.
> Looking for a club for slower cyclists


https://www.cyclinguk.org/local-groups

or you could try Breeze women's rides
https://www.letsride.co.uk/groups/breeze-bike-rides-london


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## Sharky (23 Apr 2019)

Feel it is time to confess - I know of two experienced cyclists cycling on motorways.

OK the first was me. I was riding a 10 on the Rainford bypass course. Now this was my local course when I was teen, so I know it very well, but in the years in between, they built the M56. The turn now goes round a huge roundabout and in my concentration, miss counted the exits and before I realised, I'd ridden 100 yds on the motorway. Sheepishly, I dismounted and walked back and rejoined the course.

Second was an old clubmate in the days when the motorways were new. He was returning from a race, with his bike strapped on the roof rack. He suffered a mechanical and was forced to stop on the hard shoulder. No mobiles in those days, so he was faced with a long walk to the emergency telephone. But he had a bike on the roof rack, so what did he do - he took it down and rode to the next emergency phone! Can't remember if he was caught by the police, but his argument was that pedestrians are not allowed on a motorway either and a bike would have meant less time spent on the hard shoulder.


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## alicat (23 Apr 2019)

Beryl Burton cycled on a motorway once and was ordered off by the police. She was on the A1 and didn't notice that it had become the A1M. The same could easily happen on the A38 through the middle of Birmingham.

So it happens to the best of us.


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## Ming the Merciless (23 Apr 2019)

Doesn't sound like OP was on M25 just the A road round Dartford way thankfully.


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## TheDoctor (23 Apr 2019)

I once ended up on the M1 on a Honda C70 with L-plates.
Terrifying!


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## icowden (23 Apr 2019)

Another good way to find a long ride is to pick a SusTrans route and follow it:

https://www.sustrans.org.uk/map-ncn

For example Dartford way has National Route 1 which goes from Sadwich through Caterbury, Faversham Sittingbourne, Dartford, Woolwich, Hackney, Walthamstow, Harlow, CHelmsford etc all the way up to Edinburgh!

Alternatively once you get into London you have the Route 4 which follows the Thames path. If you can travel to south London, the route from Putney Bridge down to Windsor is lovely and mostly traffic free (although it can get a little off-road at Windsor).

The main thing is to try and plan your route first. Google maps isn't too bad for keeping you on the right route. As others have said, roads you can't go down are usually indicated. You definitely can't go on a Motorway and a few major A roads also have prohibitions. With a bit of planning you can usually follow a fairly nice, car free route.


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## ianrauk (23 Apr 2019)

YukonBoy said:


> Doesn't sound like OP was on M25 just the A road round Dartford way thankfully.




Agreed. No way he/she got on the M25 either north of south of the river at Dartford. Probably just saw the signs for the M25 and hit one of the A roads in Dartford. The A206 Bob Dunn Way for example which is pretty hairy at times for cycling. With the amount of traffic police based in the area due to the tunnel and bridge they would have been there like a shot and stopped them.


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## bladderhead (23 Apr 2019)

Years ago I rode on the A12 near Stratford. I do not know if that is classed as a motorway. I was on another bit of the A12, which is definitely not a motorway and a cop car stopped me and told me not to ride there. He said I was not going fast enough. Well! I was doing my best.


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## MontyVeda (23 Apr 2019)

I recall in the late 90s, being the back seat passenger in a car going south down the M6, I noticed a motorcycle cop stood on the hard shoulder of the north bound carriageway, facing the oncoming traffic. I wondered what he was looking at, then a hundred yards later I saw a bloke cycling along the hard shoulder


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## bladderhead (23 Apr 2019)

When I was stopped by Dibble on the A12 I was on my daily commute. I got my bike off the road and started pushing it. He drove off. I got back on the road and carried on riding. Slowly. I think he was winding me up.

I rode that road twice a day for several years. Some cars would go by at about 100mph and not pull out at all. That was a bit scary. All the articulated lorries always went into the right-hand lane and then back into the left. All of them. Even the Polish ones.


