We'll be travelling down to the chunnel in a couple of weeks, leaving about 6pm on a Friday night.

Just wondered if anyone had any thoughts on the best route. We usually go, M6 toll, M1, M25, Dartford Bridge, M20. Last year there were roadworks on the M25 and it took us 6hrs.

We used to go M42, M40, then around the bottom of the M25 to the M20.

Any help much appriciated.

Dave

 

Have you tried the Traffic Forecaster option on the Highways agency website?

http://www.highways.gov.uk/traffic/traffic.aspx

Select the blue option "Traffic Forecaster" above the map. May give you some clues. You can also look for future roadworks on their site.

The only other tip I can give about the M25 apart from avoiding it, is that over here on the west side of London, the traffic "flows" towards Heathrow in the morning and away in the evening.

Enjoy your trip to Europe.

 

http://www.keepmoving.co.uk

 

that's a dreadful journey at a dreadful time

you are almost guaranteed to experience severe problems if the M1/M25/Dartford (any!) are involved

so if you can't change your timings, I'm reluctant to raise your expectations

if it was me, I'd be thinking:

1) avoid the M1 and M25 altogether, maybe go down the A34 - come off on the A272 (nice driving road) and go cross country to the A23, go up the A23/M23 and join the M25 and then M20 for the last bit
2) if I have to use the M25, go round the top of the M25, not the bottom - Dartford being marginally better than Heathrow.....

no warranty implied or given!

 

Thanks folks

I know it's a horrible trip, I done it often enough and it only gets worse. I can't change the timings though, we have a hotel booked in Ashford on Friday night.

Gad - is it mainly the LHR junction that is really bad? What if I leave the M40 and go south via Maidenhead and Bracknell, then rejoin the M25 via the M3?

 

ime at that time, it's usually horrendous from the M1 junction to the M3

and Heathrow is bad in either direction

but yes, in theory your suggested route would be the way to play it - think that takes in the A329(M)?

there are some people here who know that stretch better than me - hopefully they'll be along shortly

 

I'd go the M6 (toll)/M42/M40/M25 route. If you're leaving at 6pm, by the time you get down to the M25 you'll be well past rush hour and it won't be all that bad. They've improved the M40/M25 junction recently as well.

I liked Gadaffi's suggestion. It must be at least 100 miles extra in the wrong direction on slow roads.

 

Only a small bit of it is (M) unfortunately, and the rest is dual carrigway with roundabouts and traffic lights. You also need to go down the A404 from the M40 to the M4, which can have some huge queues on it, as can the M40 junction at High Wycombe.

 

Gads is a good route but with it being Fri evening there maybe a fair number weekenders looking for some end of summer(ish) sun at the coast. With roundabouts & traffic lights on the A roads it may take longer than using the motorway.

We did M6Toll/M1/M25 Dartford in May on a Friday going for the ferry. I left here approx 11am & had no problems, got there by about 4pm IIRC.
Best you can do is traffic check the motorways first but i agree with above, by the time you hit the bottom of the M1 & the M25 crossings you will be well past rush hour.

Ed

 

Either way we should hit the M25 about 10pm. So guess it'll quiet-er