Driving Down South (UK)

[Saint Jason]

Hello,

This will be my first time driving down from my home in Manchester to Dover. In the past I have stayed over at my mum and dads in Southampton and gone from Pompey.

Anways, my question is: which is better, the M1 or the M40 route from the M6?

I have looked at both routes and there isn't much in it but somebody with local knowledge or somebody who has tried both routes might be able to suggest their preference and why?

My crossing is 1345 on Wed 11 June although I am leaving at 0600 from home to try and get on an earlier crossing.

Liverpool Boys??

Any advice greatly appreciated  

[philsmith]

Living in Kent and doing trips to the Birmingahm Manchester areas quite often, I would recommend the M40.
Reason:- less junctions, so less chance of accidents causing hold ups.
Then take the south way on M25

Got from Manchester to my place in 3 hours a few weeks ago and I am 45 minutes from Dover.
But allow for double this time!!

[Andy Zarse]

St Jason

If you go M6 (plus the new toll road?) on to the M42 at Brum and down the M40 onto M25 anticlockwise, then M20, I guarantee you will hit bad traffic.

If you go M6, M1, M25 Clockwise M2? M20 then you will hit bad traffic too.

It doesn't matter which way you go they're both awful. I'd leave home before 6 to miss the traffic in Brum if I was you.

Incidentally, I used to drive regularly between Brum and Southampton some years ago. Why not you go from Pompey?

[Danster]

Agree with Andy Z, it's never good whichever route you take, got to do the same journey on the Thursday night, but also got to call into Norfolk- like you do- to pick one of the Bentley boys up. Never a nice journey.....

[Saint Jason]

Thanks Andy & Phil.

Yeah I forgot about the rush at Birmingham in the morning - good point.  Best set the alarm clock even earlier  

Why Dover you ask? Well I decided in a moment of madness to take the hassle-free option of booking the whole gig via Page&Moyes this year since last year was almost a non-event due to the French   ......and P&M go from Dover.

Seems I needn't have been so hasty though as the ACO appear to have plenty of camping permits this year.

Nevermind  

Cheers once again.

[Snoring Rhino]

You'll also do better doing M6 to M5 (to avoide Spaggetti Jct) to M42 to M40 - should be OK on the M25 south by the time you hit it though.
Have a good weekend.
Ian

[Bobblehat]

M6 Toll road is not open yet

My sugestion is to come of the M6 @ J15 on to A500 then thro Stoke on the the A50 this is duel carrigway to the M1 you come out just above Donnington, this way you miss Birmingham totaly, go down the M1, it can get a bit slow around Luton but I would think at that time you should miss it, on to the M25 and go clockwise, you could be slow around the A10 junction and over Dartford bridge then its straight down the M20, over the channel and down to Le Mans

Simpel

[Matt Harper]

I could well be talking out of my yin-yang here, because I've been out of UK for a couple of years, but I found the most traffic-free route (from the M6/M1 junction) to be A14, past Kettering (very fast dual carriageway). Ignore temptation to go south on A1 - keep heading east towards Huntingdon. (Beyond A1 turn-off there used to be several speed cameras, so ease-off a bit in this section (St Neots?).
You end up on M11 south (nothing like as busy as M1 and A1 on the approach to M25) Then onto M25 towards Dartford.
This route bypasses one of the busiest sections of the M25 and the A14 and M11 allow you to get your boot down a bit. A little caution should be excercised on the approach to M25 as Essex Constabulary are reknowned twats, but characteristic of the M11, you can see 'em coming.
I might be on crack, but this used to be a really trouble-free drive.

[Chrisgr31]

I could well be talking out of my yin-yang here, because I've been out of UK for a couple of years, but I found the most traffic-free route (from the M6/M1 junction) to be A14, past Kettering (very fast dual carriageway). Ignore temptation to go south on A1 - keep heading east towards Huntingdon. (Beyond A1 turn-off there used to be several speed cameras, so ease-off a bit in this section (St Neots?).
You end up on M11 south (nothing like as busy as M1 and A1 on the approach to M25) Then onto M25 towards Dartford.
This route bypasses one of the busiest sections of the M25 and the A14 and M11 allow you to get your boot down a bit. A little caution should be excercised on the approach to M25 as Essex Constabulary are reknowned tw**ts, but characteristic of the M11, you can see 'em coming.
I might be on crack, but this used to be a really trouble-free drive.

The problem with this route is that all the police forces are very hot on speeding, and use plenty of camaeras and camera vans, some of which are hidden nicely.

However if prepared to travel within the speed limit this route does have advantages.  Mind you they were roadworks on the M11, not sure if they have gone yet.

Incidentially there are apparently roadworks on the M20 by the Eurotunnel exit and the speedlimit is camera enforced.

[Liszt]

which is why I go m20 down to Detling Hill, Junction 7 I think, up the hill, looking out for the speed camera just passed the 50 limit.  Then it is welly on the floor action up to the M2 then A2 down to Dover.

[Steve TTTD]

Another alternative (depending on where in Manchester you are) is the M62/A1/M25 route....
I use that often and it's usually clear

[MIT]

....and check the bridges on the M40. They have started using mobile cameras on them

[lemansman]

M20 local police update!  As I am resident in this part of the world watch out for:

1.silver peugeot vans on the bridges - theyv'e got cameras in them.

2.light blue volvo s80 reg ending XSW - unmarked traffic car

3.roadworks near the tunnel (if they are still there) specs speed average system is operating through them.

Drive safe

LMM

[nopanic - neil]

 
If your heading to Dover to get the ferry, the way I have doneit in the past is via M6 Jun 16 to Stoke - A500, then to A50 to M1 Jun 24 (but watch speed traps along this route) Down the M1 to Jun 19 onto the A14 to M11 and then straight down.

It may be a bit loner, but a least you move and have less chance in getting stuck in traffic.

If you use www.theaa.co.uk you can get a better map and find out about road works. The only one worth checking is around Stanstead. But Check

Hope this is of use. Cheers

[Saint Jason]

Thanks one and all!

Some really useful info here that will better preprare me for the journey ahead.

I have made some changes to the original plan. I am now on the 1045 crossing from Dover and so will be leaving Manchester at the (un)saintly hour of 4am - Nice!

I am hoping that this pushes the window just a little bit in my favour regarding the traffic round London. Fingers crossed!

Cheers

Jason