Doing a cross country Manchester - Folkestone, please help?

[Hell27]

Hi all, got a train booked to go on the Chunnel on the 14th and need to be at Folkestone for 15:00, but travelling from Manchester.
I'd estimated setting off at 07:00, and this should allow 4.5 hrs journey plus hour lunch plus 2 hours pissing about with roadworks or traffic jams.

At this time of year, which route is best? By choice I'd always try and do m62 - m1 then m25 etc, but should I try the m6 & m6 toll?

Am I being too conservative or not allowing enough time?

Any sensible response is gratefully received!

[chriscoates]

14th is a Thursday so you shouldn't encounter any serious congestion - accidents are obviously unpredictable. I personally wouldn't bother with the M62-M1 route, there's miles of roadworks on the M1 in South Yorks/Derbyshire at the moment which, if there's a breakdown, causes long queues. Regardless of that it's a long route as you're going north-east to come south again. I'd go M6 (Toll if it's bad round Birmingham) M42-M40-M25-M26-M20. M40 is quieter than the M1 and this route also avoids the roadworks on the north side of the M25 and the Dartford tolls - you'd be hitting the M25 outside of rush hour so it shouldn't be too bad. Leaving at 7am is a good idea!

[s70rmp]

we are doing that trip in September

I plan to go up M62 to the A1 and down to the M11 > M25 > M20
We'll be leaving mid to late afternoon on a Friday and stopping in Ashford for the night, shuttle over in the morning

[s70rmp]

I actually came back from Ipswich yesterday after a works meeting and was impressed with the progress I could make on the A1

very fast moving road. Plenty of services - couple of OK Diners on there as well if you want something different

[Hell27]

chriscoates said:

14th is a Thursday so you shouldn't encounter any serious congestion - accidents are obviously unpredictable. I personally wouldn't bother with the M62-M1 route, there's miles of roadworks on the M1 in South Yorks/Derbyshire at the moment which, if there's a breakdown, causes long queues. Regardless of that it's a long route as you're going north-east to come south again. I'd go M6 (Toll if it's bad round Birmingham) M42-M40-M25-M26-M20. M40 is quieter than the M1 and this route also avoids the roadworks on the north side of the M25 and the Dartford tolls - you'd be hitting the M25 outside of rush hour so it shouldn't be too bad. Leaving at 7am is a good idea!

Cheers chris; I take it then that the route around the m25 is going around the southern ring rather than the North?

[Red Devil]

Hell27 said:

chriscoates said:

14th is a Thursday so you shouldn't encounter any serious congestion - accidents are obviously unpredictable. I personally wouldn't bother with the M62-M1 route, there's miles of roadworks on the M1 in South Yorks/Derbyshire at the moment which, if there's a breakdown, causes long queues. Regardless of that it's a long route as you're going north-east to come south again. I'd go M6 (Toll if it's bad round Birmingham) M42-M40-M25-M26-M20. M40 is quieter than the M1 and this route also avoids the roadworks on the north side of the M25 and the Dartford tolls - you'd be hitting the M25 outside of rush hour so it shouldn't be too bad. Leaving at 7am is a good idea!

Cheers chris; I take it then that the route around the m25 is going around the southern ring rather than the North?

The bit in bold is a clue.

There is another reason not to go via the M62. One look at the map will tell you that, whether you then take the M1 or the A1, you're adding quite a lot of extra mileage.

[MC Bodge]

I'd just go down the M6 and use the toll if there is congestion on the long section of roadworks north of Birmingham.

[Mr Taxpayer]

chriscoates said:

14th is a Thursday so you shouldn't encounter any serious congestion - accidents are obviously unpredictable. I personally wouldn't bother with the M62-M1 route, there's miles of roadworks on the M1 in South Yorks/Derbyshire at the moment which, if there's a breakdown, causes long queues. Regardless of that it's a long route as you're going north-east to come south again. I'd go M6 (Toll if it's bad round Birmingham) M42-M40-M25-M26-M20. M40 is quieter than the M1 and this route also avoids the roadworks on the north side of the M25 and the Dartford tolls - you'd be hitting the M25 outside of rush hour so it shouldn't be too bad. Leaving at 7am is a good idea!

I concur. And I'd do the M6 toll.

[s70rmp]

I'm doing the same trip in Sept, but leaving ~Manchester mid afternoon on a Friday

so which route would you take ?

plan is to be ready to leave between 2pm & 3pm

[MC Bodge]

I'd leave later....

[Mr Taxpayer]

s70rmp said:

I'm doing the same trip in Sept, but leaving ~Manchester mid afternoon on a Friday

so which route would you take ?

plan is to be ready to leave between 2pm & 3pm

M6 M6(T) M42 M40 M25 M26 M20

If the M25 is very sticky come off M40 at High Wycombe A404 down to M4 and then A329(M) into Bracknell and on towards M3 J3. Back onto M25 at J12. This avoids M25/M4 which is the stickiest part. There are services at Cobham (M25 between J10 and J9) so you don't have that big drag between High Wycombe and Clackett Lane.

[Red Devil]

^^This^^

Leaving Manchester any later than 2pm will mean you arrive at the M25 just in time for the daily gridlock on the M40 to M3 section.

[MC Bodge]

We normally leave after rush hour

[waynedear]

I did Liverpool to Dover on Thursday, M62, M6 to J16, A500/A50 to the M1, M25, M20 etc, etc.
5hrs 16 mins restricted to 65mph.

[VTECMatt]

Done this trip a lot having relatives in Wigan lived in Sandwich, horrid journey.

M6 - M1 - M25 via bridge - M2 - A2 - A260 took average 4.5 hours from Wigan J27 M6 worst was 9 hours best under 4 hours.

I would avoid M26/M25 junction as this nearly always is rammed :up