Leicester to Brighton on a monday morning

[PurpleMoonlight]

I have to be in Brighton by 10 am on Monday morning.

I appreciate that this is a hit and miss in regards to accidents, but which way around the M25 would likely be easiest or is either way likely to be as bad as the other?

When I usually go it's early afternoon and I go M1 or M40 and past Heathrow.

[stuartmmcfc]

PurpleMoonlight said:

I have to be in Brighton by 10 am on Monday morning.

I appreciate that this is a hit and miss in regards to accidents, but which way around the M25 would likely be easiest or is either way likely to be as bad as the other?

When I usually go it's early afternoon and I go M1 or M40 and past Heathrow.

I always turn left when I go to Brighton and go over the bridge as I like the view and find the traffic bad on a Monday morning near Heathrow.

[stain]

You're screwed either way. The Surrey section is always bad and in Kent you have roadworks at Sevenoaks. I'd come down the night before and stay in a hotel.

[jagracer]

I think I'd go M1-A43-M40 ETC., but you'll need to leave early, say 4.30 to 5am and have a coffee when you get there.

[PurpleMoonlight]

jagracer said:

I think I'd go M1-A43-M40 ETC., but you'll need to leave early, say 4.30 to 5am and have a coffee when you get there.

I was planning on leaving at 6am, as it normally takes 2.5 to 3 hours so allowed an extra hour or so for additional traffic/

[stuartmmcfc]

PurpleMoonlight said:

I was planning on leaving at 6am, as it normally takes 2.5 to 3 hours so allowed an extra hour or so for additional traffic/

That's when I normally leave but if is important, as someone said above, you'd be better of going the night before.

[FairfieldSteve]

stuartmmcfc said:

That's when I normally leave but if is important, as someone said above, you'd be better of going the night before.

Seconded, if it's properly important then you'll be getting some decent sleep in the Premier Inn and having a good shower and breakfast before your appointment.

Otherwise, you'll be on the road before 05:00am.

[chrispj]

I'm with the others, if you have to be there and preferably not travel-stained from 4 hours in the car I'd go down the night before and get a decent sleep, get up at a reasonable hour etc.

[PurpleMoonlight]

The leaving at 6am isn't an issue as I normally start work at that time anyway.

[jagracer]

PurpleMoonlight said:

jagracer said:

I think I'd go M1-A43-M40 ETC., but you'll need to leave early, say 4.30 to 5am and have a coffee when you get there.

I was planning on leaving at 6am, as it normally takes 2.5 to 3 hours so allowed an extra hour or so for additional traffic/

Fair enough but I'm one of those people that will not be late and I get very stressed worrying about my time keeping. I'd be tempted to go with going down the afternoon before although I would think on a Sunday It's not going to be a lot better traffic wise, just depends how you cope with traffic, I don't.

[5lab]

whilst I understand this is a car site, just get the train. 3 hours and no worries about traffic or parking (which is a pita down here anyway)

[georgejoshington]

FWIW, I always take the dartford side of the M25 to get to Brighton. Fewer cameras (or at least, fewer hashed markings under gantries that cause really bad traffic flow), fewer major junctions and generally just a nicer journey.

[dapearson]

Reminds me of a conversation i had with a mate a few yrs ago. We both live in south lincs. I commute to Cambridge a few days per week.

Him: Thinking about a job in Cambridge.
Me: Oh really. Cool. Commuting every day?
Him: Yeah, but they don't mind me getting in early to miss the traffic.
Me: Okay. What time do you reckon you'll be hitting the A14?
Him: Well if i set off early i reckon i'll hit it at about 7:30, so should miss the worst of it.
Me <spits out drink with laughter>: Try hitting it at about 6:30-7 if you want to miss the traffic. Otherwise it's hellish. Everyone has the same idea. And if you do get delayed and then hit Cambridge "late" at 8:30-9 then you're queuing for at least 1/2 hr just to get a few miles to the centre.

He ended up working further north.

[jagracer]

georgejoshington said:

FWIW, I always take the dartford side of the M25 to get to Brighton. Fewer cameras (or at least, fewer hashed markings under gantries that cause really bad traffic flow), fewer major junctions and generally just a nicer journey.

But you have the road works J5 to M23 which can be a real pita at the best of times plus Dartford bridge at 7am will be slooooow.

[stuartmmcfc]

Let's be honest, both ways are a pita and it's difficult to guess which will smart the worst

[9mm]

Leave at 5am and go via the bridge. Leaving at 6 it's likely you'll be screwed either way.

[williamp]

Its one of those "if you are going there, I wouldnt start from here!"

But I would aim to be off the M25 by 7am at the latest, so on it at 6am, leave here at 5am. Watch the sunise in Brighton (not a bad idea if the sky us clear!)

[ridds]

williamp said:

Its one of those "if you are going there, I wouldnt start from here!"

But I would aim to be off the M25 by 7am at the latest, so on it at 6am, leave here at 5am. Watch the sunise in Brighton (not a bad idea if the sky us clear!)

Pretty much on the money there. I drive past the southbound queue heading North on a Monday some times and it's not nice. Same goes for the Eastern side even without the current roadworks.

[PurpleMoonlight]

williamp said:

But I would aim to be off the M25 by 7am at the latest, so on it at 6am, leave here at 5am. Watch the sunise in Brighton (not a bad idea if the sky us clear!)

But if I am off the M25 by 7am it gets me into Brighton at about 7.30 am which is way to early.

[drivin_me_nuts]

I often travelfrom brighton to Heathrow in the mornings. It can easily take two hours for that section and anticlockwise always seems much busier. Getting into brighton from the M25 that time of morning will take an hour.