I have to travel up to North Wales from London (SE), Unfortunately I will clash with the M6 at around 5pm.
My questions are - what is the M6 like ? am I better to come off the M1 and use the A5 via Tamworth ? etc Someone I know swears by using the Derby to Stoke link road ?
Please help
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I used to do this journey all the time.
It's not actually the M6 that's your enemy, it will be fairly clear by the time you get there (assuming you leave after work).
Firstly, always use the M40 unless a specific incident says otherwise. The norm is for the M40 to run free, the norm is for the M1 to clog.
When you hit the M42, you can turn left (keep right) and go through via Stowbridge, but this takes ages. A better route is to head north on the M42 until J8, then take the A446 (sighed fhe Belfry and Lichfield) up to the A38 then join the A5. You can run over just S of Cannock, go over the top of the M6 and join the M54 without aver having to use any of the troubled roads (the M42 variable limit works well at keeping things flowing).
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You can avoid the bad bits of the M6 using the toll road. You don't say which way you'd prefer to go after that. There are often tail backs on the M6 between J14 - J17, worst being J14-15 I think.
This part of the M6 has to be one of the worst out of all motorways. The delays are always due to accidents...
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The toll road is a con. The signs round here have been altered so that there is no signage to anywhere that doesn't take you onto the toll road - even if only for one junction. As a result, the local roads are pretty much locals and in the know truckers only.
Stick to my route - M42, A446, A38, A5, and you'll run the whole length of the toll for free, never more than a few hundred metres away from it for the whole thing, and only losing about 5-10 minutes in total. Reward yourself and a passenger with a nice coffee with the cash you've saved. just hold your nerve, ignore the road signs to places you want to go to, and stick with following road numbers.
Oh, another tip. If, on the information signs, it says "M6 Toll Clear", then you can use the M6. The slightest hold-up on the M6 and you'll know about it in seconds. Sadly, the same trick doesn't work in reverse - they ain't exactly quick at removing the warnings about the M6, although I'm sure they just want to make sure that they are not misinforming anyone.
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I used the A38/A5 last Friday to get to Ironbridge and agree that some of the signage is appalling - everything gets you to the M6 Toll, but where new roundabouts have been installed to accommodate the M6 toll junctions other signs seem to have been forgotten.
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Beware the new(ish) traffic light controlled roundamouts on the A38 each side of the M6 toll road. It's not unknown for mimsers on the roundabout to treat it like an ordinary roundabout - as I found out in a trouser spoiling moment one evening!
Number_Cruncher
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If you mean today this may be too late.
Before taking Gordon's route check the NEC web site for exhibitions/shows - if there is a BIG one (Crufts/spring/autumn fair/clothes show etc) on avoid the M42 A446 (Especially the A446 past Coleshill) NO - I a not going to post my detours on a public forum, or they won't work for me anymore.
If you are hitting the M42 around 6 then M42/M5/M6/M54 is worth looking at since by 6:30-7pm the M5/M6 junction is usually flowing and if there is a big public show on at the M42 the NEC (M42/A45 Junction) area would be gridlocked at that time.
If you are happy to pay then BNRR is good but you need to get to the bottom end which means getting past the NEC - see above.
BTW my daily commute is 1 mile from the NEC to Rugeley (Near Stafford) so the above is from daily experience. There are days when I avoid the office, there are days when i can't and there is no point leaving before 7pm!
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My advice, if its a Friday do not use the M6 North of Birmingham your journey will be pure hell. If its any other day the M6 north of Brum is usually ok.
As the other posters said, use M40 to Brum carry on up toll road if not Friday.
If Friday use M40 anyway join M42 and onto M5 West side of Brum (strange junction here you will be turning right onto M5 nth but will need to be in left hand lane (easy to get wrong). Carry on up M5 will be a bit of a delay joining M6 then come of M6 onto M54 follow onto A5 up past Shrewsbury, Oswestry and Wrexham onto Chester southern bypass and follow onto A55 into nth Wales.
Only one static camera on the A5 route and thats in the 40 limit anyway ( a little bird told me).
