[Closed] Driving the length of England on a Sunday - best way?

M6 always perceived best IM(limited)E?

Take the A1(M).

Take the M6, and you'll get caught around the exits to Stafford and never get to your destination. The M6 is like the Hotel California of motorways.

i'd just stick it in a sat nav app with traffic updates and let it decide the fastest route through the traffic. apple maps is my current favorite but only because it actually mutes directions if your on a call whereas google maps doesnt.

"It depends"

I'd be tempted to hit the top of the M25 and go clockwise to avoid the M4/M3/etc bit as they're all a nightmare on Sunday afternoons/early evenings. Having said that I've not done the north east bit of the M25 at that time of day so it could be equally as bad. Google Maps has a 'I'll be travelling at this time' feature that uses average traffic speeds when you'll be driving to work out the quickest route so might be worth trusting that for planning purposes but use a live traffic sat nav on the day.

In a plane...

Failing that Google maps to pick on the day though driving through Northumberland should be avoided at all costs as its the bit of the a1 that never got built

I don't know about the bit around London, but I'd avoid the mid/lower section of the M6 at all costs. I'd go M74- M6 to Penrith then A66 to A1 at Scotch Corner. A1 is a lot better than it used to be.

Colin

I would go M6, M6 toll, M1 and then go round the M25 clockwise. Dartford Tunnel/bridge is much better these days. m6 toll isn't a huge issue when you are driving that distance. M6/M1 junction has improved now as well.

Yeah, Google maps is suggesting A66 then A1(M) then M11 for Sunday.

Just in case anyone knew of anything that made the choice obvious.

Don't have satnav but I'll figure a way of finding out on my phone.

M6 to A6, then A1(M) to M11 - M25 - M2

Use Waze or Google Maps to keep a look out for big delays.

Dartford crossing can be a pain but better than the anti-clockwise option.

Just in case anyone knew of anything that made the choice obvious.

can you predict how many idiots will flip caravans on a particular day?

M6 from Manchester to Stafford is roadworks and 50 at the moment mostly then again around rugby but if your happy to chill on cruise it shouldn't be too bad

I'll be driving on the M74 / M6 to Manchester first thing on Sunday.

Maybe you'd best try the M1

M6 as the A1 after Berwick will make your piss boil.

Which ever way google maps says on the day, however appreciate setting off early it almost becomes a point of choose or route and your doomed for the rest of the day.

Depending on what time you need to set off, I would check over night road closures.  Saturday night/Sunday am can mean that loads of sections of motorway are closed.

M74, M6, M40 every time. Don't know which way round M25 would be better, but if going antclockwise J13-J15 can be slow.

M6 can be slow between Preston exit and all the way to M6 toll. We normally take the toll for a break from traffic. Bit of a luxury.

I always find the M40 to be a fast run. If you are travelling at 75-80mph on the M40 you will be one of the slowest cars on it. Also coming from Scotland you would have the luxury of the inside lane to yourself. Nobody South of Birmingham uses the inside lane on a 3 lane motorway. I think they reckon it's a bus lane.

Don't forget to pay the Dartford crossing. I think you have up to 24 hours after crossing to pay via their website. Dead easy and much better than fannying around at toll booths like the old days.

I live in Perth and my family are in Kent so I do this regularly.

M74, M6, A66 (worst part) A1M.

The M6 from Manchester to Birmingham is dreadful.

It's the M25 that'll get you. M6 toll worthwhile if you go that way, I've never not taken it, but I've seen the jams as the road splits.

A1 could be worthwhile to avoid the Heathrow/M4 etc part of the M25. I would check google maps which gives you estimated delays at any given time of the week, and check for any road works etc. planned.

Edit - google says A1 is quicker by 20 mins or so.

+1 for boriselbrus' route. A66 is the only fly in your ointment, though there may still be ASCs on the A14 to the top of the m11. Take a chill pill and accept the fact there is nowhere to overtake unless you're in something very fast & equipped with radar.

In a ferrari?

No, in a ferrari you'd go A89, A720, A68, A697, A1 A19, B1257, B1248, A15.... (cont p94)

I wouldn't cross over to the M11 the road works on the A14 and  the average speed cameras are excruciatingly painful carry on on the a1 to the m25

Helicopter

I'd go M74/M6/M40/M25 .I'd leave no later than 5am as it would mean I would be going through the horrible bit from Preston to the M40 from 8am which on a Sunday should be fine. I wouldn't bother with the M6 toll either as only saves 5mins

Yup,boriselbrus has it with that route choice and as FunkyDunc says,try and choose your time to do battle.

I'm going with A74, M6, M6 Toll, M40, M25.

However, Google knows how fast traffic actually moves on the roads in reality, and it's going with boriselbrus' suggestion, beating mine by 22 minutes.

That's for departure now - but if you set departure to 8am Sunday it still shows that route as fastest.

Doesn't look like there's much in it. Had planned to leave around 8 to get to Eurotunnel by 6 (just me and Tyred Jr the elder in the car, so minimal stopping) - 10 hours is enough Shirley?

Probably not much use as advise but I often drive from Ayrshire down to Southampton and best bet for me is to drive overnight if you can - usually a clean run (I use M74 M6 Toll M40) then get breaky at the end. You might have a bit of hanging around in your case at the other end but better than sitting in traffic.

After touring everywhere since feb I went at night if I could for the least stress.   avoid m25 - 1500 - 1900 if possible.    all my trips to london from glasgow took 9 hours.    rest, faff time, roadworks, accidents use up any contingency pretty quick during the day.      Register car in advance for daartford tunnel.  they might still cock it up though.

Factor in the Oldbury works, causing a back up onto the M6. It has held me up for a hour a couple of times coming back from Cannock- should be less if you are not going down the M5.

can’t decide whether to go M6/M40 way or A1(M).

Unless you have another way of knowing the current traffic flow of every road in the country at any given moment, then I would use Google Maps and let that decide which is the best route 👍

(Because it does have a way of knowing 😁)

I’d be on the road & away by 3am if it were me. Manchester to Brum is crap at the moment. Mid morning Sunday I wouldn’t bother with the M6 toll.

I’d prefer an hour or two’s car kip than stressing over time.

Rather than 'which way' I'd be trying to make sure I was traveling through the busy bits of any route at night/very much quiet times. When it's busy anything can happen on any route you choose.

Best of luck.

I left Inverness this morning at 7 sharp to get to the tunnel for my 8:50pm booking.

Got here at 10:25pm...

Next train with space is at 3.50am😭

*Checks screen*

Oh, now rescheduled for 5:04 am.

So , to answer the op - don't go the same way as me😁

I went M6 then Dartford crossing.  Following Google.

M6 was a total bit of a mess.

I left Inverness this morning at 7 sharp to get to the tunnel for my 8:50pm booking.

On a Friday? Bloody hell, you're a brave man. 14 hours to drive a (10 hour?) route. Plus stops. Might be OK if on a Sunday but there's the square root of cock all chance that would work on a Friday.

Maybe you should have asked for help on a popular MTB forum? 😉

Hope you got your train eventually.

both have their problems. But the M6 between Manchester and Birmingham is narrow roadworks, and comes to grinding stop (for an hour or two) with dull regularity. The A1 bits that are dual carriage way can be a pain in the arse of stop start traffic but it's less of a risk on Sunday

I left Inverness this morning at 7 sharp to get to the tunnel for my 8:50pm booking

Yeah Friday travel leaving at that time was never going to end well. To the OP I would leave no later than 5am which ever route you take as it means you will avoid the horrible spots at busy times.

Im just leaving Stranraer to drive to Reading. Should have left much earlier, but circumstances mean I couldnt. Oh well. ETA 6pm I guess 🙁

But the M6 between Manchester and Birmingham is narrow roadworks, and comes to grinding stop (for an hour or two) with dull regularity.

I have had personal experience of this stretch of road, well the M5/M6 from Bristol or Bridgwater up to Manchester on quite a few occasions over the last two years. I could feel my soul draining away by tiny increments every time I drove it.

Change of job means no longer having to do it, but I do miss the long distance drives to and from Cornwall.

Sounds like a case of doing-it-through the night and having a kip in the car once you’re there or grabbing a room on that site that people having affairs use to get daytime hotel rooms - dayuse dot com or something like that.

Turned out easy enough - left Glasgow around half 7 in the morning, got to Eurotunnel around 5, and that was with a couple of stops for fuel and food away from the motorways. Went M6, A66 then M1.

The standard of some of the driving in the south east of England though! It'd feel so much less busy if people used the inside lane more.