Avoiding M20 to Eurotunnel?

Avoiding M20 to Eurotunnel?

Author
Discussion

nobrakes

Original Poster:

2,976 posts

198 months

Saturday 9th April 2022
quotequote all
Travelling from SW London to the Eurotunnel:

Trying to avoid the lorry park on the M20 to get to J11a. Does this sound ok?

Take J6 on the M20 (near Maidstone) over to the M2 then on to the A2 then cross back over?

Looks simpler than following diversion carry-on.

Thoughts?

Edited by nobrakes on Saturday 9th April 15:46

vikingaero

10,303 posts

169 months

Saturday 9th April 2022
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Depends when you are travelling.

The M20 has been closed from J8 because of high Easter traffic volume. It looks red on Google Maps because it picks up the stationary HGV drivers, yet the contraflow can either be frozen solid or moving. It's very hard to tell and I know it doesn't help. If you zoom in really close and see the London bound carriageway as amber (50mph speed limit) then it is probably moving.

See my advice to swanseaboydan https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...


vikingaero

10,303 posts

169 months

Louis Balfour

26,271 posts

222 months

Saturday 9th April 2022
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Is this going to worsen or improve over summer?

Busier roads, but will factors affecting it be more under control?

Pica-Pica

13,753 posts

84 months

Saturday 9th April 2022
quotequote all
So sad. I was born and brought up there until I left at 18. Parents lived there until they died 5 years ago. Now it is all such a st-show. Such a shame for what was a beautiful county. I can’t really suggest other than the A2. There may be some lucky cross-country routes, but that will be just pot luck on the day.

nobrakes

Original Poster:

2,976 posts

198 months

Saturday 9th April 2022
quotequote all
Thanks. Will be driving around 1am to 2am to catch the early train. There is usually disruption (reduction to 2 lanes) even in the M25.

I was just thinking this time I figure the M2 A2 will be quieter. I reckon the A20 will be a s/show and that it’s probably a similar time to the M2/A2 route, but at least you’d still be able to make spirited progress to make up for the extra distance.

vikingaero

10,303 posts

169 months

Saturday 9th April 2022
quotequote all
Just drove down the M20 tonight. Signs currently saying M20 closed from J8, tourist traffic to use M2/A2 for Dover, but no advice for the Tunnel.

If it were me, I would go M2A2 and cut across

nobrakes

Original Poster:

2,976 posts

198 months

Sunday 10th April 2022
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Thanks all.

Looks like I could turn off the A2 at Canterbury and re-joint the M20 at J10.

tgr

1,133 posts

171 months

Sunday 10th April 2022
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Ugh. I'm going to be doing this route at the end of April (aiming for a 0700 crossing).

Is it likely to be the same, or have normalised by then?

JonChalk

6,469 posts

110 months

Sunday 10th April 2022
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I'm doing it in a week's time, but for the earliest train, so hoping it won't be so bad, but it's a sad reflection on the state of affairs various different occurrences have brought the country to.....

...just going to let Google Maps sort it for me on the day.

nobrakes

Original Poster:

2,976 posts

198 months

Sunday 10th April 2022
quotequote all
If not this, there’s bound to be some other carry-on.


nobrakes

Original Poster:

2,976 posts

198 months

Sunday 10th April 2022
quotequote all
JonChalk said:
I'm doing it in a week's time, but for the earliest train, so hoping it won't be so bad, but it's a sad reflection on the state of affairs various different occurrences have brought the country to.....

...just going to let Google Maps sort it for me on the day.
Might be best trying your sat nav/Google route a week before at the same time you plan to leave.

Edited by nobrakes on Sunday 10th April 13:47

JonChalk

6,469 posts

110 months

Sunday 10th April 2022
quotequote all
nobrakes said:
JonChalk said:
I'm doing it in a week's time, but for the earliest train, so hoping it won't be so bad, but it's a sad reflection on the state of affairs various different occurrences have brought the country to.....

...just going to let Google Maps sort it for me on the day.
Might be best trying your sat nav/Google route a week before at the same time you plan to leave.

Edited by nobrakes on Sunday 10th April 13:47
yes Good idea - Will do, especially as they've closed it today to prep for contraflow, I think.

tgr

1,133 posts

171 months

Friday 22nd April 2022
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I'm doing London to the Eurotunnel in a week's time - on Friday. Hopefully without the diversion as I'm going early in the morning, checking in 0630.

Wish me luck!

croyde

22,857 posts

230 months

Friday 22nd April 2022
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Just stuck it in Waze. I'm West London and it's saying 1h 35m to cover 81 miles. Which is very good as I'm headed to see family in Folkestone in a couple of weeks.

Zoom into the M20 and no delays, according to Waze.

Has it all gone away?

harrycovert

422 posts

176 months

Friday 22nd April 2022
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I went from Ashford to Euro Tunnel on Tesday afternoon no sign of any problems

tgr

1,133 posts

171 months

Friday 22nd April 2022
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What was check-in like Harry?

tgr

1,133 posts

171 months

Thursday 5th May 2022
quotequote all
Came back last night about 2215 and they had the contraflow in operation but very little traffic, which was lucky because the rain would have brought it all to a halt. Check in was fine and very few people around