M6 toll road Friday pm?
Discussion
Excuse my escape from my usual 'home' of the Scotland forum - we're down to Hereford this weekend to collect a new toy, and driving it back to Aberdeen. Looking for some advice as to which route to take to get round Birmingham.
It looks to me as if we can M5 / M6 straight up, or deviate below Birmingham onto the toll road and join the M6 further up, hopefully avoiding congestion round Birmingham.
Is this a reasonabale assumption? Or is it as over used as I suspect it might be and not worth the extra mileage?
We'll probably be leaving Hereford around midday, so hitting the area mid /late afternoon on the Fridaay of the Bank Holiday weekend - not teh best of times I know!
Any advice appreciated
Nina
It looks to me as if we can M5 / M6 straight up, or deviate below Birmingham onto the toll road and join the M6 further up, hopefully avoiding congestion round Birmingham.
Is this a reasonabale assumption? Or is it as over used as I suspect it might be and not worth the extra mileage?
We'll probably be leaving Hereford around midday, so hitting the area mid /late afternoon on the Fridaay of the Bank Holiday weekend - not teh best of times I know!
Any advice appreciated
Nina
Birmingham will be pretty bad around the M5/M6 area, right up to about J10-J11. Toll will be relatively quiet by comparison, but it's a fair trek over to it from the M5. It also means running up the M42, which is also fairly busy.
For what it's worth, the M6 is better now they've got the hard shoulder running and variable speed limits in operation.
If you're willing to pay the cost, the toll is probably the better bet. Alternatively, there are some reasonable A roads on the West side, from Kidderminster (ish) to Wolverhampton, although at that time of day, they're still likely to be packed.
For what it's worth, the M6 is better now they've got the hard shoulder running and variable speed limits in operation.
If you're willing to pay the cost, the toll is probably the better bet. Alternatively, there are some reasonable A roads on the West side, from Kidderminster (ish) to Wolverhampton, although at that time of day, they're still likely to be packed.
I am heading up to Ayrshire from Warwickshire on Friday. If traffic is running normally use the M5/M6 route (I use it daily). The alterantive M42/M6 toll is a very long diversion unless there is a real problem leading up to M6 junction 10a. If delays are after J10a the M42/M6 toll diversion wont help you anyway.
I would just keep up to date with the Traffic news until the last minute (i.e. you reach the M42 turn off).
I wish you good luck. Friday bank holiday will see the caravaners, middle lane numpties and weekend drivers out in droves. Twice out of the last 3 times I have travelled up to Scotland, the M6 was closed and I had to use M42/M1.
I would just keep up to date with the Traffic news until the last minute (i.e. you reach the M42 turn off).
I wish you good luck. Friday bank holiday will see the caravaners, middle lane numpties and weekend drivers out in droves. Twice out of the last 3 times I have travelled up to Scotland, the M6 was closed and I had to use M42/M1.
The M6 southbound won't be too bad - it's usually the northbound side that's worse due to the M5 merging with it. The M6 toll will be clear, but it's expensive and as said you will then have to use the M42. Six and two threes really. Sadly, traffic is going to be bad at any time over the coming weekend whatever road you use.
FWIW, if you're driving from Hereford north then you might as well do the A49 north. The motorways aren't all that accessible from your starting point.
I (personally) would do the A49 north, past Leominster and up to Ludlow. Once past Woofferton and the left turn for Richards Castle, there's a long-ish stretch of A-Road. Go over the next island, and at the next island take the 3rd exit. Past the pub on the right, shortly after there is a left turn signposted Bridgnorth. Turn left there.
Follow this road (B4364) all the way to Bridgnorth until you get to an island.
Take the 3rd exit, then down the hill to the next island.
Take the 1st exit (signposted A442 Telford).
Keep following the signs for A442 / Telford.
Eventually, you'll get to a short stretch of dual that leads to a 360 degree left handed bend. Keep following this on to the adjoining dual carriageway.
Then, keep an eye out for the exit signposted M54 / A464
Take the M54 / A464 exit, then follow this road to a large island.
Turn right on to the M54.
Leave the M54 at J1, go through Featherstone, then join the M6 north.
What all this does is i) omit all the faffing around to get to a motorway from Hereford ii) misses all the s
te on the M6 North through Birmingham and iii) factors in some good twisty roads (some of which were on the 2008 PH Shropshire Run)
HTH!
I (personally) would do the A49 north, past Leominster and up to Ludlow. Once past Woofferton and the left turn for Richards Castle, there's a long-ish stretch of A-Road. Go over the next island, and at the next island take the 3rd exit. Past the pub on the right, shortly after there is a left turn signposted Bridgnorth. Turn left there.
Follow this road (B4364) all the way to Bridgnorth until you get to an island.
Take the 3rd exit, then down the hill to the next island.
Take the 1st exit (signposted A442 Telford).
Keep following the signs for A442 / Telford.
Eventually, you'll get to a short stretch of dual that leads to a 360 degree left handed bend. Keep following this on to the adjoining dual carriageway.
Then, keep an eye out for the exit signposted M54 / A464
Take the M54 / A464 exit, then follow this road to a large island.
Turn right on to the M54.
Leave the M54 at J1, go through Featherstone, then join the M6 north.
What all this does is i) omit all the faffing around to get to a motorway from Hereford ii) misses all the s
te on the M6 North through Birmingham and iii) factors in some good twisty roads (some of which were on the 2008 PH Shropshire Run)HTH!
Broomsticklady said:
Or is it as over used as I suspect it might be and not worth the extra mileage?
One thing the M6 Toll isn't, is overused. It's an ongoing disaster for the operator.As other have said, getting across to it on the M42 could be very slow though.
I find the M5/M6 junction busy-ness is completely random - I've been through there at 5PM and just sailed through, other times it's be jammed back for a couple of miles. If you do go that way and it's busy, once you've passed the slip road to the M6 South then use the LH lane - it's usually quicker as that lane flows unhindered onto the M6 North.
My apologies - I misread your OP and thought you were travelling south to Hereford from Scotland. From Hereford to go north it is best to go down the M50 till you hit the M5. Go north M5 till you get to JCT7 (Evesham) and then go through Kidderminster and Bridgnorth until you hit Telford where you can pick up the M54 or A5 and get back on the M6. The M5/M6 interchange coming from the southbound M5 is an absolute nightmare.
Southbound sounds like you'll be fine unless you hit the southbound traffic from about 7am to 9am from J12 to approx J8 on the M6. If you hit the M5/M6 link about lunchtime you should be ahead of the traffic, although it will build up quickly after that. Even if you sit in traffic for 10 minutes it will be quicker than trying to avoid it using M54 or going the long way round the M42 to be honest.
FFG
FFG
marcosal said:
Well that was fun. M5/M6 junction was fine but they shut the M6 J42/43. Never mind we saw some lovely countryside on the B roads between Penrith and Carlisle. So a 5 hour journet took 8 hours. Wonder what the journey back will be like!
I gather a truck went through the central reservation. No serious injuries. I suppose if the road's blocked, then it's blocked. But I had a American guy with me a couple of weeks ago and he was astonished that we'd close major roads due to accidents - in the US they just drag the vehicles out of the way and carry on.
Gassing Station | Midlands | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff