Commuting Wirral To Manchester For 3 Months

Commuting Wirral To Manchester For 3 Months

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DSLiverpool

Original Poster:

14,671 posts

201 months

Sunday 19th July 2015
quotequote all
Never commuted far in my life, I used to do a mon - fri in Slough but thats not commuting so I need some tips.

Its J2 M602 via M56 50 min
48.0 miles 48 min without traffic OR via M62 52 min 34.9 miles
49 min without traffic

I will be leaving at 7.30am should I do the tunnel and maybe the long way back so £1.70 a day

What I am asking is at 7.30 how bad is it through Liverpool and at the same time and going round whats the pinch points the other way.

I have a surprisingly capable and nice Touran 2.0 D to do the trip in that does 48 MPG on the four trips I have made already.

benny.c

3,472 posts

206 months

Sunday 19th July 2015
quotequote all
If you need to be in Manchester regularly by 9am then you need to be well past Manchester Airport by 8am to avoid the worse of the M56. After that, as well as slow traffic on the 56, it can take a good half hour or more just to get along Princess Parkway. Coming home on the 56 it's just busy pretty much all the way and again, Princess Parkway can be very slow.

I used to find the 62 less busy and so a bit more relaxing but by the time you go through town there's not much in it time wise. Leaving at 7:30 means you may not get on the 62 until gone 8am so it's easy to not make Manchester by 9am. .

If you don't need the car for work then I'd slum it on the train. Much as I love driving, commuting to Manchester from the Wirral really wasn't fun. I stuck it for 6 months before swapping to public transport.

At one time I had a job in Worsley so I avoided the city centre traffic, but even that was a good hour from Heswall on the Lancs or 62.

If you a going to stick with driving, I'd leave at 7am for a less stressful commute.

Edited by benny.c on Sunday 19th July 23:18

BobSaunders

3,027 posts

154 months

Monday 20th July 2015
quotequote all
As poster says above you need to be past the airport by 8am.

The bottlenecks are the M56/A556 junction, M56/M60 junction, M60/M56 junction, and M56 turning into princess park way.

Depends where you want to go in town as well.

I live by the Siemens building on princess parkway, it takes me 15-20 minutes (10-15 at the moment) to get to town by car using the rat runs - but i have dedicated parking in town so makes it easier for me.


johnxjsc1985

15,948 posts

163 months

Monday 20th July 2015
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take my advice leave at 6.30am get in for 8.00am buy a paper and a cup of coffee and relax or alternatively sit in your car for an hour going nowhere

Lgfst

391 posts

108 months

Monday 20th July 2015
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I'd avoid the M62 like the plague. Terrible motorway.

Pretty much what the above have said. M56 amd the parkway are fine (ish) before 8. I travel the M56 pretty much everyday but from the A556 to Manchester, now that the J7 has been improved it flows much nicer.

There always seems to be traffic around Runcorn on the M56 but that would prpbably only affect you on the way back.

Mark-C

5,010 posts

204 months

Monday 20th July 2015
quotequote all
I know this is a car forum but assuming you’re somewhere near a train station and working in the middle of manchester then get a train ...

DSLiverpool

Original Poster:

14,671 posts

201 months

Monday 20th July 2015
quotequote all
Birkenhead to Trafford Park the long way round took just under an hour and leaving at 5.45 to come home it was similar - lucky?

Lgfst

391 posts

108 months

Monday 20th July 2015
quotequote all
At nearly 6pm you'll be fine. Plus the kids have finished school so it's less busy on the roads.

Just under an hour isn't bad at all

johnxjsc1985

15,948 posts

163 months

Monday 20th July 2015
quotequote all
you would be amazed at how the traffic increase every few minutes and there is a watershed where if you miss a junction at a certain time your journey will take forever.
As its only 3 months start early and thenleave 5 mins later each day to you find the tipping point

benny.c

3,472 posts

206 months

Tuesday 21st July 2015
quotequote all
It's always better during the school hols and leaving a little later definitely helps on the way back. I've never commuted to Trafford Park but I guess it's preferable to heading for the city centre.

DSLiverpool

Original Poster:

14,671 posts

201 months

Wednesday 22nd July 2015
quotequote all
4 trips in and no trouble at all touch wood
Coming back 5.45 is a sweet spot easily door to door under an hour.
I've left Wirral at 7.15 and 7.40 the later time got me a short delay coming off the M602 at J2
But only 5 mins.
I fear trouble awaits but I'm lucky most of my commute period is over the summer holidays I guess

ian328

50 posts

114 months

Sunday 26th July 2015
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I've been commuting it for almost 18 months, north wales to Trafford park, I leave home at 6.15 to get in by 7.15. Straight up the m56, going in has been ok, it's coming home that can be rubbish, especially in the summer on Fridays!
I have a c220 mercedes, and I've worked out it cost me £10 per day as it's very good on fuel

DSLiverpool

Original Poster:

14,671 posts

201 months

Sunday 26th July 2015
quotequote all
The first Friday was a pain, everyone going to Wales I guess - took 20 mins longer

Sheepshanks

32,529 posts

118 months

Sunday 26th July 2015
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DSLiverpool said:
The first Friday was a pain, everyone going to Wales I guess - took 20 mins longer
Lucky you don't have to do it yesterday - when some genius decided to shut the M56 into Wales on probably the busiest holiday Saturday of the year.

Everything East of Chester was completely stuffed for most of the day.

Lgfst

391 posts

108 months

Sunday 26th July 2015
quotequote all
Sheepshanks said:
Lucky you don't have to do it yesterday - when some genius decided to shut the M56 into Wales on probably the busiest holiday Saturday of the year.

Everything East of Chester was completely stuffed for most of the day.
That was bad. I set off from Knutsford to go Cheshire oaks. Fortunately I was just on the A54 at Kelsall when I heard, quick U turn and back home. It looked like utter chaos on twitter.

DSLiverpool

Original Poster:

14,671 posts

201 months

Sunday 26th July 2015
quotequote all
What happened ? I was buzzing round the Wirral all day but heard nothing.

johnxjsc1985

15,948 posts

163 months

Sunday 26th July 2015
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its mad over here at present.The road to Arrowe park from the motorway is down to one lane,The M53 Upton exit has been closed since Feb and there are several other road closures due to this cable laying.

Lgfst

391 posts

108 months

Sunday 26th July 2015
quotequote all
DSLiverpool said:
What happened ? I was buzzing round the Wirral all day but heard nothing.
They closed the M56 at J15 for roadworks. Caused chaos

johnxjsc1985

15,948 posts

163 months

Sunday 26th July 2015
quotequote all
Lgfst said:
They closed the M56 at J15 for roadworks. Caused chaos
they have a special callender which highlight's the worst possible times to close roads and then close them at the worst possible times, you couldn't make it up

DSLiverpool

Original Poster:

14,671 posts

201 months

Sunday 26th July 2015
quotequote all
johnxjsc1985 said:
its mad over here at present.The road to Arrowe park from the motorway is down to one lane,The M53 Upton exit has been closed since Feb and there are several other road closures due to this cable laying.
Yep we live in Prenton and my wife has to take her dad for dialysis at Arrow 4 times a week it will be a nightmare.