Reading to Exeter on Saturday - M4/M5 or A303 ?
Discussion
outnumbered said:
I'm expecting the traffic to be pretty bad, but does anyone have experience of which route is usually better ? We'll be travelling during the middle of the day, unfortunately.
While the dual cway bits of the A303 are fine, the single cway
bits are rubbish.
Should have been upgraded to mway decades ago, but that's
road policy for you.
I'd go M4/M5. Take a few interesting CDs with you - Middle Lane
Owners club usually out in force.
Dont forget that the few bits of the 303 you CAN overtake on - namely the crawler lane arrangements up hills - have GATSO's placed in just the right place to scupper any chance of ridding yourself of the 5 lorries which have caused havoc for the last 10 miles.
Then the last 20-30 miles to Honiton, nice smooth open road..
... with a 50 limit.
Then the last 20-30 miles to Honiton, nice smooth open road..
... with a 50 limit.
All depends whether or not you're in the mood for "pressing on". With an M3, I imagine the A303 could be a lot of fun, squirting past lorries when overtaking opportunities arise.
M4/M5 option is definitely a lot cheaper on fuel, even though it's approx 20 miles longer than M3/A303. I did Kingston - Plymouth in my missus's E46 318Ci last weekend, and averaged 29mpg on the way down on the M3/A303, and averaged 38mpg on the way back on the M4/M5. M4/M5 was also about 15 mins quicker.
M4/M5 option is definitely a lot cheaper on fuel, even though it's approx 20 miles longer than M3/A303. I did Kingston - Plymouth in my missus's E46 318Ci last weekend, and averaged 29mpg on the way down on the M3/A303, and averaged 38mpg on the way back on the M4/M5. M4/M5 was also about 15 mins quicker.
if it is going to be busy you always go M4/M5- it is way quicker.
when it is a little quieter then you always go M3 A303.
I've driven Bracknell to Taunton twice a week for past two years. M4/M5 invariably takes 2hours 20mins if i don't stop. When A303 is bad it has quite often taken well over 3 hours. On the other hand i can quite often do Taunton to Bracknell in 1 1/2 hours on the A303 when it's quiet and late at night (and as long as i have the S8!).
IME there are very very few coppers around late night on the A303- last saturday at just past midnight i past 8 cars the whole night!
Oh and TW fox- the couple of cameras in passing places are great places to overtake- particularily the one coming out of chicklade- you get on someones arse and boot it- most people slow down to 54- whilst you can actually do 64 going up there. If you push people a little bit they will get out of the way and you can easily clear 7-8 people normally.
the A303 is the MOST boring road in history when you have driven it 300 times or so!
when it is a little quieter then you always go M3 A303.
I've driven Bracknell to Taunton twice a week for past two years. M4/M5 invariably takes 2hours 20mins if i don't stop. When A303 is bad it has quite often taken well over 3 hours. On the other hand i can quite often do Taunton to Bracknell in 1 1/2 hours on the A303 when it's quiet and late at night (and as long as i have the S8!).
IME there are very very few coppers around late night on the A303- last saturday at just past midnight i past 8 cars the whole night!
Oh and TW fox- the couple of cameras in passing places are great places to overtake- particularily the one coming out of chicklade- you get on someones arse and boot it- most people slow down to 54- whilst you can actually do 64 going up there. If you push people a little bit they will get out of the way and you can easily clear 7-8 people normally.
the A303 is the MOST boring road in history when you have driven it 300 times or so!
Edited by pugwash4x4 on Friday 25th August 21:31
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