Tips for driving in London
Discussion
Planning to drive around London with a couple of young children in a few weeks. Just to let them see some of the landmarks they've seen on TV, get some lunch, take them to Hamleys,
etc.
I'm generally comfortable driving around big cities - never driven in London specifically, but I have driven in big cities in a few other countries and never encountered any issues.
My plan is to just follow wherever Google Maps tells me to go, and find somewhere to park nearby anywhere we want to stop.
Is there anything important I need to know? Any specific areas where I'm likely to encounter hours of standstill traffic?
etc.
I'm generally comfortable driving around big cities - never driven in London specifically, but I have driven in big cities in a few other countries and never encountered any issues.
My plan is to just follow wherever Google Maps tells me to go, and find somewhere to park nearby anywhere we want to stop.
Is there anything important I need to know? Any specific areas where I'm likely to encounter hours of standstill traffic?
Serious suggestion: don't.
Take a train into London. Stay in a hotel/B&B/guesthouse. Take the tube or taxis around the capital while you are there. Catch the train home at the end.
It'll be cheaper, MUCH less hassle, quicker and significantly more relaxing than trying to go everywhere in your own car.
Take a train into London. Stay in a hotel/B&B/guesthouse. Take the tube or taxis around the capital while you are there. Catch the train home at the end.
It'll be cheaper, MUCH less hassle, quicker and significantly more relaxing than trying to go everywhere in your own car.
I drove in London for the first time in November. I actually found the roads quieter than I expected, I just followed Google maps and didn’t come across a single “jam” everything was moving at around 20mph and just seemed to flow.
This was also in the areas I thought would be worst, passed Big Ben, hamleys, Leicester Square etc. I may have just been fortunate however it was a weekend so maybe it’s busier during the week?
This was also in the areas I thought would be worst, passed Big Ben, hamleys, Leicester Square etc. I may have just been fortunate however it was a weekend so maybe it’s busier during the week?
Depends where you think you'd be visiting, it might be better to get a train like another poster said. Typically in London:
- Parking will be difficult/expensive
- Traffic might be horrible
- Driving standards from other drivers might be bad
- Make sure you pay ULEZ/Congestion Charge if applicable to your car
- Use Waze or Google maps, they're generally quite good at avoiding traffic, though Waze seems a bit worse at taking you right in to a traffic jam
- Be aware of the extra speed/red light cameras compared to elsewhere. Obviously you're not going to drive like a numpty, but would be a shame to get a ticket for 50 -> 40 on north circular road because you were zoned out. I think Waze and Google maps has these
- Use something like JustPark to prebook parking around the places you want to visit. Just be warned, parking will be expensive and might be in really tight underground parking.
- Drive like others are blind. It seems like driving standards drop considerably in London compared to just outside. I put this down to the huge amounts of traffic.
I haven't driven around London loads but the centre I've found can be less daunting than the journey through the outer parts.
That said, I've found it's one of those, 'When in Rome' situations. Driving standards aren't great, don't expect good lane definition or signalling. Watch out for anything with 'Addison Lee' on the back and don't panic. If everyone drives bad, it's all good!
That said, I've found it's one of those, 'When in Rome' situations. Driving standards aren't great, don't expect good lane definition or signalling. Watch out for anything with 'Addison Lee' on the back and don't panic. If everyone drives bad, it's all good!
Watch out for cyclists, e-scooters and particularly motor scooter riders on both sides. Delivery drivers on scooters take no prisoners - they'll think nothing of blasting past you on the left or the right given the tinest of gaps. Check your mirrors religiously before changing lanes.
Keep your eyes peeled on all the different signs indicating various zones, such as buses or taxis only. Make sure your car has a very decent turning circle so you can bail out at the very last moment to avoid some crushing fine for doing something wrong. Cameras everywhere so you will be punished. Other than that, have a swell time.
I would book ahead on the parking front, as you don't want any nasty surprises. If it's a normal work week, then missing the rush around 9am is probably a smart move.
Parking is likely your biggest headache as there isn't relatively much of it, and it's expensive. Don't forget about the congestion charge and (if applicable) ULEZ charge too.
I don't know where you are coming from, but we are based in Kent, so I tried to avoid any of the inner ring roads if I can, especially at peak times. I would r
Tend to find people are just a bit more impatient. I always find actual central london not to bad to drive, it's mainly ring roads or roads where you can actually get some speed up people seem to go a bit crazy e.g. around canary wharf.
Depending on the practicality, I would also consider leaving the car on the outskirts, and using the train/tube. My son loves that as a novel experience, but appreciate that might not be practical.
Parking is likely your biggest headache as there isn't relatively much of it, and it's expensive. Don't forget about the congestion charge and (if applicable) ULEZ charge too.
I don't know where you are coming from, but we are based in Kent, so I tried to avoid any of the inner ring roads if I can, especially at peak times. I would r
Tend to find people are just a bit more impatient. I always find actual central london not to bad to drive, it's mainly ring roads or roads where you can actually get some speed up people seem to go a bit crazy e.g. around canary wharf.
Depending on the practicality, I would also consider leaving the car on the outskirts, and using the train/tube. My son loves that as a novel experience, but appreciate that might not be practical.
I have driven in to London before without much issue, but I wouldn't dream of driving around sight seeing.
If you want to drive I'd find a carpark just outside the congestion zone, walk to the nearest tube and get around that way.
Or, as someone said about get on one of those jump on/off open top buses which will show you all the touristy bits anyway.
If you want to drive I'd find a carpark just outside the congestion zone, walk to the nearest tube and get around that way.
Or, as someone said about get on one of those jump on/off open top buses which will show you all the touristy bits anyway.
Driving round and stopping in London is a lot of hassle and definitely slower than public transport in most cases... Parking is definitely not easy and very expensive, if you're definitely set on driving, I'd plan the routes from car park to car park as it's not always easy to find somewhere.
Sounds like a recipe for high blood pressure, expense and miserable kids!
As others have said - much better ways to get around. Regular buses, tourist buses, Thames Clippers (public transport on the river with a bar!), tube if you know where you want to get to, walk. You'll see more, have less stress and it will still be cheaper (can't guarantee that, but no congestion charge or eye-watering parking charges). Public transport is all tap in tap out, including Thames Clippers.
As others have said - much better ways to get around. Regular buses, tourist buses, Thames Clippers (public transport on the river with a bar!), tube if you know where you want to get to, walk. You'll see more, have less stress and it will still be cheaper (can't guarantee that, but no congestion charge or eye-watering parking charges). Public transport is all tap in tap out, including Thames Clippers.
I wouldn’t get one of those tourist buses they are a huge rip off
Get a “day rover” or whatever they are called now and just ride the normal service buses
Quite easy to plan routes that will show you the sights I think LT are still running the old routemasters on route 15 between the Tower and T Sq
Otherwise walk or get the tube around
Oh yep … and park outside
Get a “day rover” or whatever they are called now and just ride the normal service buses
Quite easy to plan routes that will show you the sights I think LT are still running the old routemasters on route 15 between the Tower and T Sq
Otherwise walk or get the tube around
Oh yep … and park outside
2Btoo said:
Serious suggestion: don't.
Take a train into London. Stay in a hotel/B&B/guesthouse. Take the tube or taxis around the capital while you are there. Catch the train home at the end.
It'll be cheaper, MUCH less hassle, quicker and significantly more relaxing than trying to go everywhere in your own car.
+1Take a train into London. Stay in a hotel/B&B/guesthouse. Take the tube or taxis around the capital while you are there. Catch the train home at the end.
It'll be cheaper, MUCH less hassle, quicker and significantly more relaxing than trying to go everywhere in your own car.
Public transport, tour buses or just walk between places in the centre. Driving in central London is horrible.
I drove all over central London in my MX5 over lockdown and it was amazing, like being in a zombie film hooning around massive empty roads among all the landmarks.
FWIW driving in "proper" London is great - none of this pathetic territorial "THAT'S MY BIT OF ROAD" red faced nonsense you get elsewhere; most of the dashcam t
ts would have a stroke and die in 3 minutes at people merging and crossing but everyone just gets on with it without having to fly into a rage. It's an absolute delight. Admittedly if you dithered about like a senile old man like people do everywhere else you will get beeped at a lot, but that's a good thing as far as I'm concerned.
Go further West than Chelsea and it's fking awful though, utter incompetence everywhere.
FWIW driving in "proper" London is great - none of this pathetic territorial "THAT'S MY BIT OF ROAD" red faced nonsense you get elsewhere; most of the dashcam t
ts would have a stroke and die in 3 minutes at people merging and crossing but everyone just gets on with it without having to fly into a rage. It's an absolute delight. Admittedly if you dithered about like a senile old man like people do everywhere else you will get beeped at a lot, but that's a good thing as far as I'm concerned.Go further West than Chelsea and it's f
king awful though, utter incompetence everywhere.Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 13th June 13:30
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff