Club Arnage

Im going to the Excel centre on saturday coming along the M4 from sunny wales.Last year I drove through the city,which as you can imagine took for ever.Am I quicker to go around the M25 or is there a sneakier route that you locals know about?

cheers
PM

Not really a local but i should imagine all routes are pretty appalling. Either straight through town, or maybe drop off teh A4 at the Hammersmith Roundabout, over putney bridge to the south circ at the Chelsea Cars roundabout and attack it from the south?

 ???

Powermite,

I guess it all depends on what time of day you are travelling.

Going through the City on a Saturday should be a breeze - there's nobody there. What held you up last year?

I would imagine that the journey across the West End is worse.

There are sometimes road closures and diversions at the weekend, for crane access and building work, but the city should be no problem.

Try looking here

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/default.aspx 

Let me know your time of travel.

Is there a flight from somewhere in Wales to London City airport?

I think your best route if coming from the M4 would be to go anti clockwise on the M25 until just before the Dartford crossing. Get onto the A2 (juct 2 on the M25) towards London - keep on the A2 until you get to the blackwall tunnel, (A102)

Make sure you are in the left hand lane thru the tunnel as you will need to turn left almost straight after.

By now you will be seeing sign boards to the Excel ctr.

http://www.excel-london.co.uk/en/img/assets/1019/ByRoadMap.gif

I bet he's completely confused now.

4 very helpful, but totally different answers!

Good luck  ;D

Here's another one.  Park further out and come in on the DLR (Docklands Light Railway).  Won't you be liable to pay congestion charges too these days?

THANKS GUYS

I'll be arrving at the M4/M25 junction at about 10 am.Last year I went on a sunday and was busy as hell!

cheers
PM

Not at the weekends.

Shows how out of touch I have become.  Must be the hot weather! (26 again today.)  Not that I ever took a car near London if I could possibly avoid it.

no real guarentees on traffic really, sundays can be rammed as much as weekdays, but then they could be a breeze. I'd say do the route which is least confusing for you otherwise you will be forever pulling over to consult your A-Z. Pick places such as Brixton, Greenwich or whatever between you and there and follow the signs, i'm sure whatever way you go the other route will be better  ::)

My route would be M4 left onto M25 then on to A40 Eastbound and follow straight all the way through Acton, Euston, Kings X, Islington, City Road , left at Old Street roundabout to Aldwych East Tube station, then left and follow signs A13 where the Excell map starts (to blackwall tunnel and excell centre).
A40 Eastbound to Old street roundabout is one straight road with no deviation.
Couldn't be clearer ???

Hi PM,
If you are taking the M25, I might be tempted to go north around it and come along the A13, I live right by the Dartford crossing and have both options of A2 and A13 when going to Excel. The A13 is the quickest and most direct route as far as I am concerned as using the A2 you end up heading out of town again once you've gone through the Blackwall tunnel, you can get held up in road works at the tunnel particularly at night and at the weekends.

Rusty

Get off the M4 at Reading...Catch a train from Reading to Paddington (35 mins) and get the tube!  There is a train tube to Excel I think, but best off getting the other station that is near (the name of which escapes me) and walking. 

That said - I got lost doing that :)

In reality, that's probably the best option as long as your car is fully insured for TPF&T while at Reading Station Car Park ;)

It might seem like a long route but I have done this journey a few times and go, M4 - M25 clockwise, take the junction before the bridge over the Thames posted A13 and follow the signs. As long as the M25 is behaving, it is a breeze. :D

This would be my choice too. Good suggestion I think.

Just done a quick trip up to London Bridge for a meeting and now returned to my desk in sunny Surrey

Used the A2 route, thru the blackwall tunnel and it took less than 20 mins from the M25 to docklands.

Rusty's route would clearly work as well, The A13 is a new road, nothing like the nightmare it was, but I think there are roadworks on the clockwise M25 by Enfield that may hamper your progress while anti clockwise there are none I can think of.

