Northwest - south/southeast travel
Discussion
Weekday south Cheshire/north Staffordshire travel down to the south/southeast. WOW this is an awful, time consuming, and if by train a costly exercise. I've been fortunate to have had very limited travel to the south or southeast from where i live over the 4-5 years, but having needed to do this a number of times over the last couple of months i do feel for those whom have to do it on a regular basis.
Well over 5 1/2 hours to Basingstoke. Absolute regular minimum 1 1/2 hours to the m5 junction. London, don't ask. Travelling on a Monday morning or returning on a Friday afternoon, may as well guess how long it will take and then double it. Wherever i go, my journey's appear to average about 30-35 mph, and fuel consumption, that's something else to moan about. Yes, most of my journey's have been at peak times, but it was never this bad, nowhere near. There's roadworks everywhere, speed camera's, accident/incidents, atrocious lane discipline, so called managed motorways and so on. I also noted many, many junctions with exit traffic tailing back on the motorways - the trunk roads around can't cope either. Need to get back to the northern, east-west travel. Re the managed motorways; irritatingly at one point, one after the other gantries - NSL-40-60-50-NSL-50-40-NSL, it was no wonder people were getting flashed.
I've tried trains a good few times, but having to book with not much advance warning ends up costing 2-3 times what it costs in fuel if i drove. Then, trying getting a seat on many of the journeys, especially from London. I caught a train from Crewe at one point that arrived from further north (Lancaster?). It was full with people standing even before anyone from Crewe boarded. Tannoy asked people to wait for the next train! I need to go to Southampton at short notice - £222 cheapest return fare! Looks like a 12 hour return drive in the car!
I'm staggered at just how bad travel northwest-south has gone over the last 4-5 years. It must be costing the economy a fortune, notwithstanding all those travelers arriving home, at a guess, highly stressed and worn out! Anyone whom is doing this regularly, i really feel for you. The challenge i have is i'm looking for work and have often worked away in the past , i don't think i can consider anywhere that puts me in the south/southeast now.
In some balance to the point, i did travel to Gloucester, and once one has battled their way partly down the m5, it is an easier journey, but even that took getting on for 3 hours whereas 10 years ago i regularly did the same journey in just over 2 hours.
Friday afternoon rant
BB
Well over 5 1/2 hours to Basingstoke. Absolute regular minimum 1 1/2 hours to the m5 junction. London, don't ask. Travelling on a Monday morning or returning on a Friday afternoon, may as well guess how long it will take and then double it. Wherever i go, my journey's appear to average about 30-35 mph, and fuel consumption, that's something else to moan about. Yes, most of my journey's have been at peak times, but it was never this bad, nowhere near. There's roadworks everywhere, speed camera's, accident/incidents, atrocious lane discipline, so called managed motorways and so on. I also noted many, many junctions with exit traffic tailing back on the motorways - the trunk roads around can't cope either. Need to get back to the northern, east-west travel. Re the managed motorways; irritatingly at one point, one after the other gantries - NSL-40-60-50-NSL-50-40-NSL, it was no wonder people were getting flashed.
I've tried trains a good few times, but having to book with not much advance warning ends up costing 2-3 times what it costs in fuel if i drove. Then, trying getting a seat on many of the journeys, especially from London. I caught a train from Crewe at one point that arrived from further north (Lancaster?). It was full with people standing even before anyone from Crewe boarded. Tannoy asked people to wait for the next train! I need to go to Southampton at short notice - £222 cheapest return fare! Looks like a 12 hour return drive in the car!
I'm staggered at just how bad travel northwest-south has gone over the last 4-5 years. It must be costing the economy a fortune, notwithstanding all those travelers arriving home, at a guess, highly stressed and worn out! Anyone whom is doing this regularly, i really feel for you. The challenge i have is i'm looking for work and have often worked away in the past , i don't think i can consider anywhere that puts me in the south/southeast now.
In some balance to the point, i did travel to Gloucester, and once one has battled their way partly down the m5, it is an easier journey, but even that took getting on for 3 hours whereas 10 years ago i regularly did the same journey in just over 2 hours.