Be aware if you use the M6 and M56 instead you will find bad roadworks north of Chester so use the southern route anyway (look on the map you'll see what i mean.
Poster above is right about the NEC do check, and use the other side of Brum if its a big show turning out.
All above is subject to normal road delays so safe journey.
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If the M5 slip road for M6 north is solid take the M6 south slip road (yes really) and on joining the M6 go off immediately for the A34, go straight round the Junction (this is the strange one that looks like a roundabout but is not so you come up on the inside of the "roundabout" and exit to theM6 north on the inside of the "roundabout" and immediately back onto the M6 North. No give way or lane change necessary on the "roundabout" until you re-join the M6! Saves loads of time as the M6 flows better here than the M5 slip road. Then stay in the inside lane of the M6 and move out only when the traffic clogs.
More than one camera on the A5, one in the 40 and one in the 50 at Brownhills and one in the 30 at Cannock but they also use the vans.
On a Friday you don't want to go north of Birmingham on the M6, Half term/bank holidays are worse and there can be 30-40 mile queues of cars heading for the lakes! Scenic route through Wales may look slower but probably won't be.
Edited by ijws15 on 07/11/2007 at 08:39
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Think he said he'd hit it at 5pm?! I'd stick with the Toll road at that time, its too much hassle going round the back on the side roads, all lights and roundabouts, and the M6 through Brum will be hell.
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Yes he did.
Might be worth stopping at the last services before Birmingham for a break and letting the rush hour die down a little!
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first a correction - the A446 is J9, not J8. Sorry.
Since the installation of the variable limits and hard shoulder running, I've had no problem at J6 around the NEC. The M42 - M5 route is fine, but you will sit in stationary traffic for ages to get onto the M6, although you can mitigate this by going south to J7 of the M6 then going round the roundabout and back onto the northbound carriageway. But, this route drops you right into J8-10A, probably the second worst blackspot on the M6, so I'd really not recommend it.
The toll will be hassle free, but expensive, and getting back onto the M54 to head into Wales and pick up the A5 is a hassle as it takes you beyond the start and you have to double back.
I really would strongly recommend my route - I live in Lichfield and one of my offices is in Orpington in SE London, and I used to live in Bromley and spent 1 weekend in 2 in N Wales, so it's very tried and tested and still used on a weekly basis.
Edited by Gordon M on 07/11/2007 at 12:48
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Sorry ijws15, hadn't noticed you'd recommended exactly the same M5 - M6 strategy.
Still think the M5 is a bad plan tho.
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Has anyone noticed, that when you are heading south on the M6 towards the toll road junction the warning signs always seem to say the M6 is ocngested around j8?
I know it often is,but I do wonder if that sign is just a gentle encouragement to take the toll road?
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M6 TOLL is a Con.
They have warning signs on the normal M6 which are actually owned and operated by the M6 Toll company, and their sole purpose is to encourage you to use the toll. The slightest delay on the M6, and the signs will flash up with "M6 delays blah blah" so that people go on the toll road.
However when the M6 Toll has a delay (which happens suprisingly often), they rarely warn you about it. Consequence is that if there's an accident on the toll road, you can end up paying £4 for the priviledge of sitting in a traffic jam, and the journey takes longer than if you'd gone the "free" M6 route!
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More than one camera on the A5 one in the 40 and one in the 50 at Brownhills and one in the 30 at Cannock but they also use the vans.
He won't be going anywhere near Cannock or Brownhills cos he'll be using the A5 North of the M54 and there is only one camera and thats in the 40 limit between Shrewsbury and Oswestry.
Hopefully there wont be many vans out at 6 to 8 pm when he's on that section, unless theyve started darkness operations, bet that wont be too far ahead, bit more revenue.
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He will be if he follows my advice.
I drove from Lichfield to Cannock this evening, leaving at 4:50 using the A5. No jams, no holdups, I still strongly recommend this route.
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If there is nothing big on at the NEC I would agree with Gordon.
Gordon - what colour is your Honda? Have probably passed you numerous times! Mine is the Indigo Blue.
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