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## Ming the Merciless (23 Apr 2019)

Indeed the A12 is just an A road. It would have to have a specific order and signs banning you from it. The only A roads I see banning cyclists and pedestrians are ones about to go into tunnels etc.


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## rogerzilla (23 Apr 2019)

I've ridden on the old A40(M) Westway and the old M41 West Cross Route in London. On a Brompton. At night.

They're not actually motorways any more but there are "no cycling" signs, which I missed. Easy to take the wrong turn out of Paddington.

Edit: there is no "no cycling" sign at the Gloucester Terrace entry on Google Maps, and once you've followed "A40 Ealing" you are committed!


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## srw (23 Apr 2019)

Somewhere on here you can probably still find a claim to have ridden on the Tring bypass when it was still the M41.


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## Dirk (24 Apr 2019)

On reading the OP, one could well be forgiven for invoking Poe's Law. 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poe's_law


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## Dogtrousers (24 Apr 2019)

YukonBoy said:


> Indeed the A12 is just an A road. It would have to have a specific order and signs banning you from it. The only A roads I see banning cyclists and pedestrians are ones about to go into tunnels etc.


Just after you come off the Redbridge roundabout going S on the A12 pedestrians and cyclists are prohibited. I don't know how long the restriction lasts. I suspect it may be all the way down to the river. Google streetview link






Plus bikes aren't allowed in the Blackwall tunnel, as you mention, but I don't think the road is still called A12 at that point.

Come to think of it I don't recall any "no cycles" signs on the Blackwall Tunnel approach, so perhaps they are already restricted by then (possibly the restriction in the picture above is still in force)

I'm quite good at A12 signage trivia having driven it a zillion times. For example, did you know there's a _minimum_ speed limit of 10mph on the Blackwall Tunnel approach? I often find myself inching along through that zone and fear instant arrest for breaking the limit.

I can't recall ever seeing a cyclist on the stretch of the A12 between the tunnel and Redbridge in either direction.


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## Moodyman (24 Apr 2019)

I briefly rode on the A1M outside York once.

I missed the start of a FNRttC and desperately tried to catch up to the group based on the mental map* from the previous year.

I realised something was amiss when the slip road was ending into a three lane road and the light traffic seemed unusually fast.

* I had no electronic gadgets and there was no street lighting.

Edit: it was the A19 (not A1M) which is a motorway in all but name.


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## bladderhead (24 Apr 2019)

Many times have I driven from Redbridge to the Blackwall tunnel and then out the other side. I think it is classed as motorway all the way from the sign in the Dogtrousers picture. Many times have I cycled past that sign. I go onto the slip road that leads to Cambridge Park.

Several times on the tunnel approach there was traffic jams. They can't arrest us all for going at 0mph.


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## bladderhead (24 Apr 2019)

I really like to ride the bit that goes from Cambridge Park to Redbridge. Downhill and almost always downwind. Smooth surface and rarely enough traffic to impede my progress. 35mph, then the underpass under the roundabout where I try to go through the barriers without putting my feet down. Challenge for a recumbent.


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## wheresthetorch (25 Apr 2019)

Dirk said:


> On reading the OP, one could well be forgiven for invoking Poe's Law.
> 
> https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poe's_law



Too many negatives in the definition for my small brain.


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## Mr Celine (25 Apr 2019)

I rode my Dawes Kingpin on the M90 from junction 10 to junction 9. 




It was still under construction.


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## DCLane (26 Apr 2019)

Moodyman said:


> I briefly rode on the A1M outside York once.
> 
> Edit: it was the A19 (not A1M) which is a motorway in all but name.



I time trial on that road quite frequently. It's a bit busy at times.


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## Aravis (26 Apr 2019)

My very first century ride (in 1982) included 9 miles of what is now the M25, between Rickmansworth and St Albans. It seemed a lot more comfortable than the alternatives. I was heading for Harpenden on a Friday afternoon.


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## Dogtrousers (26 Apr 2019)

Aravis said:


> My very first century ride (in 1982) included 9 miles of *what is now the M25*, between Rickmansworth and St Albans. It seemed a lot more comfortable than the alternatives. I was heading for Harpenden on a Friday afternoon.