Friday afternoon rant
BB
Edited by BlueBob on Friday 11th October 17:38
I've often done the other direction, from Berkshire to Cheshire and it has got steadily worse over the years.
I did it a couple of times last year using my usual route the first time, so M4 to A404 to M40, M42 (West), M6 and M56. But the "Smart Motorway" work on the M6 meant it took forever.
So the next time I tired M4 to A404, M40, M42 (West), M6, M54, A5, A49 then A533. Probably no quicker, but much more entertaining - a few of those A roads are really fun when they aren't busy!
But to be fair if you have to travel in rush hours I doubt there is an enjoyable route.
If train travel is so costly, would a flight South from Liverpool or Manchester work?
I did it a couple of times last year using my usual route the first time, so M4 to A404 to M40, M42 (West), M6 and M56. But the "Smart Motorway" work on the M6 meant it took forever.
So the next time I tired M4 to A404, M40, M42 (West), M6, M54, A5, A49 then A533. Probably no quicker, but much more entertaining - a few of those A roads are really fun when they aren't busy!
But to be fair if you have to travel in rush hours I doubt there is an enjoyable route.
If train travel is so costly, would a flight South from Liverpool or Manchester work?
I do the Liverpool-Heathrow-London commute every week and I just go outside of peak times, as it was getting ridiculous.
Over 10 years of SPECS controlled 50mph roadworks for 20-30 miles (then they finish one section and immediately start on the next, so no respite).
It can take anywhere up to 7 hours to do the 210 mile journey when it's bad. Coming north is easier as you have more options to get off the motorway and come through Wales/Shropshire/Staffordshire.
I now average 3.5 hours on Monday & Thursday evenings, and it's saved me a fair bit on fuel due to no stop-start traffic.
I also don't do the train, as the peak time fare is about £320 standard class return (advance ticket can be had for less than £200, but is limited to a specific train/time) which would still only get me into the office for about 10am, and I've got 2 computers and one piece of luggage to try to store/keep track of - and traipse through the tube network (at peak times).
Over 10 years of SPECS controlled 50mph roadworks for 20-30 miles (then they finish one section and immediately start on the next, so no respite).
It can take anywhere up to 7 hours to do the 210 mile journey when it's bad. Coming north is easier as you have more options to get off the motorway and come through Wales/Shropshire/Staffordshire.
I now average 3.5 hours on Monday & Thursday evenings, and it's saved me a fair bit on fuel due to no stop-start traffic.
I also don't do the train, as the peak time fare is about £320 standard class return (advance ticket can be had for less than £200, but is limited to a specific train/time) which would still only get me into the office for about 10am, and I've got 2 computers and one piece of luggage to try to store/keep track of - and traipse through the tube network (at peak times).
Edited by mmm-five on Saturday 12th October 10:40
BlueBob said:
I need to go to Southampton at short notice - £222 cheapest return fare! Looks like a 12 hour return drive in the car!
I live near Chester and used to do that journey regularly - if I needed to be in there in the morning then I'd drive down the evening before and stay overnight somewhere. Though even then I'd find the odd road (ie a chunk of the A34) closed for overnight roadworks. Did the same going to Cambridge a few weeks ago - A14 closed.
You've got a big advantage over me in that you're some way - at least 30 mins - ahead of me but I did a 9AM meeting near Maidenhead the other day by leaving at 5.30, went with the flow of the traffic (used the toll road) and I was there just after 8.30. Stayed overnight and left at 9 (thinking I'd let the school run traffic clear) the next morning and it took 5hrs to get home, although a big chuck of that was right at the beginning as the M40 J4 was all messed up.
Flying is great idea, i'll look into it.
Travelling late evening and staying overnight is so much easier, but ends up as another expense, and if you work away Monday-Friday it means leaving Sunday night and still battling Friday afternoon/evening.
I wonder if the M4, A419, A417, M5 route is any better, but one still has to circumvent Birmingham; M6 roadworks, managed motorways!
I might try the A50 (1 hour to M1) then down the M1 to 15a. What's the A43/A34 like at peak?
I know i'm not the only one in this situation, so good journey's to you all.
BB
Travelling late evening and staying overnight is so much easier, but ends up as another expense, and if you work away Monday-Friday it means leaving Sunday night and still battling Friday afternoon/evening.
