Since everyone is being so helpful with routes, would someone like to suggest the best way from Cambridge (west side) to Oxford (centre)?
Autoroute insists the quickest way is M11 / M25 / M40, but I doubt it as I'm starting at about 5.00 pm (this Thursday) and need to be in Oxford by 7.30.
I'd have thought A428 / A421 / A43 / M40 / A34 must be a better bet.
Any ideas will be gratefully received!
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Since everyone is being so helpful with routes, would someone like to suggest the best way from Cambridge (west side) to Oxford (centre)?
Outskirts yes, but Centre of Oxford - by car?
Despite the time of day I would still think Autoroute is correct.
Going cross country at that time will be difficult I would have thought. Mark(RBLS) lives in that neck of the woods I think and he might have a better idea.
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www.multimap.com
click on directions.
fastest agrees with autoroute, m11/m25/m40
shortest goes via northampton and a43
there are suprisingly few miles difference in the two routes
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I live close to Cambridge and have friends in Bicester. On a weekend I've found the best route to be: A505 to Baldock, then the A507 across Bedfordshire to MK, then straight across all the MK roundabouts (still a 70mph limit!) and then towards Buckingham and Bicester.
The only slow part of the journey is that west of MK where the road is single carriageway old-school A-road so little opportunity to overtake any slow traffic.
During the week there is too much traffic to make swift progress, so the Motorway route might be quicker.
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I drive this irregularly, both ways usually up to Cambridge for the day (from Oxford).
If driving from work (Oxford centre) I drive north on Woodstock road to the peartree interchange and join the A34 towards Bicester. At the M40 junction 9 drive north on the M40 to junction 10 with the A43 (Brackley, Towcester,Northampton) then A45 past Wellingborough to the A14 (last bit of this is the only single carriageway...about 8 miles worth). Follow A14 intowards Cambridge.
and the A1307 into Cambridge (turn off onto Storeys way to cut through into Madingley Road.
This route loops up and round but avoids M25 and is good dual carriage way except at the very beginning and end and one very short seciton in the middle.
I reckon 1hr45min in reasonable traffic.
StarGazer
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I'd follow the route recommended by Stargazer. Although an occasional variation is that I'll go through Bicester out to Stoke Bruerne and cross the M1 at J15.
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Further to that, unless you know the centre of Oxford and have car parking arranged, then consider using the park and ride at Peartree roundabout, parking for 24 hours for 60p and return bus fare £1.90
with buses every 7 min or so.
StarGazer
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Thanks very much everyone. I think at that time of day I'll go with Stargazer and Mark. I wondered whether it was worth going NW on the A14 from Cambridge - seems as if it is.
I wss at Cambridge in the 1960's but you weren't allowed cars then. Now I'm giving a lecture on money laundering in Cambridge (avoiding and reporting, not doing it...) then going to a meeting on church music in Oxford - I don't think there's a connection...
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No motoring link at all.... Avant, do you do a lot of lectures on this subject? I ask as I'm a compliance consultant myself and I get the odd enquiry about Money Laundering training and compliance.
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No Dosh - yes, I do a lot. I'm training manager for a firm of accountants and we do external training courses on all financial subjects. Money laundering is naturally very popular at the moment. (Sorry everyone, this isn't a plug, just answering the query!)
I'd be glad to help / give you more details. As a moderator can you access my E-mail address? If not, let me know how I can let you have it.
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I shall drop you an email in due course sir. If I get any enquiries I can't help with I shall see if I can send them your way.
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FWIW my adding my ha'pennyworth, Stargazer is right.
Under NO circumstances whatsoever be tempted to go Bedford/Milton Keynes/Bicester (which is te shortest route, & that adopted by HGV drivers). It is painfully slow (as the HGVs are limited to a snail's pace) & there are enough roundabouts around Milton Keynes to make anybody carsick!
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He is indeed right. I did it this evening in 1 hour 50 mins, leaving Cambridge at 5.20 pm. Kept going all the time: fortunately I had parking arranged in Oxford. If you don't, park and ride is best unless you know where the Westgate car park is (convenient but expensive.
I noticed that Cambridge has at least one park and ride, on the A1303 just on the city side of Junction 13 of the M11.
Many thanks again.
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There are several P&Rs in Cambridge, one at every entrance to the city (almost). I use the one at J11 of the M11 (Trumptington) and it is a very efficient service, for a single chap like myself, works out expensive for a family though.
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There are several P&Rs in Cambridge, one at every entrance to the city (almost). I use the one at J11 of the M11 (Trumptington) and it is a very efficient service, for a single chap like myself, works out expensive for a family though.
£1.80 return and up to 3 children under 16 can travel free with each adult.
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Ta for the update.
StarGazer
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