A303/M3 or M5/M4?
Discussion
Friday evening (leaving around 5pm) I will be driving from Plymouth to Heathrow.
Google Maps provides two routes. Either leave the M5 at Exeter and join the A30 to become to A303, and eventually the M3. Or follow the M5 up to Bristol and then follow the M4.
The A303 route is 22 miles shorter, but 6 minutes slower. The time saving isn't that important to me, but rather the most economical route.
Which route would you suggest I take?
Google Maps provides two routes. Either leave the M5 at Exeter and join the A30 to become to A303, and eventually the M3. Or follow the M5 up to Bristol and then follow the M4.
The A303 route is 22 miles shorter, but 6 minutes slower. The time saving isn't that important to me, but rather the most economical route.
Which route would you suggest I take?
aturnick54 said:
Friday evening (leaving around 5pm) I will be driving from Plymouth to Heathrow.
Google Maps provides two routes. Either leave the M5 at Exeter and join the A30 to become to A303, and eventually the M3. Or follow the M5 up to Bristol and then follow the M4.
The A303 route is 22 miles shorter, but 6 minutes slower. The time saving isn't that important to me, but rather the most economical route.
Which route would you suggest I take?
Surely check the traffic at the time, using errr Google Maps / Waze?Google Maps provides two routes. Either leave the M5 at Exeter and join the A30 to become to A303, and eventually the M3. Or follow the M5 up to Bristol and then follow the M4.
The A303 route is 22 miles shorter, but 6 minutes slower. The time saving isn't that important to me, but rather the most economical route.
Which route would you suggest I take?
)Your timing opens up lots of potential to hit traffic either way. Hence the advice to rely on Waze/Google makes sense.
I used to do M25-Exeter-M25 ~5 times a year and always used the 303, but that was in a ratty old hatchback and I could choose my timing; if I'd had a barge (and was more restricted time-wise) my choice might have differed.
I used to do M25-Exeter-M25 ~5 times a year and always used the 303, but that was in a ratty old hatchback and I could choose my timing; if I'd had a barge (and was more restricted time-wise) my choice might have differed.
Where the A303 goes from 2 to 1 lane nr Stonehenge can be congested. On the plus side, if it’s still light the views are great. There is also a route round if it’s congested.
A friend who does the route regularly to the south west seems to use the 303 generally as he says it’s more fun.
The M4 west toward Bristol is very dull.
A friend who does the route regularly to the south west seems to use the 303 generally as he says it’s more fun.
The M4 west toward Bristol is very dull.
Used to go to Exeter for work a couple of times a month and 95% took the M3/A303 route. In reality they probably took about the same amount of time but the A303 was a much more entertaining drive unless it was the summer holidays.
The M5/M4 junction around Bristol has roadworks and there's a section of the M4 between the A34 and Swindon which had 40/50mph ave cameras the last time I went through so I would imagine the A303 would be quicker at the moment.
The M5/M4 junction around Bristol has roadworks and there's a section of the M4 between the A34 and Swindon which had 40/50mph ave cameras the last time I went through so I would imagine the A303 would be quicker at the moment.
As the requirement is for an economical route rather than the shortest journey time, then surely a route which involves as much steady state driving as possible is the one to go for?
With the two suggestions available the motorway route would be the one most suited to the required parameters.
With the two suggestions available the motorway route would be the one most suited to the required parameters.
as others have said - I do both regularly.
I tend to always do the M25. 303 to Devon (I live in East London) on a bike, or if I'm not rushing as Stonehenge is always crap.
On way back if I'm trying to keep my average speed as high as humanly possible I do M5,M4 - but I have added complexity of going all the way around the clock to 3.
I've never really seen much difference in the time it takes *short of some idiot failing to look out of the clear panel on front of vehicle and crashing
but M5, M4, M25 is defo more brain out -
I tend to always do the M25. 303 to Devon (I live in East London) on a bike, or if I'm not rushing as Stonehenge is always crap.
On way back if I'm trying to keep my average speed as high as humanly possible I do M5,M4 - but I have added complexity of going all the way around the clock to 3.
I've never really seen much difference in the time it takes *short of some idiot failing to look out of the clear panel on front of vehicle and crashing
but M5, M4, M25 is defo more brain out -
Edited by The Selfish Gene on Tuesday 19th March 16:23
Luckily, you are going east on Friday and not the other direction.
Tbh, leaving Plym at that time, just follow the M5 straight up. It’s 90mins Exe - M4 give or take. For that time - factor in an extra hour upto the M4. From the M5 jnt to LHR is an hr to Newbury/Chievley and then 45mins from there to LHR.
I would recommend leaving an hr later if possible. Your journey will be a lot nicer if it’s getting on for 7pm once you hit Exe and then go north.
For reference, it’s generally 30mins upto Taunton Deane services, 10mins then to Bridge, another 10mins to Sedgemoor. It’s 20mins from Sedgemoor to the M4.
From the M5 jnt it’s 15-17mins to Leigh Delamere services. It’s roughly 20mins from there to Membury. There are some short but nasty roadworks both ways about 5mins west of Newbury that can just slow you to a limited 40 cruise or you can stop start and lose 20mins there.
On a Friday avoid the 303 like the plague. Both directions. The roadworks doing the single to dbl lane widening are horrible.
Yes, I do this journey every week. You learn very quickly to never travel West on a Friday.
Tbh, leaving Plym at that time, just follow the M5 straight up. It’s 90mins Exe - M4 give or take. For that time - factor in an extra hour upto the M4. From the M5 jnt to LHR is an hr to Newbury/Chievley and then 45mins from there to LHR.
I would recommend leaving an hr later if possible. Your journey will be a lot nicer if it’s getting on for 7pm once you hit Exe and then go north.
For reference, it’s generally 30mins upto Taunton Deane services, 10mins then to Bridge, another 10mins to Sedgemoor. It’s 20mins from Sedgemoor to the M4.
From the M5 jnt it’s 15-17mins to Leigh Delamere services. It’s roughly 20mins from there to Membury. There are some short but nasty roadworks both ways about 5mins west of Newbury that can just slow you to a limited 40 cruise or you can stop start and lose 20mins there.
On a Friday avoid the 303 like the plague. Both directions. The roadworks doing the single to dbl lane widening are horrible.
Yes, I do this journey every week. You learn very quickly to never travel West on a Friday.
I used to do London to Exeter and back a few times a year.
I nearly always went 303. I think twice I did M5/4 Exeter to London and both times it was a nightmare around Bristol and then Reading to London. Took me nearly 4 hours.
Longest it ever took me Exeter to London 303 was 3 hours 30 mins. I normally did it in 2hrs 30-2hrs 45mins with no stops. Quickest erm 2hrs. That was at 3am on a Sunday though.
I nearly always went 303. I think twice I did M5/4 Exeter to London and both times it was a nightmare around Bristol and then Reading to London. Took me nearly 4 hours.
Longest it ever took me Exeter to London 303 was 3 hours 30 mins. I normally did it in 2hrs 30-2hrs 45mins with no stops. Quickest erm 2hrs. That was at 3am on a Sunday though.
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