What was it at the time? A quiet leafy lane? A roaring dual carriageway?


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## Aravis (26 Apr 2019)

Dogtrousers said:


> What was it at the time? A quiet leafy lane? A roaring dual carriageway?


I think what happened was that a section, bypassing Rickmansworth and Watford, was built in advance of the rest of the M25 and temporarily designated A412. Otherwise it was exactly what it is now.

So for a few years the full-width hard shoulder provided the perfect cycle track. At least that's the way I saw it at the time.


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## Ming the Merciless (26 Apr 2019)

Aravis said:


> I think what happened was that a section, bypassing Rickmansworth and Watford, was built in advance of the rest of the M25 and temporarily designated A412. Otherwise it was exactly what it is now.
> 
> So for a few years the full-width hard shoulder provided the perfect cycle track. At least that's the way I saw it at the time.



You can see the old maps online. There was nothing directly along the line of the M25 round there. It was all freshly dug up countryside back in the 80's when the M25 was built.


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## Aravis (26 Apr 2019)

YukonBoy said:


> You can see the old maps online. There was nothing directly along the line of the M25 round there. It was all freshly dug up countryside back in the 80's when the M25 was built.


The M25 was built in stages, as Wikipedia confirms, though detail seems a bit sketchy. The section around Rickmansworth was a fully-functioning pseudo-motorway well before final completion of the M25 in 1986, and I know I rode that way a number of times in the first half of that decade.

The instances I can remember reasonably accurately were rides in the summers of 1981 and 1982. Also working up an appetite for Christmas dinner, probably in 1985, and there were one or two others. My recollection is that I always used what is now the M25 to bypass Watford and Rickmansworth.

If it can be proven this wasn't possible as early as summer '82 I'll have to accept my memory is faulty. Where's Strava when you need it?


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## iandg (26 Apr 2019)

National Team Time Trial Champs were held on the M54 once (shortly before it opened)


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## Aravis (26 Apr 2019)

Thanks @Dogtrousers. I dug out an old OS - 1:50,000 First Series (1974) - and took this extract. It shows the new road under construction on the line of the M25, but not at that stage continuing south of Rickmansworth:







As you say, the modern M25 takes a different course nearer Watford, leaving a spur where the 1970s "under construction" line terminates. For that reason, my estimate of riding 9 miles along the M25 was a bit high.


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## Dogtrousers (26 Apr 2019)

According to this https://www.roads.org.uk/motorway/m25 (Click to expand the construction timeline)

J17-19 - the dashed section on your map - opened in 1976, in plenty of time for your early 80s Christmas rides. But the section from 19-23, which bodged together Ringways 4 and 3, joining the latter near Potters Bar, was the very last section to be opened, completing the M-way ring in 1986.


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## Aravis (27 Apr 2019)

Dogtrousers said:


> According to this https://www.roads.org.uk/motorway/m25 (Click to expand the construction timeline)
> 
> J17-19 - the dashed section on your map - opened in 1976, in plenty of time for your early 80s Christmas rides. But the section from 19-23, which bodged together Ringways 4 and 3, joining the latter near Potters Bar, was the very last section to be opened, completing the M-way ring in 1986.


That all seems to tally then! It seems my memory worked better then than it does now - not exactly a surprise.


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## srw (27 Apr 2019)

https://www.sabre-roads.org.uk/wiki/index.php?title=A405

It was the A405 between Ricky and Watford that later became the M25, not the A412. Old Maps has got a 1:25000 Russian map from 1985 which confirms the number.

Back to cycling on near-motorways - at about the same time I regularly used the A34 to get from Abingdon to Oxford. Traffic levels were light enough (this was before the days of European free markets and mass road freight) that it felt perfectly safe. Maybe in a few years time, after we've cut ourselves off from the pesky foreigners again we'll be back to the same levels of traffic?


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## EltonFrog (30 Apr 2019)

Mr Celine said:


> I rode my Dawes Kingpin on the M90 from junction 10 to junction 9.
> 
> 
> It was still under construction.



Ah well, if that’s your game, I rode my Dawes Kingpin from jct 1 to 2 on the M3 which was under construction.


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