Specifically from J15 to J25.
Been offered a job but it would mean me going from Heathrow to Enfield and was wondering if anybody does this commute daily and how long/bad the journey is. I tried the journey once when i went for the interview and it wasnt too bad, took about 50 mins in rush hour.
Also tried going on the North Circular but that was a nightmare took nearly twice as long...
Anybody have an opinion ?
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I live near Enfield and sometimes do the trip the other way.
I suspect others will do the trip more regularly, but that is one of the worst stretches of the M25.
BTW don't write-off the North Circ. Because it's shorter, it can be faster when traffic's really heavy....
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Well if you can avoid the roadworks, it usually takes me 50mins to an hour on average to get to the a1 junction from j11. Enfield is another 1 or 2 junctions on.
Coming back however in the rush hour is a real no no and can take up to 2.5 hours at worse. Always a car park from j15 south so if you can get off at the m40 head into town and take the hayes bypass from the target roundabout you will save heaps.
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I dont do that journey any more but i would advise the north circular as when on the M25 if there is an accident you are stuck with no where to turn off, but using the north circular at least you can make detoures if necessary.
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You are actually going against the main flow of the traffic, as the M25 usually gets jammed in the mornings anti-clockwise towards Heathrow, and in the evenings clockwise towards Enfield. So it may not be too bad. North Circ is terrible mornings and evenings, I really doubt it'll save any time at all going that way. From which direction will you be approaching J15, as the M4 going in may be a problem?
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Thanks for the replies
Yep I am gonna be approaching J15 from the M4 so may well get stuck there as well. Although the traffic always seems worse going the other way.
Coming back it could well be better coming off at the M40 junction and going back via the Hayes By Pass. I just dont want to end up spending 4 hours a day on the motorway.
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Another thing against it is that you will be driving more or less against the sun both ways.
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One of the first sections to snarl up is J24 to J25. If you're heading for east Enfield, might be better to come off at J24 and go down the Ridgeway (A1005) (mind the speed camera just after the 30). Also means you'll avoid the A10.
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I regularly use the M25 from home, Bush Hill Park Enfield, to Jct 4a on the M3 and back again. Prior to the roadworks the outward trip, without any major delays, took an hour and 10 mins. Now I reckon on at least double this although returning can be quicker. I recall making the outward trip the day before the r'works started in January in one hour exactly. I was in despair when I read the signs on the way back which announced r'works for 2 years!
There will also be days when it goes completely pear shaped. Returning once the radio announced the M25 was closed in the sector I was about to use. OK continue on the M3 heading for Kew and the NCR. Radio than announces NCR closed on the sector I intended using. Had to deploy all my old despatch rider knowledge and drive to the Euston Road and wriggle my way north through several north London boroughs. Some time later I arrived home.
Don't do it.
Douglas
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I'd advise against the North Circular. Not only to you have to get all the way into London on the M4, but you have to tackle the horrible single-lane bit of the A406 between Chiswick and Hangar Lane. It loosens up a bit after Hanger Lane and Brent Park Ikea, but even at "light" periods that stretch of road is virtually unpassable. The M25 isn't pretty, but it must be easier than that. Having said that, I used to commute round the M25 from M4 to A3 and it was awful.
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The commute is the only real thing that is putting me off at the moment, the job is a lot better that what i am doing at the moment.
But Douglas you are going the opposite way from me and the roadworks/speedlimits end before i get on the M25 so they will not affect me.
Also I can get on the NCR by going down the A40 and getting on from Hanger Lane but that doesnt make it any better though.
I dont really fancy having a three hour commute daily.
Thanks for all the advice.
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A 50 minute drive is one thing, 90 minutes to 2 hours on the M25 etc is going to leave you starting the day pretty frazzled. Is there a public transport option eg Thames Train from somewhere like Hayes and Harlington, cross onto the Metropolitan line at Westbourne Park, then suburban train from Liverpool Street?. If seasons or Travelcards are valid on Heathrow Express (I'd guess they're not though) it might also be of some use but Paddington's the worst termninus in Lonndon for interchange to the others.
Not ideal but assuming 9-5 hours your against the flow for part of the journey.
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A 90 minute each way commute by train (Cambridge to the City) pretty much killed me within 6 months. The idea of driving it in desperately heavy traffic, with the potential for daily disasters as the roads are shut following accidents, together with my desire for a few minutes shut-eye on the homeward commute would mean that I wouldn't even consider your new job.
Can you move to Enfield? Hertfordshire is probably nicer than Heathrow. Will your employer pay relocation? Is the job *that* much better that it is worth 3 hours a day (or whatever) extra commuting & the extra petrol. Think how much you're prepared to pay to buy an extra week's holiday from work. Then think that you're doing 15 extra hours per week 'working' with your long commute. 60 hours per month is a week and a half extra working per month.
On the other hand, you may love driving & the job might be that much better & you don't want to move the children from their current schools & you fancy being away from the wife for that extra time... Just be jolly sure that you can cope with the effort of the commute.
Oh yes, and btw the Enfield train I imagine will be from King's Cross or Moorgate.
Hope you get the right result, anyway!
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Is there any flexability in the new job to stagger your hours so you miss the rush hour?
One company I went for an interview with just off the botton of the M1 was very open about their relaxed policy wrt start times.
They expect a large proportion of their workforce to turn up when they can, as long as they work a full week.
Hugo
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Oh yes, and btw the Enfield train I imagine will be from King's Cross or Moorgate
Hope you don't do railway maps!!
Grange Park and Enfield Chase are on the Hertford Branch from KX or Moorgate. If Shan can use these so much the better as it reduces the tube leg. Bush Hill Park and Enfield Town are served from Liverpool Street as are the stops on the line via Ponders End and Brimsdown to Enfield Lock.
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I think Mapmaker is thinking along the right lines... i have been adding up the hours in my head and to spend 15 hours a week communting that is not very appealing at all to me. The job is better along with the money as well but is it worth the communte ? I am inclined to say no.
The co are flexible with the working hours to an extent and I could start at 8am and finish at 4.30pm but would i miss the rush hour on the way home ?
I think Public transport is a big no no it would mean me getting on the tube (picadilly line) and then change onto the central line towards liverpool st and then get a train to brimsdown followed by a bus or long walk !!!
In terms of time i think it takes about 1.5 hours plus.
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