As a result of the missus getting a new job in Stratford-upon-Avon I'm busily trying to find a job in the West Midlands area.
I have got two interviews lined up. One in central Birmingham (next Tuesday 12.30pm) and the other in Coventry (next Wednesday 9am). Has anyone got any experience on what traffic would be like at these times? I was intending to drive to both interviews.
The next question is if I was successful in getting offered either/both (touchwood!!) positions what would general commuting be like to both these locations? I expect to be based in or around Stratford-upon-Avon. I suspect the train will be the best option for Birmingham!!
As usual any advice would be grately received.
Phil
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If you settle in Stratford and work in Coventry or Birmingham, make sure you choose the Birmingham side of Stratford as getting across the river Avon and town is very slow.
Once you have got out of Stratford, the run to Birmingham is not too bad. I can?t comment on the trains.
Traveling towards Coventry, I?m told that the Longbridge Island (junction of M40 and A46), is the busiest junction in Europe, I always allow 20 minutes to get through at peak times, if there is a problem we get grid lock!
Coventry is not too bad, the junction of A45 and A46 is very slow at peak times.
The whole area has seen a huge amount of relocations to take advantage of the easy access major road networks, ironically there is now so much traffic, in what was once a sleepy semi rural area, congestion and delays happen all the time.
The very best of luck to you!
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Phil C wrote:
My dad used to drive Evesham to Brum twice a day. Stratford is much nearer. You could easily do both by car. Coventry from Stratford will be a doddle!
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You an Evesham boy then Dave??
David
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Near enough! Near Broadway.
Yourself?
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Ashton-under-Hill actually in the 70s.
Still have local contacts in Broadway. Spun my Triumph Herald on Fish Hill many years ago! Mother-in-Law still lives in Leamington Road has done for 40yrs!
David
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Small world isn't it. I went to School at Bredon-Hill-Middle School in Ashton!!!
Fish Hill is on my ride home to my folks. They've spoiled it now but its still a cracking ride.
Live down south now. Read a bit of Fred Archer though...
Dave.
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I won't draw you on every bit of detail I promise but what sort era were you at the Middle School?
We were in Ashton from around 1968 to 1975, did you live in Broadway when you went to that school?
The in-laws moan about Fish Hill now. What they claim is that no-one in the village realised when the by-pass was planned access to the top of the village would be closed for ever. I saw it was on the plans from the start but everyone just overlooked it. I argue it out with them on safety grounds but I guess after 60yrs + coming down that hill into the village they never thought it would be a journey "our leaders" would deprive them of.
I span my Herald into the stone walls just above the village entrance after getting it in knots on those downhill bends....you couldn't brake and corner at the same time in one of those and that hill was all bends.
Nice part of the world to grow up in, we used to ride (horses) on the farmland surrounding your school, I think there was a track down the side that lead to Sedgbarrow (?? not quite sure). Early drinking days were spent testing "the" hill up to The Mount at Stanton.
Fred Archer was a pal of my Dad's and the Herald I refer to was bought from Fred, it was his daughters.
Happy days.
David
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David Woollard wrote:
>
> I won't draw you on every bit of detail I promise but what
> sort era were you at the Middle School?
> We were in Ashton from around 1968 to 1975, did you live in
> Broadway when you went to that school?
I try not to give detail out on the web but this is all a spooky cooincidence. I lived in Aston Somerville at the time. It would have been @83 to @86. Me Onslow and Mr. Bourne are names you may remember. Still visit the place frequently and cherish my upbringing there. A bloke form the sailing club owned the Star for a time. My girlfriend of the times mother was head mistress of Ashton Primary School. I suspect you *will* know her name - she was pretty formidable.
> The in-laws moan about Fish Hill now. What they claim is that
> no-one in the village realised when the by-pass was planned
> access to the top of the village would be closed for ever. I
> saw it was on the plans from the start but everyone just
> overlooked it. I argue it out with them on safety grounds but
> I guess after 60yrs + coming down that hill into the village
> they never thought it would be a journey "our leaders" would
> deprive them of.
I'm sure there are safety advantages and the village is still busy with visitors so no harm done. There was talk that the village would become completely deserted and traders would be forced top shut. The old entry to the village was stuning. I used to love dropping into the village on my drive/ride home.
> I span my Herald into the stone walls just above the village
> entrance after getting it in knots on those downhill
> bends....you couldn't brake and corner at the same time in
> one of those and that hill was all bends.
A mate came a cropper on a moped down there. We used to 'tour' the cotswolds until we got our car tests. Then pubs and girls came along. (More of the former than the later. ;-( )
> Nice part of the world to grow up in, we used to ride
> (horses) on the farmland surrounding your school, I think
> there was a track down the side that lead to Sedgbarrow (??
> not quite sure). Early drinking days were spent testing "the"
> hill up to The Mount at Stanton.
The Mount! From 17 until I went to Uni that was our haunt. Bloke called Colin ran it then. Gill Gabbs' stables (where I learned to ride) was in the village and we used to fail to cop off with the girls from the stables on the cricket pitch! Beautiful pub. A good safe place for a group of lads to congregate. I vividly remember planning crop circles over a pint and a packet of Nice'n'Spicey nick naks! When we took a break from the mount we'd go to the Snowshill Arms. The landlord there married our Vicars daughter.
> Fred Archer was a pal of my Dad's and the Herald I refer to
> was bought from Fred, it was his daughters.
This is spooky!!! It's a small world but this is a heck of a cooincidence! A friends aunt(?) was his secratary or at least used type up his manuscripts for him.
> Happy days.
Yeah. No drugs, no trouble. The hooligan schemes were good fun but (mainly) harmless. I dread to think how I'd turned out if I'd been brought up in an inner city somewhere.
Nostalgia.
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> not quite sure). Early drinking days were spent testing "the"
> hill up to The Mount at Stanton.
I was drinking in there about a month ago.
Made a welcome break from Rio, except for our somewhat stupid decision to walk home.
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What are the odds of this? It's scarily spookie.
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Phil
You don't say where you are coming from to Brum or Coventry. Your e-mail address suggests maybe York. For Brum midday traffic is generally good but if you are coming from the north or east I would suggest avoiding the obvious M6 route in from the M42 unless you have and are confident in your RDS radio. Nothing would be worse than to be stuck on a jam 10 mins from your interview. Instead use the A45 past the airport which will bring you into south side of centre and depending on where you are going is well signposted into town. Car parks are usually fairly easy to get into in the centre.
For Coventry, 9 am is pretty busy on those major routes in so I would allow plenty of time for queueing and parking. If in the centre, you could have trouble finding a car park that is recognisably close to your destination. Worst city centre in Europe someone said theother week.
Commuting comments from others from Stratford are accurate. Don't use rail much myself but there is a new rural station at Warwick Parkway just off the bypass which is good for Brum or London but you do want to avoid the Longbridge roundabout if possible, even going through Warwick itself is to be preferred. There are rural rat runs which you will find for yourself. I'm on the other side of Stratford but I reckon Alcester is a good place to be for Stratford (horrible place full of tourists) and for driving to Brum. The drive in to Brum for 9am is just bearable but then I used to commute round the M25 to Surrey so anything is better.
David
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Their are currently "traffic light experiments" on the M40 Longbridge roundabout. These seem to have been a great success (they've actually covered up 1 set), and the previous daily congestion has greatly reduced.
My run from the Stratford side to Warwick has not been delayed at all in the past 3 weeks (and it used to be by up to 20 mins). So don't let the Longbridge roundabout put you off
Cheers
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