Commuting from Bath to Portbury
Discussion
My office is moving at the end of the year to Portbury, and I'm struggling to work out a way to get there without sitting traffic for an hour.
I tried the route google suggested - A4 into the centre and then back out on the A369 - but that was terrible. My next thought is to try the ring road up to the M32 and then go round, but that seems like a long way to go.
Looking at the map I think I could cut across country from Keynsham to get to the south side of the ring road, and get to the A369 that way, but I don't know whether that will be any quicker either. Anyone have any thoughts?
I tried the route google suggested - A4 into the centre and then back out on the A369 - but that was terrible. My next thought is to try the ring road up to the M32 and then go round, but that seems like a long way to go.
Looking at the map I think I could cut across country from Keynsham to get to the south side of the ring road, and get to the A369 that way, but I don't know whether that will be any quicker either. Anyone have any thoughts?
That's a bloody awkward commute. On the way there I'd be inclined to take the A39 turning by the Globe pub and then back roads to the A37 and out onto the A4 Portway which is never very busy on the outbound stretch. On the way back I'd imagine the M5/M32 would be your fastest route, although obviously very long.
I'd probably go with something like this route:
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Bath,+Bath+and+N...
Looks slightly out the way but it should be a lot quieter than going through Bristol at all, or even going up to the M4 and round the top. Once you know the roads though it can be driven reasonably briskly in lighter traffic.
Also, can you adjust your hours slightly to get there earlier and leave earlier? Makes such a huge difference driving through Bris at 7ish or before compared to 8ish.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Bath,+Bath+and+N...
Looks slightly out the way but it should be a lot quieter than going through Bristol at all, or even going up to the M4 and round the top. Once you know the roads though it can be driven reasonably briskly in lighter traffic.
Also, can you adjust your hours slightly to get there earlier and leave earlier? Makes such a huge difference driving through Bris at 7ish or before compared to 8ish.
If you live on the east side of Bath, you might consider using the A46/M4/M5, but good luck with the Aztec Junction(J20) if you are commuting at the main travel times. Stay away from the A4174 unless you are traffic light/variable speed limit tolerant & central Bristol has some 20mph limits & bus lanes in abundance. (Did A46/M4/M5 route for 6 years)
Japveesix said:
I'd probably go with something like this route:
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Bath,+Bath+and+N...
Looks slightly out the way but it should be a lot quieter than going through Bristol at all, or even going up to the M4 and round the top. Once you know the roads though it can be driven reasonably briskly in lighter traffic.
Also, can you adjust your hours slightly to get there earlier and leave earlier? Makes such a huge difference driving through Bris at 7ish or before compared to 8ish.
I live near Portbury and when I had regular meetings with a client in Bath I often took the route outlined above. It always felt better to keep moving rather than sitting in stationary traffic when trying to cut across Bristol.https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Bath,+Bath+and+N...
Looks slightly out the way but it should be a lot quieter than going through Bristol at all, or even going up to the M4 and round the top. Once you know the roads though it can be driven reasonably briskly in lighter traffic.
Also, can you adjust your hours slightly to get there earlier and leave earlier? Makes such a huge difference driving through Bris at 7ish or before compared to 8ish.
carreauchompeur said:
I presume the above is the motorway route (can't open it!) and I would wholeheartedly agree. You can burn so much time and fuel in inescapable Bristol traffic that it really makes sense.
No it is not the motorway route. It is going South round Bristol via Chew Magna! Sounds like a long route but it is relatively quick and painless, as well as being quite enjoyable in the right kind of car. I am not sure I would want to do it daily though.Many years ago when I worked in Portbury a collogue used to travel from Bath daily they'd go via either of the routes below. Chew+Failand is quicker at peak times 8am-9am but Hengrove is quicker if travelling slightly earlier.
cross country or via Hengrove way
You could try turning off at Keynsham and going Stockwood lane > Witchurch lane to avoid the A4 nearier to town.
cross country or via Hengrove way
You could try turning off at Keynsham and going Stockwood lane > Witchurch lane to avoid the A4 nearier to town.
That southerly route will be your best bet Also know locally as the Trans Mendip Highway 
depending on exactly which way you go you can aslo do the Mendip Hillclimb aka Burrington Coombe road
then cut past the airport, down the hill, left at the lights, through the lil village, over roundabout & next right up the hill, lefty righty & in your in Portbury.
depending on exactly which way you go you can aslo do the Mendip Hillclimb aka Burrington Coombe road
then cut past the airport, down the hill, left at the lights, through the lil village, over roundabout & next right up the hill, lefty righty & in your in Portbury. cptsideways said:
depending on exactly which way you go you can aslo do the Mendip Hillclimb aka Burrington Coombe road then cut past the airport, down the hill, left at the lights, through the lil village, over roundabout & next right up the hill, lefty righty & in your in Portbury.
Follow these very detailed and accurate directions then cut past the airport, down the hill, left at the lights, through the lil village, over roundabout & next right up the hill, lefty righty & in your in Portbury. , Burrington is a great road to drive when it's quiet, amazingly pretty.Japveesix said:
cptsideways said:
depending on exactly which way you go you can aslo do the Mendip Hillclimb aka Burrington Coombe road then cut past the airport, down the hill, left at the lights, through the lil village, over roundabout & next right up the hill, lefty righty & in your in Portbury.
Follow these very detailed and accurate directions then cut past the airport, down the hill, left at the lights, through the lil village, over roundabout & next right up the hill, lefty righty & in your in Portbury. , Burrington is a great road to drive when it's quiet, amazingly pretty.
Also if going down the hillclimb for the first time watch out for the rocks/embankment in front of you, it's at this point you need to go left quite hurriedly
must have seen, followed or come across dozens who failed that test over the years. davepoth said:
Thanks guys, all good ideas. I'm erring towards the motorway suggestion - I've driven that way before and it's relatively painless most days. The daily drive is a Rover 75 so not exactly ideal for punting down country lanes!
The route described via Marksbury, Bishop Sutton, Chew Magna, Winford and Barrow Tanks is not really "country lane" territory - they send buses down there quite happily!I have to admit that I can't speak for the section between Barrow Tanks and Portbury (I don't think I've ever driven down there) but the rest is OK. The section through Chew Magna village itself is the only narrow section that I can think of.
And the route is a much more pleasant one that the motorway option - especially when you take into account those new fecking cameras on the M4 and M5
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