Best route for getting from the North to Brixton/Herne Hill?

Best route for getting from the North to Brixton/Herne Hill?

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Woody3

Original Poster:

748 posts

204 months

Wednesday 20th August 2014
quotequote all
My GF is off to London (Brixton/Herne Hill) tomorrow to meet her mate and is wanting to know the best route. Googlemaps is saying to go along Edgware Road, Park Lane and the Vauxhall Bridge.

She's hoping to arrive around 4:30pm.

Is this likely to be stupidly busy at said time and if so, is there a better way to get there?


Pothole

34,367 posts

282 months

Wednesday 20th August 2014
quotequote all
I'd be tempted to go further West, but it's swings and roundabouts. Every route will be busy

robbieduncan

1,981 posts

236 months

Wednesday 20th August 2014
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Public transport!

Swanny87

1,265 posts

119 months

Wednesday 20th August 2014
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robbieduncan said:
Public transport!
+1. Park somewhere around North London then get yourself on the Victoria Line going to Brixton.

You can park on the road I live on for free or in the Leisure place opposite. Then get a bus to East Finchley then swap line at Euston/Warren Street.

Google maps:

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/19+High+Rd,+Ba...

ETA: Also has the benefit of being 5-10 mins away from M1 junction 2 or the A1. Also, you would get the Northern line from East Finchley.

Edited by Swanny87 on Wednesday 20th August 14:01

tubbystu

3,846 posts

260 months

Wednesday 20th August 2014
quotequote all
Woody3 said:
Googlemaps is saying to go along Edgware Road, Park Lane and the Vauxhall Bridge.

She's hoping to arrive around 4:30pm.
Google maps will choose this route to avoid the congestion charge zone.

Does she have to drive to the final destination or could she not park up and use the tube for the final few miles.

Your OP said from the North - Islington or Wakefield ? As this as an effect obviously..........

More detail will get better info in return.

HTH

andy-xr

13,204 posts

204 months

Wednesday 20th August 2014
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If I was going there I'd be thinking M6/M42/M40/M25 anti c/w to Reigate or Leatherhead and up the A23

I'm off to Surbiton on Friday and that's the route I'll be taking (except I'll be getting off M25 at either the M3 or A3)

Spanglepants

1,743 posts

137 months

Wednesday 20th August 2014
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Not sure where she's setting off from - the North or North London?- but we (from Milton Keynes) got to the end of the M1, turn left and turn left again to Hendon. Park in Montagu Rd (highlighted in red) , permit holders during the week but free at weekends, no time limit. Walk to Hendon Central, Northern Line to Warren St then Victoria Line to Brixton.


Woody3

Original Poster:

748 posts

204 months

Wednesday 20th August 2014
quotequote all
Thanks for the replies and apologies. North as in "Derbyshire North".

She's actually picking up her friend (after having tea with her) from said place in London, and is then progressing to France with friend, so public transport isn't an option as that is what we would usually do.

She doesn't mind paying the congestion charge if it means she misses traffic.

tubbystu

3,846 posts

260 months

Wednesday 20th August 2014
quotequote all
That route including Vaux Br is pretty direct and a major thorough-fare, especially off the bottom of the M1.

Keep the radio on for traffic news and expect it to be horrible so at least it can't be worse when you endure it. London is quite quiet this week as its BH weekend and the schools are still off, but it is still a snake-pit for traffic.

You can pay the congestion charge later in the day if the zone is entered to avoid a traffic delay. It is quite clearly marked but you don't get any indication you have entered the zone.

I'd suggest allowing for at least 90-120 mins from bottom of M1 to Brixton. Probably about as long as from Derbyshire to bottom of M1, but hey-ho.

lightthefuse

426 posts

172 months

Wednesday 20th August 2014
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One alternative, but bearing in mind I have no prior knowledge of roadworks, but a fairly pain-free peak-time drive in my experience is:

M1 - M25 anti-clockwise to Beaconsfield/ J16 / M40 / A40 / A3220 West Cross Route / A3220 through Shepherd's Bush / Earls Court up to a right onto Battersea Bridge / Depending where on Brixton/Herne Hill down to Clapham Common / Acre Lane and that takes you as far as Brixton.

Wouldn't do this on the end of M1/ A406 and A40 at Hanger Lane at that time of day, any other time mind you and I'd do that instead (ETA - dead of night and I'd be straight through down Edgware Road/ the suggested route).