I wonder if the M4, A419, A417, M5 route is any better, but one still has to circumvent Birmingham; M6 roadworks, managed motorways!
I might try the A50 (1 hour to M1) then down the M1 to 15a. What's the A43/A34 like at peak?
I know i'm not the only one in this situation, so good journey's to you all.
BB
We travelled regularly from North Wales to Kent, about 350 miles. Luckily we could choose the time we travelled. It was usually A55, A41, M54, M6, then the choice between M1, M25, M20, or latterly, M42, M40 and then M25 north or south until M20. Most times it would take 7.5 hours, with one short stop. Fastest on my own was just under 6 hours. There have been occasional longer times. Unfortunately at some stage you will hit Birmingham rush hour, and/or Gatwick/Heathrow. If travelling on my own to London, and can pre-book early, Bangor to Euston is 3:15 hours, Chester to Euston is even less time. Bangor to Ashford is quick, with just a 20 minute walk from Euston to St. Pancras. Then St. Pancras to Ashford is 38 minutes.
Tried this morning to get to Southampton. After getting half way there and nearly 4 hours later i turned around and came home. Accident on the A43 held me up for a good hour. At the time i wished i had gone down the M40....but there was an accident this morning on there also.
Needed to be in Southampton for about 12 noon, but that was not going to happen. 6 1/2 hours later back at home!
Tried the A50, across to M1. A50 is busier than ever, 1 hour 25 to get across to the M1, this used to take may 1 hour 5-10mins. 20 minute hold up at the Uttoxeter/Ashbourne Road roundabout due to the significant volume of traffic that builds up back down the A50 - is this due to the new road layout! Plus larger hold-ups at the other roundabouts than used to be there 1-2 years ago. People using A50/M1 in lieu of the delays on the M6 south now?
Looked at flights, about £120 return, but then factor in taxi/travel to the airport each end, the cost soon adds up + total time is about 4 hours. It's still better than this balls-up northwest-south travel.
BB
Needed to be in Southampton for about 12 noon, but that was not going to happen. 6 1/2 hours later back at home!
Tried the A50, across to M1. A50 is busier than ever, 1 hour 25 to get across to the M1, this used to take may 1 hour 5-10mins. 20 minute hold up at the Uttoxeter/Ashbourne Road roundabout due to the significant volume of traffic that builds up back down the A50 - is this due to the new road layout! Plus larger hold-ups at the other roundabouts than used to be there 1-2 years ago. People using A50/M1 in lieu of the delays on the M6 south now?
Looked at flights, about £120 return, but then factor in taxi/travel to the airport each end, the cost soon adds up + total time is about 4 hours. It's still better than this balls-up northwest-south travel.
BB
Edited by BlueBob on Monday 14th October 13:23
A long peak time trip isn't going to be easy unfortunately.
It would have to be early or late to make it anywhere at a decent average speed (e.g. my Monday evening 220 mile trip from Liverpool Airport to just east of Heathrow usually takes 3h30m...including the miles of M6 50mph SPECS...but that means sitting at a very comfortable 80mph for the rest of the trip.
Quickest I ever did it on a Monday morning (leaving at 5am) was 4h30m, but it was usually after 10am when I arrived, and by then all the on-street parking had been taken and I'd spend another 30 minutes searching for a spot.
Now I get into London at about 9pm and pay £6/day for local railway station parking (which is usually full any time between 7am and 7pm) and just top it up by phone when the daily fee expires.
It would have to be early or late to make it anywhere at a decent average speed (e.g. my Monday evening 220 mile trip from Liverpool Airport to just east of Heathrow usually takes 3h30m...including the miles of M6 50mph SPECS...but that means sitting at a very comfortable 80mph for the rest of the trip.
Quickest I ever did it on a Monday morning (leaving at 5am) was 4h30m, but it was usually after 10am when I arrived, and by then all the on-street parking had been taken and I'd spend another 30 minutes searching for a spot.
Now I get into London at about 9pm and pay £6/day for local railway station parking (which is usually full any time between 7am and 7pm) and just top it up by phone when the daily fee expires.
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