Cross-London commute - SE to NW
Discussion
Change of job means I have to get myself from home (Bromley BR1) to the office (St Albans AL1) once a week. Train is easy enough but need to change and it takes a while, car is very M25-dependent and can be a slow slog into St Albans in the mornings then I can't usually park at the office. I can tuck my bike away in the small office carpark though, and if I can cut the overall time compared to the train then it'd be worth doing.
Think I'll try a few routes but can anyone suggest an efficient way across London to try? If I can avoid the motorway route (naked bike is cold at 70) that would be better. Aim for the shortest route through the middle or try to skirt around it?
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Bromley+BR1/AL1,...
Think I'll try a few routes but can anyone suggest an efficient way across London to try? If I can avoid the motorway route (naked bike is cold at 70) that would be better. Aim for the shortest route through the middle or try to skirt around it?
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Bromley+BR1/AL1,...
I do Beckenham to Euston daily - go via Penge/West Dulwich/Herne Hill/Brixton/Vauxhall Bridge/Victoria/Marble Arch/Euston Road so pretty much the first half of your journey. This would then mean carrying on towards the M1.
Takes me between 45 mins and 1 hour depending on traffic. The pinch points are - inevitably - getting across the river and then wherever there are roadworks (everywhere at the moment). I suspect it will be quicker and cheaper than the train - especially when you factor in getting to the station, waiting for the train, regular delays, etc.
Generally, I enjoy the ride in but there are times when it is nice to get the train for a change. So, yes, it is perfectly do-able and once you choose and get to know a route, you will find that the time drops as you know all the best places to filter/bus lanes to use/sequences of lights etc and also the places to be careful!
Takes me between 45 mins and 1 hour depending on traffic. The pinch points are - inevitably - getting across the river and then wherever there are roadworks (everywhere at the moment). I suspect it will be quicker and cheaper than the train - especially when you factor in getting to the station, waiting for the train, regular delays, etc.
Generally, I enjoy the ride in but there are times when it is nice to get the train for a change. So, yes, it is perfectly do-able and once you choose and get to know a route, you will find that the time drops as you know all the best places to filter/bus lanes to use/sequences of lights etc and also the places to be careful!
I do Eltham to Regents Park area............ so first bit would apply I think.
i'm on naked bike. The A2 through Blackwall tunnel takes me 13 minutes to get North out of the tunnel from my front door. It is all filtering from pretty much as soon as I hit the A2 at the Greenwich Roundabout. It's nice and wide though..........and can generally make decent safe filtering progress.
I don't filter through the tunnel itself - I just chill through there...........as it's quite narrow.
I've tried other routes and there are just too many lights.
I don't go through middle of City as there are too many lights and too many cyclists.
I think I would do A2, M11 and then M25 to St Albans..........
Edited to Add - I go past Tower Bridge and along Embankment then North through Trafalgar and up TCR.........that bit wouldn't work for you - too much of a long way around
i'm on naked bike. The A2 through Blackwall tunnel takes me 13 minutes to get North out of the tunnel from my front door. It is all filtering from pretty much as soon as I hit the A2 at the Greenwich Roundabout. It's nice and wide though..........and can generally make decent safe filtering progress.
I don't filter through the tunnel itself - I just chill through there...........as it's quite narrow.
I've tried other routes and there are just too many lights.
I don't go through middle of City as there are too many lights and too many cyclists.
I think I would do A2, M11 and then M25 to St Albans..........
Edited to Add - I go past Tower Bridge and along Embankment then North through Trafalgar and up TCR.........that bit wouldn't work for you - too much of a long way around
Edited by RacerMDR on Tuesday 31st October 15:11
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