Who does the M8 morning commute these days?
Discussion
On the assumption that the OP's phrase "to have my car in Edinburgh by 9am" means he's taking the car somewhere for some reason (and not using the car to get himself there), the train option is probably not an attractive one - unless he can deflate a porsche and get it in the luggage rack.
Can't help with exact timings, but I go from West Lothian to Glasgow in the opposite direction, and there is always - always - a huge eastbound queue on the M8. Sometimes (like this morning) it's almost the whole length of the motorway from Livingston to Harthill or Shotts.
I would allow an hour at least to get from Livingston to Edinburgh - then up to another hour to get to the back of the queue at Livingston - it depends if "by 9am" means "without fail", or if you can afford to be late if the traffic is really bad.
Can't help with exact timings, but I go from West Lothian to Glasgow in the opposite direction, and there is always - always - a huge eastbound queue on the M8. Sometimes (like this morning) it's almost the whole length of the motorway from Livingston to Harthill or Shotts.
I would allow an hour at least to get from Livingston to Edinburgh - then up to another hour to get to the back of the queue at Livingston - it depends if "by 9am" means "without fail", or if you can afford to be late if the traffic is really bad.
I’m taking the car for some work at CLCM, just past the Hermiston Gait roundabout—so at least I don’t need to worry about traffic in Edinburgh, I’m literally just doing the length of the Motorway.
I guess I’m on for a two hour drive/queue then.
I guess I’m on for a two hour drive/queue then.
Edited by poprock on Monday 22 November 12:49
I do the commute from J6 to Edinburgh. If I leave the house at 6.55 I am pretty much always at my desk at 8, corner of Lothian Road and West Approach Road. If like this morning I feel like a long lie in, left at 7.30, at my desk at 9.00. Heaviest traffic is always between J4 and J2(Whitburn and Newbridge)
So if you need your car in central Embra by 9, depending where you're starting I'd look to be past Glasgow by 7 or so to give yourself a decent run through and not wondering if you'll make it or not.
A lot of this is also dependent on how well you know the roads into Edinburgh of a morning rush hour. I go A71, occassionally down along the side of the train tracks past the Fever Hospital if the A71 is gridlocked, which is usually 1-2 days per week. I'm sure there are other ways but that works best for me.
So if you need your car in central Embra by 9, depending where you're starting I'd look to be past Glasgow by 7 or so to give yourself a decent run through and not wondering if you'll make it or not.
A lot of this is also dependent on how well you know the roads into Edinburgh of a morning rush hour. I go A71, occassionally down along the side of the train tracks past the Fever Hospital if the A71 is gridlocked, which is usually 1-2 days per week. I'm sure there are other ways but that works best for me.
Oooft! Never realised it was as bad as that.
Unfortunately cannae ever see the powers that be ever considering the engineering monster of going to 3 lanes and/or designing relief/filters away from Hermiston Gate.
Anyway, given the target destination, I can't think of anything else other than getting on the move early and suffering the M8.
Unfortunately cannae ever see the powers that be ever considering the engineering monster of going to 3 lanes and/or designing relief/filters away from Hermiston Gate.
Anyway, given the target destination, I can't think of anything else other than getting on the move early and suffering the M8.
I had to do the morning run from J5 to Sighthill a few times when I had a car that was getting serviced there and found it took me a good hour at least and that was going back 5 years ago. Even if you were to come off and try the A71, it'd probably still be fairly busy.
I'm going to be looking for a new job in the next year to 18 months and I hope it doesn't involve taking part in an M8 commute, I don't know how you guys can do it regularly.
I'm going to be looking for a new job in the next year to 18 months and I hope it doesn't involve taking part in an M8 commute, I don't know how you guys can do it regularly.
IainW said:
I'm going to be looking for a new job in the next year to 18 months and I hope it doesn't involve taking part in an M8 commute, I don't know how you guys can do it regularly.
Hoping that the Airdrie - Bathgate extension helps things. I'll be giving that a try, 48 minutes to Edinburgh, trains every 15 minutes apparently, starting Monday 13th. Hopefully they will have decent security at the car park in Airdrie 
bp1 said:
IainW said:
I'm going to be looking for a new job in the next year to 18 months and I hope it doesn't involve taking part in an M8 commute, I don't know how you guys can do it regularly.
Hoping that the Airdrie - Bathgate extension helps things. I'll be giving that a try, 48 minutes to Edinburgh, trains every 15 minutes apparently, starting Monday 13th. Hopefully they will have decent security at the car park in Airdrie Gassing Station | Scotland | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff