South of England - Scotland...To M6 or not to M6?

South of England - Scotland...To M6 or not to M6?

Author
Discussion

Tromperie

Original Poster:

7 posts

107 months

Tuesday 25th April 2017
quotequote all
I'll be doing this journey northbound in a couple of days (Oxford to Scotland to be precise.) If it was a late night journey, coming up the M40 and then the M6 would be a relative no brainer. However, I'll have to leave Oxford around 2-3pm, so the odds are I'll hit the West Midlands at rush hour, and I imagine the M6 is hellish up until at least Preston at that time.

Therefore, is it better to do M40 - A46 - M69 - M1 - A1M - A66 - M6

Or:

M40 - M42 - M6Toll - M6

Given my leaving time, is it better to come up the east of the country, or to stick to the trusted M6 route?

Cheers.

georgejoshington

397 posts

161 months

Tuesday 25th April 2017
quotequote all
I think an M6 would be a fine car for the journey providing you can stomach the fuel co....oh

parabolica

6,703 posts

183 months

Tuesday 25th April 2017
quotequote all
Asked the same thing a while ago: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

Consensus was that the M6 route is the best regardless of traffic.

Amateurish

7,697 posts

221 months

Tuesday 25th April 2017
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Google Maps is good for this sort of thing. Just add your departure time and it will give you a good idea of what to expect.

seders

74 posts

93 months

Tuesday 25th April 2017
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M6 roadworks from around J13 can cause problems as it is a 50 limit with average speed cameras.

They go on for quite a while and it is no fun at rush hour!

Krikkit

26,500 posts

180 months

Tuesday 25th April 2017
quotequote all
You don't mention where in Scotland you're going, but I'd definitely take the M6 - the A1/A1(M) gets holdups on a regular basis, as does Coventry around the M69 etc.

Traffic hot-spots are likely to be around Birmingham, Stoke and a little around Preston (although if leaving at 3:30 I'd expect that to be gone by the time you're up there).

MDMA .

8,849 posts

100 months

Tuesday 25th April 2017
quotequote all
if you're doing the journey on Friday, it will be even worse at that time ( Bank Holiday traffic heading to Blackpool/The Lakes is always busier than normal ). worth bearing in mind if it is Friday you're setting off. but M6 will be the best bet.

bodhi

10,333 posts

228 months

Tuesday 25th April 2017
quotequote all
seders said:
M6 roadworks from around J13 can cause problems as it is a 50 limit with average speed cameras.

They go on for quite a while and it is no fun at rush hour!
They also finished about 6 months ago, so don't think I'd worry too much smile

Leaving at that time Birmingham won't be too much of an issue if you take the M6 Toll, even on Fridays at Rush Hour it runs pretty well. You may have some issues from J16 to J19 of the M6 with all the roadworks, but otherwise you should be OK.

papa3

1,407 posts

186 months

Tuesday 25th April 2017
quotequote all
M6 and pay for the toll road. A1 is a nightmare. M74 road works are dire south of Glasgow.

bodhi

10,333 posts

228 months

Tuesday 25th April 2017
quotequote all
seders said:
Sorry to break it to you but they are very much still there - I last went through them at the weekend.

I drive from 11 to 20 every other weekend on my way to the Wirral and there is no sign of them finishing any time soon!
I live in Stafford, and commute down to Kidderminster most days, so do J13 to J8. There have been no roadworks there for a while. The ones you are thinking of start at Crewe, up at J16. Still a nightmare, but the J10 - J13 nightmare has finished, thankfully. Now there are 4 lanes, and everyone sitting in the outside 2....

