Going to Elland Road (football ground) tomorrow morning for all day meeting, starting at about 8:45am, and finishing about 5:00pm.
I could take the 7:25 train from Manchester Piccadilly to Leeds and take a taxi from home to the station and from the station to Elland Road and obviously the reverse route on the way home (or drive to station and park all day). The cost is likely to be £35 for train and say £30 on taxis, or.....
I could drive......
Whats the traffic like on the M62 near to Leeds at about 8am. If in light traffic, the journey should take about one hour, how long will it take if I leave north Manchester at about 7:15am?
TIA
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Its usualy pretrty awful down the M62 but if you get on the M62 by 7:30 it should be ok, just the usual lorries. The few times I have done that journey with my dad has been around 7:15 on a friday or saturday.
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Last time I was travelling on M62 for 9:00am starts in Bradford from Stockport, I found the traffic had already built up by 7:30am - and sometimes earlier.
For the morning I had a presentation to give at 9am so could not afford to be late, I'd by then worked out I could leave at 6:30am and get there for 7:30am. If I left much later there was almost a certainty that I'd not get there for 9am. And I was getting off at the Bradford exit with the M62 slow going up the hill in the direction of Leeds.
So I'd personally say 7:30am might not be early enough if you're driving. Maybe the train is the better option.
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Take into account the value of the time you would have available on the train, which you could use for business purposes or otherwise, as you see fit. You should also arrive in a more relaxed and effective state. If train+taxi is a realistic option logistically, for me those factors would far outweigh the notional cash saved by driving.
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My thoughts as well -just wanted to check I was not being silly.
Thanks
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Over the years I have often crossed the M62 between my home in Settle and a wholesaler near the M62 at Birstall. Even at 0700/0730 hours the inbound traffic looks horrendous, so would definitely opt for the train.
Relax with a book/paper/ipod or simply prepare for the meeting.
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You're not being silly. You would have to set out earlier to go by car and be sure of getting there on time but it would only take an accident and you'd be late. And the journey hoem at 5pm would not be great either.
No train is the better idea - you can always take a nap, read the paper, etc.
Rob
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My specialist subject , having commuted every weekday Nth Mcr to Leeds for 5 years.
The last time I absolutely, no questions had to be in city centre Leeds for 8am I left Rochdale at 6.15 and got there at 8.15.....but that was a bad one.
It can take an hour at that time or even slight bump can tip this M/way into hell it's so much on a knife edge. So the short answer is I can't tell you.
Take the train Espada and enjoy some amazing industrial scenery. Just don't go on the Victoria line it goes round the houses, a quick 10 minute whizz down CHeetham Hill to Piccadilly is what you need. Taxi to Elland Rd c. 10mins at that time.
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Thanks Nsar - I'd already spotted the Victoria route was to be avoided and you have just sealed my decision. Train it is. Pity - the Outback is soooo good on the Motorway....
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E, it is a pity, you'd have a lot longer to enjoy the Outback than you might have anticipated!!! I reckon you could get through Sarah's newspaper review, showtunes and most of Terry before you got to Leeds - you'd be surprised how often the M62 gets clogged up - for some reason the bit at the top of the hill where it goes from 4 to 3 lanes is fairly often fouled up/
The train is good, especially the new class 185s from Transpennine (I only know because I took one yesterday to Scarborough) they're quiet, comfy and well thought out. The trains on the Victoria line, and thus our local trains to Leeds are awful, dirty noisy and falling apart. Begrude paying to travel on them, if veal were carried like this it wouldn't be allowed ( (C) Clarkson).
If you're at Elland Road, say hi to League One ... {runs}
-- He\'s a cheeky wind-up scamster and he\'s on the radio....
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If you're at Elland Road, say hi to League One ... {runs}
Don't worry Lee, We'll (Man City) will be joining them next season I reckon.
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car link, car link, er....It's getting a bit pricey going up to St James Park these days, the Fabia did it in under half a tank, the MX5 happily guzzles a full tank in the same trip. And I don't really want to feel every contour of the road outside Wetherby at 0030 and eighty-fi... er 71mph. Makes the journey feel much further, could do with an Outback myself!!
I reckon City will stay up, West Ham, Charlton and Watford are going down - you've got two games in hand too! Better still, if Preston, Derby and (can't believe I'm saying this), the macke...er sunderland come up, that's three less trips to London and three more Northern away matches. Great news in the MX5!!
-- He\'s a cheeky wind-up scamster and he\'s on the radio....
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My last epic voyage from Mankchesta to York involved a small detour via the Snake, does that help? Ridiculous 50mph limit. Pah!
Association Football? I prefer contact sports myself, but each to their own etc. I did observe pathetic slapping during (or was it after) a soccerist final of some sort a couple of weeks ago. MX5 drivers the lot of them. Pah again.
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This is a journey the train was made for. £35 should buy you first class, £10 less in second
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Forget the car. You will either get stuck past Huddersfield near Brighouse or else near J27 approaching Leeds. Also tricky locating parking and navigating inner Leeds ring road at that time. Take the train, don't forget your passport as you go over into Yorkshire...
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If you leave at 6.30 it's doable - just. Any later and you'll be creeping your way from Huddersfield onwards. Surprisingly, the M62 is completely empty in the other direction, as I discovered when my grandad became seriously ill last Thursday and I did a 90MPH dash across at 8.30 in the morning.
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7.45 traffic news on Radio Leeds. Usual tale of eastbound traffic queuing from junction 25, Brighouse to Leeds - that's 12 miles.
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Well I took the train from Manchester Picadilly and strolled into the meeting about one hour early! Nice and easy except for a bit of crowding after Huddersfield. Coming back the first train 17:10 was so full I could not get on (it reminded me of those Japanese commuter trains with people to puch you in!). The 17:25 was delayed until 17:40 and I did not get use my £35 First Class seat in either direction - no room. However I left home at 0650 and was home by 1850, so all in all, not too bad a day, but not what i'd like to do for the rest of my life.
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But niether would you want to commute into Leeds on the M62 either,having to commute these days is a nightmare which ever way you travel.Perhaps you could get a rebate on your ticket or are you like me just chalk it down to experience.
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Oh its down to experience and it gets claimed back anyway so I'm not bothered. My normal commute is 3.5 miles including dropping my boys at school and with little traffic. If that changes, it's because I've taken early retirement.
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Manchester to Leeds open return is £17.40, not £35 OP estimated.
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Think our man meant to travel first.
It's a pity that the press coverage of rail fares invariably concentrates on London and the other destinations where the fares are controlled by Virgin, GNER or Great Western and set to astronomical.
Had to attend one or two meetings in Cardiff recently. Driving from Northampton would be 3 hours or so each way and pushing a tank of diesel. By rail, via Brum, is a little longer, mostly on account of the wait at New Street, but at £45 standard return a great bargain. Electric desiro for first leg, then class 175 diesel (with buffet trolley) from Brum to Cardiff. Plenty of time and space plan outward and to write up my notes, panoramic take on scenery on the return with the afternoon sun shining up the Severn.
Even the bridge looked beautiful!!
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