London to York - A1 or M1?

[Chris71]

What do you reckon? Just basically looking for the quickest easiest way to travel up on a weekday evening (setting off 7pm or so I reckon).

[JamesNotJim]

I'd go for the A1, it avoids the lane widening road works near derby. Personally I find it faster too, although it has a few more speed cameras. Not sure if its the quickest route, but I prefer it. My 2p

[Percy Flage]

Another vote for the A1. Much more civilised and very similar journey times.

[Jamz]

A1

[Longers]

Just to be different....A1!

Much nicer road and less chance of chaos. Also if things do go wrong there are more frequent exits than M1 so it's easier to take avoiding action rather than sitting in a queue for hours crawling to the next junction

[snowy slopes]

A1 sounds like a good bet, just be aware there are roadworks near colsterworth(north of stamford) where they are replacing the roundabout with a flyover, other than that and the other roundabouts between biggleswade and eaton socon its mostly plain sailing. Also, be aware that police around lincolnshire and south yorkshire use unmarked bmw 5 series,mostly dark blue, and also unmarked blue volvo xc90's, hope this helps!

[UpTheIron]

I did the same journey at least twice a week for 18 months a few years ago. Unless leaving very early in the AM, the A1 is usually the better bet.

[Chris71]

snowy slopes said:

Also, be aware that police around lincolnshire and south yorkshire use unmarked bmw 5 series,mostly dark blue, and also unmarked blue volvo xc90's, hope this helps!

Funnily enough I was just saying about my previous encounter with the constabulary on the unmarked cars thread in General Gassing.

Learnt my lesson since then, but those four lane stretches are just so tempting when there's no one around but you and a black unmarked BMW 330D police car.

[snowy slopes]

That four lane section near alconbury is a good one, about 5 years ago i saw an unmarked range rover sport, the supercharged version, bimbling along looking for somebody to get!

[shirt]

a1. used to do a return journey every week on that route and the m1 alsmost had me slitting my wrists on more than one occasion. never been in serious traffic on the a1 after 7pm, discounting serious accident/closure.

plus the a1 has variation and you get to pass silly place names and take time to ponder what exactly is the point of the midlands?

Edited by shirt on Monday 6th April 18:50

[Flanders.]

A1, however, don't forget the bit where it goes from the A1M to the A1 at Stevenage, always traffic there. Also the blackcat roundabout is pretty bad too. M1 I don't know so well, but don't forget the roadworks at MK.

[norman156]

A1 to avoid the roadworks around Nottingham. Came back last night and it just seems to go on forever... junction 25 to 28 northbound, and even longer southbound with the works starting at 29 and going down to 25. They seem longer than the works just finished in Luton...

[PH5121]

I agree, A1 north rather than M1, to avoid the road works from the A38 to the A50 area.