M25 advice please

[Adom]

Right then, I have the great pleasure of having to drive from Newcastle to Tunbridge Wells..... on a Friday afternoon. The question is, when I get all the way down the M1 to the M25, is it best to head to the A21 via the Dartford way, or anti-clockwise round the west of London? I will be hitting the M25 at approx 6.30 - 7pm.

[tonyhetherington]

clockwise, definately.

Though you'll be playing with the dartford tunnel, if you go anti-clockwise you'll get all the roadworks around heathrow which are HORRIBLE

[titiany]

Avoid the west side like the plague.

Go the dartford way.

[Adom]

er...so probably the Dartford way then! Job done, thanks.

[vetteheadracer]

No brainer....AVOID HEATHROW BIT! I work near Heathrow and get stuck in horrendous traffic EVERY morning and evening on the section from J13/J14.

[catretriever]

Would there be any merit in heading for the A1 then M11 and cutting out a bit of the M25?

[Adom]

now thats sorted, would I be best off heading all the way down the A1, then A14/M11???

[ZR1cliff]

Adom said:

er...so probably the Dartford way then! Job done, thanks.

Have your toll money ready for when you come over the bridge.

[anonymous-user]

I'd avoid the M1 as well Adom and go A1 all the way to the M25.

[Raify]

I'd go down the A1 / A14 / M11.

When you finally get to the A21, you'll be able to 'push on' but when you approach Tunbridge Wells and see a Scamera sign. It's a working Truvelo.

Need shortcuts in Tunbridge Wells itself? I live there...

[zippee]

Adom said:

now thats sorted, would I be best off heading all the way down the A1, then A14/M11???

The A1 has a lot of cameras so watch out for those, though it can be a lot better/clearer than the M1 early on - The M1 gets particularly congested around Luton. The A14 from Huntingdon (A1 turn off) to the M11 also has a heck of a lot of cameras and 50 zones, though it is only a short hop to the M11.
M11 southbound is actually not too bad, done it a few times myself early on and not really encountered any problems.
TBH I'd probably choose this route over the M1 just to relieve the boredom. I hate M/Way driving at the best of times and at least with the A1 theres r/bouts etc to help break the journey up.

[tonyhetherington]

ZR1cliff said:

Have your toll money ready for when you come over the bridge.

On a friday afternoon, he'll have about 30mins to find it while waiting!

[chrisgr31]

Raify said:

I'd go down the A1 / A14 / M11. When you finally get to the A21, you'll be able to 'push on' but when you approach Tunbridge Wells and see a Scamera sign. It's a working Truvelo. Need shortcuts in Tunbridge Wells itself? I live there...

Disadvantage of the A1, A14 M11 route are the cameras on the A1 A14 bi. Not sure about the A1 but there are definitaly cameras on the A14 bit. Can also be very stop start on that bit.

On the A21 there are camera signs on the hill, they are for a mobile camera, which I have yet to see, the 2nd set of camera signs are for the Truvelo as mentioned above

[Adom]

Thankyou gentlemen - A1/A14/M11/M25/A21 it is then! Not actually going to Tunbridge Wells itself, but a weeny village close by called Matfield. Thanks again.

[PhillVR6]

Just to be awkward how about:

M1 to J16

A43 to M40

M40 to J9

A34 to M4

M4 to J10

A329(m)

A322

A319 to M25 J11 (so you avoid roadworks)

M25 to final destination.

[Raify]

PhillVR6 said:

Just to be awkward how about: M1 to J16 A43 to M40 M40 to J9 A34 to M4 M4 to J10 A329(m) A322 A319 to M25 J11 (so you avoid roadworks) M25 to final destination.

Crikey! sounds like a scenic route to me.

[anonymous-user]

Raify said:

I'd go down the A1 / A14 / M11. When you finally get to the A21, you'll be able to 'push on' but when you approach Tunbridge Wells and see a Scamera sign. It's a working Truvelo. Need shortcuts in Tunbridge Wells itself? I live there...

The only reason I would avoid the A14 is that there were horrendous delays there with roadworks when I came through a couple of weeks ago. If the roadworks are gone I would go that way.

[PhillVR6]

Raify said:

Crikey! sounds like a scenic route to me.

Most of its duel carridgeway and its a site better than siting on the oh so dull M1 then either getting stuck in the Dartford traffic of M25 roadworks. All IMHO of course.

Phill

[Raify]

Fair enough, I don't know that route.

The M11 / Dartford crossing does hold the friday afternoon lottery of "will I get stuck in a 3 hour jam for no discernable reason?"

[B16 RFF]

PhillVR6 said:

Raify said: Crikey! sounds like a scenic route to me. Most of its duel carridgeway and its a site better than siting on the oh so dull M1 then either getting stuck in the Dartford traffic of M25 roadworks. All IMHO of course. Phill

There's a high risk of being held up on the M25 from Junct 10 to Clackets Lane though on a Friday.

Paul.