I was a native once but have been away for quite a few years so am not up to date with roadworks!

Edited by lightthefuse on Wednesday 20th August 17:54

dacouch

1,172 posts

129 months

Wednesday 20th August 2014
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The Sat Nav will take her past Brixton Station and up Effra Road which is always busy.

Tell her to program the sat nav for SW9 7NU which is Gresham Road in Brixton and avoids the queues of traffic in Brixton. When she hit's Gresham Road put the Herne Hill address in and it will take her along Loughborough Road then onto Herne Hill Road which becomes Milkwood Road which goes straight to Herne Hill.

This route will save her about 20 minutes.

It's best to put the addresses in before you drive so rather than program them while your travelling you can just click it on the sat nav.

Edgware Road / Kilburn High Road is always busy, it would be best for her to come down Hendon Way (A41) from the A406. Then down Fortune Green Road and then onto Abbey Road (She'll get to drive over the Beatles zebra crossing) which cuts it all out.

Remind her to look to her left when she's driving over Vauxhall Bridge.

If she's aiming to arrive at 4.30 tell her to set off an hour earlier as it will avoid a lot of the traffic.

Marble Arch and Vauxhall Cross and Hyde Park Corner are busy and can be scary if you're not used to them.

Marble Arch the majority of the right hand lanes are the correct ones, tell her to stick to the road lines and make steady progress.

Hyde Park Corner, once she's past the Picadilly turning she needs to keep to either of the two left lanes which are marked Victoria and again keep between the road lines and make study progress, watch for the buses pulling out or in.

Vauxhall Cross as above but follow the markings on the road for Brixton.




lightthefuse

426 posts

172 months

Wednesday 20th August 2014
quotequote all
dacouch said:
The Sat Nav will take her past Brixton Station and up Effra Road which is always busy.

Tell her to program the sat nav for SW9 7NU which is Gresham Road in Brixton and avoids the queues of traffic in Brixton. When she hit's Gresham Road put the Herne Hill address in and it will take her along Loughborough Road then onto Herne Hill Road which becomes Milkwood Road which goes straight to Herne Hill.

This route will save her about 20 minutes.

It's best to put the addresses in before you drive so rather than program them while your travelling you can just click it on the sat nav.

Edgware Road / Kilburn High Road is always busy, it would be best for her to come down Hendon Way (A41) from the A406. Then down Fortune Green Road and then onto Abbey Road (She'll get to drive over the Beatles zebra crossing) which cuts it all out.

Remind her to look to her left when she's driving over Vauxhall Bridge.

If she's aiming to arrive at 4.30 tell her to set off an hour earlier as it will avoid a lot of the traffic.

Marble Arch and Vauxhall Cross and Hyde Park Corner are busy and can be scary if you're not used to them.

Marble Arch the majority of the right hand lanes are the correct ones, tell her to stick to the road lines and make steady progress.

Hyde Park Corner, once she's past the Picadilly turning she needs to keep to either of the two left lanes which are marked Victoria and again keep between the road lines and make study progress, watch for the buses pulling out or in.

Vauxhall Cross as above but follow the markings on the road for Brixton.
Wise words if sticking to convention, but I'd have thought Park Lane / Grosvenor Place would be car parks at that time... top tip about Brixton by the way if taking that route - my thinking was onto Coldharbour Lane then onto what I guess was your route.

Woody3

Original Poster:

748 posts

204 months

Wednesday 20th August 2014
quotequote all
Thanks for the advice chaps, especially programming the satnav into SW9 7NU, which she's going to do.

Have passed it all on and fingers crossed she'll get there without any hiccups!

Cheers.

ETA: What's on the left of Vauxhall Bridge?


lightthefuse

426 posts

172 months

Wednesday 20th August 2014
quotequote all
Woody3 said:
ETA: What's on the left of Vauxhall Bridge?
The first thought that came to my mind was the fantastic view (and the MI6 Building)...

Woody3

Original Poster:

748 posts

204 months

Thursday 21st August 2014
quotequote all
Would just like to say thanks for all the replies, especially dacouch's!

Dacouch - She phoned to tell me that she followed your directions, which true to your word, meant she missed loads of traffic and got there on time, so thankyou very much!


thumbup


p.s. she said it was a lovely view from Vauxhall Bridge!