Best Route into Liverpool - Bank Holiday Friday

[jimbobsimmonds]

Hi all.

In 2 weeks time I will be driving up to liverpool (L1 8DT) on the Friday before the bank holiday weekend from Kent, via West Drayton (long story).

I'll be arriving in Liverpool at 6pm +/- 1hr and was just wondering what the best route in is? I will be staying just near the Albert Dock and coming from the M6 but was hoping a bit of local knowledge would help me a lot more than a sat nav!

I appreciate there is probably going to be no good way but the route of least resistance would be nice

Cheers
James

Edited by jimbobsimmonds on Saturday 19th April 19:08

[anonymous-user]

I'd take the M56 and M53 up into the outskirts of Wallasey on the Wirral and then take the Kingsway Mersey tunnel over to Liverpool. It's a toll tunnel but it's only a couple of quid. That cuts out some of the bits most likely to be completely jammed solid.

[Super Slo Mo]

There's two main routes, neither makes much difference really: M6 - M62 and straight in, or M6, M56 then over the Runcorn Bridge.

You'll get held up more around Birmingham on the M6, might be worth going up the M1 to J23a and picking up the A50.

[jimbobsimmonds]

Super Slo Mo said:

There's two main routes, neither makes much difference really: M6 - M62 and straight in, or M6, M56 then over the Runcorn Bridge.

You'll get held up more around Birmingham on the M6, might be worth going up the M1 to J23a and picking up the A50.

Even if I take the M6 toll? bearing in mind i'll be there around 3.30 ish?

And I was erring towards the M56 route, but had considered going up and taking the tunnel as per the poster above. How bad is Liverpool usually

[Super Slo Mo]

Truthfully I don't often travel into Liverpool at rush hour, so don't know.

Trouble with M6 is that there's roadworks all the way up to somewhere past Junction 13.

I almost never take the toll road these days, the variable speed limits and hard shoulder running have meant that the M6 isn't too bad outside of the rush hour, although the aforementioned roadworks do slow things up a bit. They start at around Junction 10 ish.

[mmm-five]

The last two Fridays I've turned off the M40 before the M42/M6T and gone cross-country through Wales to avoid delays on the M42 around Brum, and the M6 between J10 and J15.

Got home to near Liverpool Airport no quicker, but it was a damn site more fun. Even when the motorway is totally clear (very rare), it only adds 45m to the journey - on average it adds about 30 minutes to the trip.

[jimbobsimmonds]

If the M6 looks snarled I willbear that in mind.

I guess you recommend taking the toll tunnel into the city centre?

[mmm-five]

jimbobsimmonds said:

If the M6 looks snarled I willbear that in mind.

I guess you recommend taking the toll tunnel into the city centre?

Yes, it's quicker than coming across the Runcorn Bridge if you're coming from the Wales route.

If you're lucky on the M6, then turn off onto the M62 and onto Edge Lane and you'll end up in the middle of the city centre.

[Super Slo Mo]

Thing is, the M1/A50 option is virtually as quick as the M6 on a good day, especially if you're earlier than rush hour. If you're coming from Kent, you're probably going around London to the North, so you'd be looking at the M1 anyway. Distance-wise, there's not much in it, there's just 4 roundabouts to bring your average speed down a little, plus the 50 zone around Stoke.

[jimbobsimmonds]

Super Slo Mo said:

Thing is, the M1/A50 option is virtually as quick as the M6 on a good day, especially if you're earlier than rush hour. If you're coming from Kent, you're probably going around London to the North, so you'd be looking at the M1 anyway. Distance-wise, there's not much in it, there's just 4 roundabouts to bring your average speed down a little, plus the 50 zone around Stoke.

Problem is I have to pick pax up at West Drayton at 2pm. So the M40-M6 seems more natural.

[Super Slo Mo]

Righto, that makes sense. Using the Toll, assuming you don't mind the cost, will beat most of the Birmingham traffic as it generally flows quite nicely.

[jimbobsimmonds]

Super Slo Mo said:

Righto, that makes sense. Using the Toll, assuming you don't mind the cost, will beat most of the Birmingham traffic as it generally flows quite nicely.

the MPG I get especially when I have 400kgs+ of passengers is bad enough I don't mind an extra few £ toll

So now, the best route from the M6 to Albert Dock.

[TheRealFingers99]

My own version would be to take the M54 after the M6 toll, then the A41 and pick up the M53 to the tunnels. Once you're out of the tunnel the Albert Dock is clearly signposted and almost in spitting distance of one of the exits (keep in the nearside lane) of the Birkenhead tunnel.

[Who me ?]

I take it that "West Drayton " mentioned is the London one ,not the place in Notts, just north of Newark. However, my sister, who lives in your area tells me that A1/A1 (M) is not a unpleasant route up north. Then there's the A14 to M1 and A50 as mentioned. Or up to M62 and across. And as an escape route from Kent, don't forget the Medway tunnel.

[jimbobsimmonds]

[quote=Who me ?]I take it that "West Drayton " mentioned is the London one ,not the place in Notts, just north of Newark. However, my sister, who lives in your area tells me that A1/A1 (M) is not a unpleasant route up north. Then there's the A14 to M1 and A50 as mentioned. Or up to M62 and across. And as an escape route from Kent, don't forget the Medway tunnel.
[/quote]

Yes West Drayton by Heathrow. A1 isn't a bad way up if I was coming from Medway straight to Liverpool but I'm not, it's too far to double back really.

Also, as I am sitting less than 2 miles from the Medway tunnel I wouldn't call driving from Wainscott to Gillingham as an escape route from Kent. Good for a bit of 2nd gear 5 pot noise but not as an escape from Kent

[jimbobsimmonds]

TheRealFingers99 said:

My own version would be to take the M54 after the M6 toll, then the A41 and pick up the M53 to the tunnels. Once you're out of the tunnel the Albert Dock is clearly signposted and almost in spitting distance of one of the exits (keep in the nearside lane) of the Birkenhead tunnel.

This seems quite appealing...

[Who me ?]

jimbobsimmonds said:

Yes West Drayton by Heathrow. A1 isn't a bad way up if I was coming from Medway straight to Liverpool but I'm not, it's too far to double back really.

Also, as I am sitting less than 2 miles from the Medway tunnel I wouldn't call driving from Wainscott to Gillingham as an escape route from Kent. Good for a bit of 2nd gear 5 pot noise but not as an escape from Kent

Ok- my routes are not helpful , so I'l back off

[mmm-five]

TheRealFingers99 said:

My own version would be to take the M54 after the M6 toll, then the A41 and pick up the M53 to the tunnels. Once you're out of the tunnel the Albert Dock is clearly signposted and almost in spitting distance of one of the exits (keep in the nearside lane) of the Birkenhead tunnel.

That's another of my alternate routes for when the M42/M6T is clear and the M6 is blocked after that.

[jbudgie]

mmm-five said:

TheRealFingers99 said:

My own version would be to take the M54 after the M6 toll, then the A41 and pick up the M53 to the tunnels. Once you're out of the tunnel the Albert Dock is clearly signposted and almost in spitting distance of one of the exits (keep in the nearside lane) of the Birkenhead tunnel.

That's another of my alternate routes for when the M42/M6T is clear and the M6 is blocked after that.

NB The M53 takes you through the Wallasey tunnel, which is not the tunnel exit near to the Albert Dock .

But, as the above poster points out the Albert dock is well signposted.