Just thought I might seek some advice.
Leaving London, which is usually the best m'way to take the M1 or M40? Starting off in west London.
I usually do the M40 but thought a change might be nice unless it is a diabolical road. I can't remember the last time I went up the M1.
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The M1 makes it a much longer journey as you will then have to join the M62 towards Manchester (almost going back in the opposite direction) before joining the M6.
Or then go up the A1 from Ferrybridge on the M62 and on to Edinburgh, M8 and Glasgow.
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No need for M62 to the A1 at Ferrybridge - the M1/A1 link takes you east of Leeds to the A1 at Bramhope.
Using the M1 means getting across to the West coast at some point - plnety of options for that bit of the journey (none of them pleasant!).
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Sorry Stuarti
The Mi and M6 merge by Lutterworth in Leicstershire, M6 goes all the way to Carlisle then A74 and M74 straight to Glasgow. No need to go anywhere near Edinburgh
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Alyn Beattie
I'm sane, it's the rest of the world that's mad.
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You're absolutely right, of course; living in the downtrodden and depressed North of England, I usually only come across the M1 when I'm going east on the M62 or on the A50 towards Derby and Nottingham....:-(
Mind you I should have remembered as at one time, having to go to Stanstead airport occasionally, I joined the A14 near that point - normally I take/prefer the M40 or M5 to go to the south.
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If your going to use the M1 to get north, taking the M62 West, then N on M6 is the best route, or cut across the pennines at Scotch corner (A66). A1/A697 to Edinburgh can take you ages as you get north of Newcastle.
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Have a look at a map folks
You are going a long way out of your way and hitting a lot of bad points on our motorway network.
--
Alyn Beattie
I'm sane, it's the rest of the world that's mad.
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Was planning to go M1 or M40 and join the M6 toll to go north.
M62 goes too far south on itself and would take the A50 before M62
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CM,
sounds like your original question has been miss interpreted (myself included).
You wanted to know the best route to the M6 from W.London M1/M40?
I usually use the M40 - less time on the M25!
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If the M6 is busy, often there's little time saved if at all using the toll road - it can take ages to get onto the M6 again.
Another way would be to keep on the M1 until you come to the A6 and then A50. Mainly a comparatively quiet dual carriageway, the A50 eventually joins the A500 to skirt round Stoke-on-Trent and then you join the M6 at junction 15.
Main advantage is missing the Birmingham M6 parking lot, especially on a Friday afternoon.
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True about the Toll road.
Perhaps it would be best to do M1 rather than M40 as then I have the option of M6 or A50.
Thanks all for advice.
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If you're after the quickest route then M40/M42/M6 is your route.
Leaving at 9-10am will see you enjoying plenty of traffic going round the M25 to the M1 which will also be busy heading north at that time.
Sightseeing?M25/M1/A50 has little to commend it in the sightseeing stakes and is the long way round from west london.
Only the cross routes have something to offer if you are not in a rush.Ones I have enjoyed in the past are the A66 Scotch corner to M6.You can also try the A68 off the A1 or further north still the A7 through the borders,plenty of others to choose from,get the maps out and see what you fancy!
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Virtually all the northern and Scottish roads across to/from the M6 starting with A6 or 7 are superb drivers' roads - great fun with the right car.
Mind you I've seen some nasty accidents involving 205s,Porsches etc where the drivers have got a bit too enthusiastic.
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I use the M40 regularly.
From the Kingston area I do not use the M25 but I get on to the M4 and get off at Jct 8/9. Then take the A404M and the A404 to Jct 4 of the M40.
From West London I suspect the M4 moves faster than the A40 and the A404 is fast, pretty dual carriageway with only one roundabout.
Please do not tell your friends about it.
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....but at the wrong time the A404/M40 roundabout can have long delays
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....but at the wrong time the A404/M40 roundabout can have long delays
No, you mean loooooooooooooong delays.
Isn't there a Monty Python sketch about a bunch of Englishmen arguing about the best route between two places? IIRC, it bears a remarkable similarity to this thread!
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Isn't there a Monty Python sketch about a bunch of Englishmen arguing about the best route between two places? IIRC, it bears a remarkable similarity to this thread!
Yes, and I think it included a Mr. Hilter.
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Don't be scared of the M25 clockwise at 9 - 10am on a weekday, it will be surprisingly clear (Saturdays is a different matter). If I was asked to make this journey at that time, I would go M25, M1, M6, M6 Toll, M6 to Carlisle then A74/M74 and you're in Glasgow. Or maybe skip the first part of the M6 and go up to M1 J24 and take A50/A500 to M6 J15.
How would I know? I work as a courier based at Watford, and I have indeed been asked to make that exact journey at that time more than once.
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Yes, and I think it included a Mr. Hilter.
Aren't you thinking of the West Minehead by-election?
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I use the M40 regularly. From the Kingston area I do not use the M25 but I get on to the M4 and get off at Jct 8/9. Then take the A404M and the A404 to Jct 4 of the M40. From West London I suspect the M4 moves faster than the A40 and the A404 is fast, pretty dual carriageway with only one roundabout. Please do not tell your friends about it.
I wouldn't bother with this route unless the M25 is congested, but at that time of day on that stretch it shouldn't be. The reason being that this is actually a longer route and you don't gain anything by using it - in fact you'll even have to wait at a set of traffic lights at High Wycombe and also at M4 J8/9, which you wouldn't have to going M25/M40.
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I live in Lutterworth (just north of where the M1 and M6 meet). I regularly travel to my parents in Manchester. The route I prefer is to take the M1 north to J23A where I take the A50 across to Stoke and join the M6 at J15. The advantage this has is that you do not have to contend with the M6 thro' Brum. Even if you intend to take the M6 Toll, the M6 across the north of Coventry can still be a nightmare. Using this route, you would also have the advantage of missing out the M42 roadworks, which can also be very busy (and which incidentally have the most lucritive cameras in the UK).
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>>you do not have to contend with the M6 thro' Brum>>
I made that very point earlier - it once took me more than six hours to get from Broadway to Ormskirk on a Friday afternoon; that included a detour through Warrington at the height of the teatime rush hour to reach the A49 and then M56, as the M6 from junction 19 north contained virtually stationary traffic...:-(
The outward journey had been little more than a leisurely two hour drive.
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