Good luck on whatever route you choose!

PM, me old china.
Sod all that stuff.  Drive east on the M4, down the Heathrow spur road to get to the A4.  Then continue a short while east on the A4 until you reach Osterley tube station by Osterley Park (on the Picadilly line).  There's a London Underground secure car park at the tube station.  Park there, buy an all zones Travelcard which includes the DLR. 
Get off the DLR at Custom House Station and you're at Excel.

Driving around / through London isn't worth the aggro if you're coming in from the west.  An alternative is to take the north circular at Hanger Lane but I wouldn't personally bother.

You know it makes sense.

eerrrr,thanks guys...i think

PM

Having worked in london for some time I can suggest. Either Steve's option of Osterly or head into London on the M4 then at Hammersmith come off the flyover and park underneath it. We left a brand new car there a few years ago and returned to find new mercedes around it. Then take the tube in from there.

I wouldn't drive into town unless you really have to.

Osterly Tube Station

Great - There use to be an old book shop just around the corner from there.

Had some good old books, brought the workshop manual of the Austin Champ, not sure why, and missed a 1950's book on hill climbs around the country and how to cook meals on car manifolds on journeys -not sure why - but I liked both! - but did not buy.

If you go from Ostely let us know and I'll give u the road name and a streetmap location.

Ostely Park is also nice for a walk or picnic. Nice trees and watching the planes flying into Heathrow.

Sat morning going through town will be a breeze. No congestion charge, no traffic and few buses.

As long as you are planning on getting there before 10am I'd just go straight across town as Garyfrogeye said, M25, A40 and pick up the A13 in the city to take you to docklands. M25 to Excel in under 45 mins.

IME watch the parking outside Excel though, some of the bays look like free parking and then the wardens arrive with a grin on their face

Flying is still worth considering. Any flights to London City from where you are? The terminal is only 10mins walk - arrive in style and refreshed.

looking at the map I think Gary frog and BobTs look the easiest.I got sat nav in the car but that tends to take you round the houses a bit in Londinium.
cheers to all of you for your help

PM

Hi PM,
        What is going on at Excel ??? Keep right on to the end of the road......
Enjoy the drive.
Phil

oh no I was hoping nobody would ask
Its a golf show!!There ive said it
PM

I think you'll find that's "Thread Closed".

 ;)

I would then suggest when you leave the M4, stay on the M25 and just keep going.


Rusty ;D

Quality time with the boy then :angel:
Phil

you got it in one Phil
PM

Another possible route would be:-
M4 - M25 Clockwise - M11 (towards London) - A406
That way you don't have to go quite so far around the M25 and come back on yourself.  ;D

PM, golf's nothing to be embarrassed about. In fact I'm going to stand up here and now in front ofmy peers and state for the record that yes, I, Andrew J Zarse, am a golfist too. There. I feel better for getting that out in the open.

It started off in Florida on a harmless krazy golf course. JPC dangled the golf bat in front of me and Steve Brown. How could I resist? All those windmills and crocodiles. The next thing I know, a few weeks later, I was on the putting green every day. I thought I could handle it. But I found myself unable to resist a new set of Pings and that was it; addicted and my life ruinned for ever......

thank God,credibility in the shape of Zarse!!
See you at the show then in our Club Wentworth T Shirts.I'll send you my new design.Its got Steve Mc Queen holding a Mashie Niblick on the 10th Place of the grid at the St Andrew's 24 Holes...Oh F@@k i'm all mixed up now

PM

I think you should post the design for us all to see! I hope Steve's flicking the Vees at the Royal and Ancient. A bunch of stuck up golf snobs so they are. What do they know about golf? Them and their so-called "proper rules". I mean, not being allowed to "fluff up" your ball when it's in the rough. It's as if these idiots are actually trying to ruin my score card. Ridiculous! >:(

I thought this was something more associated with a particular part of the film industry  ;D