I don't often have to do battle with the M25, I can't remember the last time. I have to get from home (Warwick, Warwickshire)to Dover. I need to be in Dover for 10am on a Monday morning.
Which way should I go? Also how long should I allow?
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Down the M6/M1/M25/M2 (or M20).
You should be OK if you start Sunday lunchtime!
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I don't know the journey time between the M1/M25 and Dover, but at that time of day the M6/M1 bit will take you around 1.5 hours.
Sadly I do that bit often.
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Off Peak times: M1/M25 Junction to Dartford Crossing about 1 Hour
Dartford to Dover: About 1Hr 15mins.
Happy Motoring from Sunny Southend on Sea!
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Leave Warwick at 6am and use the M40 which will put you on the M25 going past Heathrow by 7am. All being well you will leave the M25 by 8am and be in Dover for 9am, leaving an hour for unexpected delays. However, if you leave that departure time from home until 6.30am, you must add an hour to the total journey time and lose most of the leeway. It's usually a 2hr 40 journey outside peak hours. HTH.
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Paul,
Use M25 south side past Heathrow, M26 and M20 all the way to Dover.
Will save agro getting caught in the traffic between M20 and A2 which can get effected by Dartford Xing. Also missies out the A2 junction to Bluewater + all the roadworks from Gravesend to Gillingham.
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Dave Miller is bang on!
I do a similar journey frequently.
Unfortunately you have chosen a silly time to go!!!
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These are my own opinions, and not necessarily those of all Toads.
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I agree with D Millar and DenisO.
Whichever route you take, if it is essential that you MUST be in Dover at 10am, then either (1) use M ways but allow 2 or 3 hours extra for their possible closure without notice, due to accidents; or (2) avoid M ways but assume an average speeed of 30 to 40 mph on A roads for the complete journey.
Whatever you do, do not use the RAC web site's journey planner. Some French visitors tried it and found that it told them to go from Dover to Weybridge via Edinburgh!
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www.shellgeostar.com gives you an accurate version of Dave Millar's journey, turn by turn if you want it.
Probably I'd allow a little over an hour for things going wrong though, to be on the safe side, as you'll be hitting the M25 just as the rush hour is getting going.
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The M25 has roadworks between junctions 21 and 22, which you would pass through following that route! Which Monday do you need to travel? They finish just before Christmas IIRC.
The rush hour on the M25 really gets going by 7.00am, I would aim to be on there around about then to miss the worst of it, any later and you won't stand a chance! Also bear in mind the concentration of shopping traffic around Thurrock Lakeside and Bluewater shopping centres, 4 miles of jams outside each on the M25 today!
So, if I were going from Warwick to Dover this coming Monday morning, to be there by 10.00am, assuming a clear road cruising speed of 75-80mph:
I would aim to kick off about 5.15am, although 5.30am wouldn't be too bad.
From Warwick go through Leamington Spa and Radford Semele on the A425, head for Southam.
At Southam, follow signs for Daventry, then pick up signs for the A45 towards Northampton and M1 southbound.
Turn right onto the M1 from the A45, this is junction 16. Head south all the way to junction 7, take this junction which is the M10.
The M10 is a little baby motorway with no exits along its length, when you reach the other end take the second exit, A414 towards Hatfield.
At the next roundabout take the 3rd exit, A1081 London Colney. This is the old A6 dual carriageway, leading to junction 22 of the M25, which you join clockwise, following signs for Dartford.
Over the Dartford bridge, and then either use the A2/M2 (be warned, you have to keep left after the tolls or you'll miss the A2 exit!), or use the M20. Lots of roadworks on the M20, but I've found traffic to flow reasonably well through them. (Watch somebody disagree with me now!)
As long as it's not snowing, and as long as nobody has parked their lorry on its side on the M25, you should make it, no problem.
Have a safe journey!
Dave the taxi (and courier) driver.
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The M25 has roadworks between junctions 21 and 22, which you would pass through following that route! >>
D-t-d: which route are you referring to? The one I mentioned is via M40 joining M25 junction 16 then past Heathrow. It goes nowhere near the M25 jcts 21 & 22!
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Eeek, M25 past Heathrow???? Aaaaaargh..... (scream receding into the distance!)
Actually, it hadn't even occurred to me to go that way around the M25, being as I'm based up the M1 I tend not to remember the M25 exists round where Clacket Lane services are. I would still have said that would be further though. Depends which side of Warwick you start out from. Also the Essex side of the M25 clogs up much later than the Middx/Surrey side.
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I'm with the taxi man on this one. If time was not of the essence the M40 - M25 anti clockwise is a prettier route but for sure arrival with time to spare cannot fault Dave's route.
Theres very often problems quite early in the morning round the airport area and you also stand a good chance of getting fouled up by commuter traffic. Better to start earlier and spend an hour in the coffee shop at Dover than be scratting about racing
to beat the deadline.
Happy Motoring Phil I
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[Snip post by Dave_Taxi_Driver]
Never ask a taxi driver. He'll always direct you round the scenic route :o)
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That's because most people who ask us for directions get confused if there are more than 3 steps in the answer! I hope anyone in the BR has a slightly longer attention span than that...
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That's because most people who ask us for directions get confused if there are more than 3 steps in the answer! I hope anyone in the BR has a slightly longer attention span than that...
Not saying a word ;)
HF
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That's because most people who ask us for directions get confused if there are more than 3 steps in the answer! I hope anyone in the BR has a slightly longer attention span than that...
Sorry, what was the question again? :o)
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My technique is 'know your options' and keep the TP on the radio. Radio2 has travel bulletins all morning.
Personally I would be prepared to do M40 to J4; A404 to M4 J8/9; M4 to J6; A308 toward Staines and join the M25 at J13 there. This misses out the busiest part of the M25 and is fast and reliable. But also know that you can skip the M4 by taking the A308 from Maidenhead (15 mins), and that you can take the Virgina water route to J11 of the M25 (predictably 20 mins from Windsor).
PB.
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Absolutely. Listen to the traffic bulletins but I would still take the M40 and then M25 past Heathrow based on doing this journey from Warwick three or four times a week for nearly four years. The Heathrow blockages due to sheer weight of numbers are consistently on the clockwise carriageway not the anti-clockwise. Leave departure time from Warwick until after 6am and you will hit some congestion on the M25 leading towards Heathrow but the key is to stay in the inside lane (undertaking) until about a mile short of the Heathrow turnoff before moving back across to outside lane (sorry lane purists) and maintaining that for the next 2-3 junctions after which flow is usually constant.
The Virginia Water route is a useful one but tricky to follow for a first-timer and liable to have lots of local traffic after 7am. I use that way on the return journey if travelling at a peak time. I haven't been down the Maidenhead route for some time because I got fed up queuing for the roundabouts either at the M4 junct. 8/9 if using the A404 or in and around Maidenhead if cutting through. Maybe it's much better now.
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Listen to Mr Miller! He knows his stuff.
Some of these routes are getting very complex and stressful.
Traffic early around Heathrow is always facing you as you go anti clockwise.
By all means leave earlier and have a slap up breakfast at Dover.
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These are my own opinions, and not necessarily those of all Toads.
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A BIG THANK YOU to everyone for the information!
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Paul, if you have a moment please advise yr start and arrival times when you get back.
Have good safe journey. Take care
Phil I
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