Have an all day seminar in Coventry on March 9th (Thursday). I can't drive down the night before due to family committments and need to be at the conference centre (Scarman House, Warwick University) no later than 8.45am.
I plan to go down the M6, use the M6 Toll, straight onto the M42 and then the A45 eastbound. Does anyone have any ideas about traffic congestion along the route and any ideas how long it might take me?
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Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
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M42/A45 is frequently a nightmare at that time. I would be aiming to come through there just after 8:00am and accept that you'll have to drink an extra coffee before the seminar to waste some time. Its about 20 minutes with no traffic and 45 minutes with traffic - bearing in mind that quite often its a milion times worse than that because there is an accident.
What time would you be going back up, because that can be 'orrible too.
I can't help with how long it would take to get to the bottom of the M6 Toll from Manchester though.
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Thanks Mark.
I'm hoping that if I leave home (north manchester) at 6am, I will be through the Toll by 7:30am. I don't mind drinking coffee if i'm early. I cannot be late, as I am not merely attending but participating - I'm interviewing trainee surveyors to see if they pass muster to become Chartered Surveyors.
I expect I will be leaving at about 5pm (sods law!) at which point I assume traffic will be equally appalling?
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Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
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My girlfriend lives in Preston, and as such during the summer i spend large amounts of my time on the M6/M6 toll, commuting from Ipswich to see her. It takes me exactly an 1.5 hrs (on a clear run) to get from the beginning of the toll to Preston, so i would think roughly the same amount of time to Manchester is to be expected. Use the M6 Toll services for a coffee break, best facilities for miles around (and so they should be for the £3.50 you pay to use the rd!). Hope this helps!
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M42 can be a shocker at that time. As is the A45 between the M42 and Coventry. Mainly 40mph limit with plenty of traffic lights.
I travel from b'ham to cov quite often and find that continuing along the M6 then onto the A46 (missing out the M42) I find this a lot quicker.
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I have done that area quite a few times recently in rush hour
I would do M6 A46 as well. Ok it blocks up a few times but its usually quite good. Turn off shared A45/A46 onto the A46 towards M40 and first right off the A46 and hit the uni from the bottom.
Good coffee shop at Warwick Campus and a cheap supermarket.
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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Excellent - just looked at the map and it looks an ideal route.
Thanks guys.
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Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
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PS
I assume the reverse trip back home in the evening would be sensible?
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Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
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yes reverse is usually bout 1/2 hour max from a46 around kenilworth to M6.
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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I would give the A46 route my seal of approval. I live in Nottingham and work in Cov. Avoid M42 in the morning at all costs. Not too bad on the way back though. A45 a mare these days with roadworks too.
If you've got traffic info, put it on as it could help you out if there is an accident somewhere on your route. (M6 usually has a smash around Corley services for some reason!)
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I've looked for trains as well and can do a return trip for £45 plus taxis to and from the place to Coventry main line rail station and parking in Manchester (or a taxi to and from Piccadilly to home) Total costs probably about £80.
Driving will be about 250 miles round trip maximum. Thats £45 in my car just for fuel. I wonder, I wonder.....
Also found a train trip for £27.70 that gets me home a little later. I'm very tempted! Leaving Coventry by car at 5:15pm, after a long day with an early start and four interviews will be no fun.
What would you do?
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Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
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What would you do? -- Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
Let the train take the strain!!!
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"Let the train take the strain"
I'll second that, having used M42 to south Birmingham for a conference a few weeks ago. About 50 miles from Leics, set off at 7am to arrive for 9.30. We got there at 10 am. 50 horrible traffic jammed miles in 3 hours - mostly on the M42 and those endless semi-detached suburbs of Birmingham. if some one is paying the expenses, take the train - and I speak as someone who hates trains!
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Phil
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It depends on your own feelings about how you travel, Espada: if you find taxi / train / taxi relaxing then fine. I'd always choose the car myself. If Virgin Trains or (usually) Network Rail have been incompetent, you can do nothing, whereas if some plonker has an accident on thr motorway, Trafficmaster will tell me and I can avoid it.
The only other pro-train argument is of course that you can read the surveyors' CVs in the train if you didn't have time to the day before.
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IF i was traveling by train, I would make sure my taxis were pre booked........
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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Just checked the trains for you on: www.nationalrail.co.uk/
Return fair to Canley (nearest station to Warwick Uni)is £52.00 return.
Arriving @ Canley @ 08.15 departing @ 17.35.
Journey times each way - there 2hrs 11 mins; back 2 hrs 27 mins.
Depart Manchester 0602; Arrive back at Manchester 20.02.
HTH
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Was Charles {P} but someone c o p i e d my name with spaces.
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Canley station is only a small place with no taxi rank,far easier to go into Coventry station,campus is only 3 to 4 miles from there.
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Thanks again.
Yep I will go by train to Coventry.
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Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
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