Tromperie

Original Poster:

7 posts

107 months

Tuesday 25th April 2017
quotequote all
georgejoshington said:
I think an M6 would be a fine car for the journey providing you can stomach the fuel co....oh
biggrin It's a journey that's being done at short notice; trains aren't any cheaper, and the price of flights with suitable leaving times at both ends is eek

MDMA . said:
if you're doing the journey on Friday, it will be even worse at that time ( Bank Holiday traffic heading to Blackpool/The Lakes is always busier than normal ). worth bearing in mind if it is Friday you're setting off. but M6 will be the best bet.
No, thankfully! Leaving Thursday.

papa3 said:
M6 and pay for the toll road. A1 is a nightmare. M74 road works are dire south of Glasgow.
Drove Leeds - Glasgow a couple of years ago and there was a lot of roadworks/average speed cameras on the A1M, no change in that time? I live in Glasgow, so I'm familiar with the hell that's the M8/M74 roadworks ATM.

CoolCurly

210 posts

210 months

Tuesday 25th April 2017
quotequote all
M6 - every time.

Its a bloody nice bit of road the more north you get - and time dependant I can highly recommend Tebay services, probably the best service station in the UK (Privately owned).

http://www.tebayservices.com/

The Mway after this is stunning, reminds me a little of driving through the alps in France/Italy.

Safe Trip

Mammasaid

3,777 posts

96 months

Tuesday 25th April 2017
quotequote all
CoolCurly said:
M6 - every time.

Its a bloody nice bit of road the more north you get - and time dependant I can highly recommend Tebay services, probably the best service station in the UK (Privately owned).

http://www.tebayservices.com/

The Mway after this is stunning, reminds me a little of driving through the alps in France/Italy.

Safe Trip
This, don't forget that the Westmorland Group (who run Tebay services and Rheged in Cumbria) also run Cairn Lodge services on the A74(M), and Gloucester Services on the M6.

http://www.westmorlandfamily.com/Cairn-Lodge

BOBTEE

1,034 posts

163 months

Tuesday 25th April 2017
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Get a Scotch egg at Tebay, massively expensive but sooo good!

750turbo

6,164 posts

223 months

Tuesday 25th April 2017
quotequote all
CoolCurly said:
M6 - every time.

Its a bloody nice bit of road the more north you get - and time dependant I can highly recommend Tebay services, probably the best service station in the UK (Privately owned).

http://www.tebayservices.com/

The Mway after this is stunning, reminds me a little of driving through the alps in France/Italy.

Safe Trip
Absolutely this OP - I have been doing a similar journey for over 19 years, on a monthly basis.

Once you are across the border, watch out for Dumfries & Galloway Police Camera Vans on the bridges! Enjoy the view smile

Mammasaid

3,777 posts

96 months

Tuesday 25th April 2017
quotequote all
750turbo said:
CoolCurly said:
M6 - every time.

Its a bloody nice bit of road the more north you get - and time dependant I can highly recommend Tebay services, probably the best service station in the UK (Privately owned).

http://www.tebayservices.com/

The Mway after this is stunning, reminds me a little of driving through the alps in France/Italy.

Safe Trip
Absolutely this OP - I have been doing a similar journey for over 19 years, on a monthly basis.

Once you are across the border, watch out for Dumfries & Galloway Police Camera Vans on the bridges! Enjoy the view smile
Don't worry, they have them in Cumbria also...furious

papa3

1,407 posts

186 months

Tuesday 25th April 2017
quotequote all
CoolCurly said:
Forget every other consideration. Worth it for the pork pies alone. I drove Aberdeen to Carlisle last week and very nearly drove the extra miles just for the services...... boxedin

bobclayton

126 posts

105 months

Tuesday 25th April 2017
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Traffic on M69 can build up at the M1 junction and it's hell...not to mention the countless 50mph stretches on the M1, the new one is up at 23A-25 now too!

CrutyRammers

13,735 posts

197 months

Tuesday 25th April 2017
quotequote all
M6 will be a nightmare up to preston/blackpool or so, but then so will the M1. Personally I'd leave it and travel later if you can.

CoolCurly

210 posts

210 months

Tuesday 25th April 2017
quotequote all
papa3 said:
Forget every other consideration. Worth it for the pork pies alone. I drove Aberdeen to Carlisle last week and very nearly drove the extra miles just for the services...... boxedin
A man after my own heart - breakfast is a winner on the way up, and pork pie stock up on the way back.

lick