How bad are the roadworks on the A34 - Hants/Berks/Oxon?

How bad are the roadworks on the A34 - Hants/Berks/Oxon?

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Highway Star

Original Poster:

3,596 posts

238 months

Wednesday 7th February 2007
quotequote all
Any help on this from someone who does this route every day at the moment would be gratefully received

I have a final round job interview which I'm travelling back from the States for in two weeks time - it's in Oxford and I'll be driving up from my parents place near Bournemouth where I'll be staying.

I need to be in Oxford for 10.15 on a Friday morning and would normally leave myself 2 hours to get there from my parents, along the A31, M27, M3, A34 (Before moving Stateside we lived between Oxford and Reading and my 'record' to my parents place was 1hr 20). However, I've noticed there are two sets of roadworks on the A34 at the moment (both contraflows both directions) around Whitchurch in Hampshire and Chilton in Berks/Oxon. I know how bad the A34 can be given the HGV traffic and general numpties that congregate on this road, so my question is - how bad is it? I'm thinking of allowing an extra hour which would also get me passed Southampton and Winchester by just before 8. I believe that week is 1/2 term week and with it being a Friday I hope the traffic will be a *little* lighter than usual.

Going another route isn't really an option, the only viable one I can think of is to cut up to Salisbury, Tidworth, Hungerford and join the A34 at Newbury, but I'll still have one set of roadworks to deal with and that road is slllloooooowwwww.

Anyway I have earmarked the driving back for a hoon down the A338 from Wantage to M3 and then Hungerford which should give my mum's Clio 182 the workout it doesn't usually get evil

wasted years

4,330 posts

216 months

Wednesday 7th February 2007
quotequote all
AVOID THE A34 ROADWORKS LIKE THE PROVERBIAL PLAGUE!!! Stick with the more scenic and quicker A339. From the bottom of Chain Hill, Wantage (fire station infront of you) hang a right and follow the signs for the A34 which will spit you out above the road works.

This is coming from the Newbury direction.




Edited by wasted years on Saturday 10th February 16:55

miss tang

423 posts

257 months

Thursday 8th February 2007
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thanks for that, has been a pain in the ass, left at 6am still got stuck twice, will change routes for future

timmy33

9,325 posts

234 months

Wednesday 28th February 2007
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I got trapped in it the other day, travelling mid morning 11am, it's an absolute sod, sat crawling for 20min heading North bound.

You might try coming off at J12 and following the A road via Pangbourne, Goring to Oxford.