Similar to the M62 Westbound thread, but I need to get to Preston for 10 am on Monday morning. AA routefinder suggests A57, M57, M60, M6 etc
Is there are better route - eg, going via Halifax (A629, A646, M65) to avoid the Manchester ring road?
Any suggestions re setting-off time?
Thanks in advance
Pete
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Hi Pete,
I have to say I wouldn't relish your journey. Any trans-Pennine journey will be problematic at that time.
I'd stick to the motorways where possible - routes through towns can seem attractive, but are often just as much hassle and slower.
Perhaps you could travel Sunday and stay locally overnight?
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Going SnakePass you will more than likely get stuck around Mottram as this is a real bottleneck for getting onto the M67.
It's ten years since I did this but I went New Mills upto Huddersfield and got on the M62 there. Looking at the other thread this route has, not surprisingly, become much worse since I used to travel it.
I could leave Sheffield at 6:15 and be in Preston by 8 (but that was 10 years ago). Coming back, I'd leave around 4pm and get back to Sheffield between 6 and 6:30.
Not sure this is possible these days. I'd allow three, maybe three and a half, hours to be sure of getting there for 10.
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Not sure where the M57 comes in - it's on the east side of Liverpool...:-)
Whichever way you come in will be busy, but coming up via the M61 from the M62 is the most direct route to the M6 just south of Preston.
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
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Definitely take the M61 if you come round the north side of Manchester on M62.
I'm not sure how the map spftware is getting you to the M6 from the M60 but would only use the M6 from the top of the M61 to A59 going into Preston.
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Have you looked at the train times - this is a hideous journey by car with loads of places you could get badly stuck - even if the train was an hour longer than the AA's journey time, it's got to be worth considering.
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I've done this journey before but not at rush hour with a deadline to meet.
Go the night before and stay in a Travelodge!? Have a few pints, then have a lie in instead of a 6am start..
Might sound daft but personally I hate getting up before 7:30..
;o)
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There you go - 1 hour 52 by train to arrive relaxed at 9.30.
No contest on this journey I'd say.
ojp1.nationalrail.co.uk/en/pj/tt
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Room available travelodge preston central for £45 if you are quick,
a bargain and as said, you can have a steady drive up sunday and have a pint in town before retiring relaxed for the morning and its tax deductable
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Not a great journey - Rich 9-3 probably has the best solution.
Wouldn't recommend going anywhere near Halifax on your journey - and the road up via Penistone is solid through Huddersfield (even if you head out towards Outlane). The M62 pinches at Oldham/Rochdale and then becomes a car park for a lot of the journey round the top of Manchester. Taking the M65 and then the Grane Road is a nice drive (cuts a bit of the corner, comes out near Blackburn) but you'll still end up hitting the traffic on the M6/M61 merge point.
I guess your best bet would be take the main roads and leave some time. Coming off the motorways and through town be they Huddersfield/Halifax/Hebden Bridge/Rochdale/Bury or Blackburn will chuck you into their "rush" hours and almost certainly take longer than the main roads.
There's a Travelodge in the centre of Preson (rubbish parking) or a Holiday Inn Express off J32 - next to the Phantom Winger pub - easy enough to get to and good access to the centre of the town via Tom Benson way or past Deepdale.
hth
-- Biggedy biggedy bong
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>>access to the centre of the town via Tom Benson way>>
As the route in is from the south you would come off at junction 31 (Tickled Trout) not junction 32, otherwise Tom Benson's Way would be OK.
Coming off at junction 31 takes you into directly into Preston on the A59 via New Hall Lane - keep going straight on before turning right at the T-junction about two miles after coming off the M6. After going over the main lights by HM Prison onto the ring road, turning left at the next lights brings you to a multi-storey car park.
Preston City centre is so compact that you can walk to virtually any area within 10-15 minutes and the car park is handily placed.
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Well yes, you could stay at the Tickled Trout, but I was suggesting the Holiday Inn at Broughton/Fulwood. Still think Tom Benson is a better route to the centre from there.
Isn't that car-park (above the bus station) a listed building now? The mind boggles....!
-- Biggedy biggedy bong
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Well yes, you could stay at the Tickled Trout,>>
Nowhere did I suggest a stay there - it's a visible landmark from the M6..:-)
Yes, if you were in the Broughton area it would be easier to use Tom Benson Way rather than Garstang Road, but as I pointed out Preston city centre is very compact and it's easy to get to a destination there on foot.
Other council car parks can be found via this link (small PDF file); St George's car park on Fishergate is a "Safe" certified car park:
tinyurl.com/3bsfnq
The bus station always was a monstrosity of a dismal lump of concrete...:-)
Worked in Preston for 27 years - great shopping centre and regular market days; locals are friendly and helpful, but can get gridlocked early and evening times on the roads.
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Thanks for all the suggestions and advice. Looks like the train is the way to go.
Cheers
Pete
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