Looking for recommendations so I can check roads before I head out, Manchester area. Used BBC Webcams, but the Beeb have ceased funding for the service. For those who never used the website, motorway webcams, roadworks, and tram updates were available all on the one page.
Traffic Updates
- Thread starter Lonewolf
- Start date
Waze is by far the best for this sort of stuff. I use a mix of Waze and Google Maps as I find Google's address / POI lookup is better and it's really useful to be able to quickly jump into streetview to check parking etc. However, I was using it a few days ago and it got completely confused and wasted at least 20-25 minutes of my time as it didn't realise certain roads were closed for the carnival and kept rerouting me from closed road to closed road. I switched to Waze and it immediately gave me a clear route out of the city down some little streets I never even knew about.
As google own waze, I don't know why they don't just combine them into one great app, would render every other nav system obsolete I reckon.
As google own waze, I don't know why they don't just combine them into one great app, would render every other nav system obsolete I reckon.
BMW iDrive is pretty up to date with major roadworks but i've yet to find a real time traffic solution.
Waze, for example - where do they gather their data? If these platforms are reliant on a userbase then it'll only be accurate for more technically savvy parts of the country, if its based on government/council website updates then the information will be poor.
Waze, for example - where do they gather their data? If these platforms are reliant on a userbase then it'll only be accurate for more technically savvy parts of the country, if its based on government/council website updates then the information will be poor.
Waze uses Google maps and then I believe tracks other users' speed for traffic monitoring, along with allowing users to flag incidents which are then shared with other users, it's pretty much as real time as you're going to get.
Just a shame about the Costa adverts and "take a photo" notifications which seem to pop up just as you're at a junction, blocking your view of the route...
Just a shame about the Costa adverts and "take a photo" notifications which seem to pop up just as you're at a junction, blocking your view of the route...
Soldato
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- 23 Feb 2009
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- 4,988
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- South Wirral
+1 on waze. Seems to have a community feel to it as well. I reported a lorry breakdown on the horrible A14 stretch between Huntingdon and Cambridge once as it happened right in front of us (missus was driving). Got thanked 4 times within 30 minutes.
Google Maps were first to track users to work out average road speeds (and traffic jams), since 2007.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Traffic
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Traffic
Waze is only ideal for when you're in the car though. The live map is similar to Google's but i don't find is very good at outlining current accidents/congestion etc.
I didn't know about roadworks, will have to give them a shot.
The traffic england site (http://www.trafficengland.com/) is very good as it's run by the HA, so has access to all their cameras, and matrix signs.
I didn't know about roadworks, will have to give them a shot.
The traffic england site (http://www.trafficengland.com/) is very good as it's run by the HA, so has access to all their cameras, and matrix signs.
Settings > Notifications > Waze Places Info (untick). It's also worth unticking Waze Ads Follow-up while you're there.
I love Waze, and even local journeys in the city are much easier with it thanks to the real time congestion re-routing. I discover 'new' shortcuts and backstreets I didn't know existed every time I go out lol. If you combine it with the 'Reduce difficult junctions' setting, which reduces your need to turn right or use busy junctions without light control etc, then it really is fantastic. Most Waze-led journeys have very little stops, as you always seem to miss the snarls and congestion. About the only time I have to slow down and stop is the occasional mis-timed red light. It's so much less stressful, even if you do spend half the journey asking 'Where on earth are we going?... Oh, we missed the traffic on the main road there...'.
I've been using it for over five years iirc, and am currently ranked a Waze Knight. One more level to go haha. The only bugbear for me is the occasional adverts (Costa, Mazda etc). I'd gladly pay a small subscription to remove them. I originally objected to a subscription model (when Google took over) based on the fact it's so community driven. After all it's the users' input that makes the app what it is, so why pay to be the one providing the app's info? However my attitude mellowed somewhat with use and now I'd gladly throw them a few quid to keep it ad free and enable them to devote more time to new features. Adding A-B times / average speed, time saved due to rerouting and other data would be awesome. It'd also greatly benefit from lane guidance as some other paid apps use (with a picture pop-up of the upcoming junction signs). Overall, though, it's the best and real time police and accident locations are very handy.
You don't do enough driving
, i've been using for about 8 months, and i'm already waze royalty 
You don't do enough driving
You're right haha. I've gone from 50,000 miles a year to about 7,000 miles. It's OK though 'cos I'm getting a V8 next to dry my tears.
Settings > Notifications > Waze Places Info (untick). It's also worth unticking Waze Ads Follow-up while you're there.
Already got both of those disabled, doesn't seem to have made a difference
