Hedge End to Poole commute- 90 mins!

[sparks_E46]

I commute home from Hedge End to Poole every week day evening and I’m getting a bit fed up of sitting in traffic near Ringwood, Ferndown and Wimborne if I go that way. Currently takes 80/90 minutes to get home which is a bit silly for 40 miles!

I guess it’s the fallout from the Spur Road works, as I’m told the journey used to only take about an hour. Any suggestions of sensible shortcuts or alternative routes would be most appreciated

[sparks_E46]

Zetec-S said:

Personally I'd suck it up and stick to the A31 as there's not really any decent alternatives. The A35 through the New Forest is probably no better, and the trouble with the B3078 (Cadnam-Fordinbridge-Cranborne-Wimborne) is there's not many overtaking opportunities so you'll only end up going as fast as the slowest driver.

Although as killerferret suggests, using Waze (or a quick check on google maps before leaving) might help flag up any major incidents on the A31 so you could then avoid in plenty of time. One option would be to come off at Picket Post then cut down to Burley-Bransgore-Christchurch then across into Poole?

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Hedge+End,+South...

(I guess it also depends on roughly which part of Poole it is as well?)

Thank you (and to all) I’m in Oakdale.

[sparks_E46]

I’ve stuck to the A31. Monday’s seem the quietest with the journey sometimes taking just over an hour. Averaging 1 hour 20 the rest of the week.

[sparks_E46]

I have overcome my commuting nightmare by taking the drastic measures of quitting the job and moving house. We live in beautiful North Dorset now and my new job is but a 10 minute drive, although I plan to cycle/walk as soon as the weather improves.

[sparks_E46]

Johnnytheboy said:

sparks_E46 said:

I have overcome my commuting nightmare by taking the drastic measures of quitting the job and moving house. We live in beautiful North Dorset now and my new job is but a 10 minute drive, although I plan to cycle/walk as soon as the weather improves.

Whereabouts in North Dorset if you don't mind me asking?

I'm Sturminster Newton

Sure, Blandford St Mary. We rented in Blandford Forum a few years back and really enjoyed it, we managed to purchase a little house out here and moved in a few weeks back. So unbelievably quiet compared to Poole/Bournemouth!

[sparks_E46]

Johnnytheboy said:

Nice, enjoy, may see you at DCM Tyres

You may well! I need to pay them a visit, got a slow puncture

[sparks_E46]

CP12 said:

sparks_E46 said:

Johnnytheboy said:

sparks_E46 said:

I have overcome my commuting nightmare by taking the drastic measures of quitting the job and moving house. We live in beautiful North Dorset now and my new job is but a 10 minute drive, although I plan to cycle/walk as soon as the weather improves.

Whereabouts in North Dorset if you don't mind me asking?

I'm Sturminster Newton

Sure, Blandford St Mary. We rented in Blandford Forum a few years back and really enjoyed it, we managed to purchase a little house out here and moved in a few weeks back. So unbelievably quiet compared to Poole/Bournemouth!

fking hell I am in Charlton Marshall!

Small world! I drive through it often. There’s often an interesting car or two in the Charlton Inn car park. Recently seen a Mustang, and last week an old red Bentley (or might of been a Rolls Royce...)

[sparks_E46]

Johnnytheboy said:

They are good because they actually try and repair tyres

If you see a bloke in a van with a pot plant on the side in there, that's me, we take our work vans there.

That’s reassuring, I’ve heard good things about them! Look out for a filthy E46 coupe (we live on a new build site that isn’t finished)

[sparks_E46]

CP12 said:

Solocle said:

sparks_E46 said:

CP12 said:

sparks_E46 said:

Johnnytheboy said:

sparks_E46 said:

I have overcome my commuting nightmare by taking the drastic measures of quitting the job and moving house. We live in beautiful North Dorset now and my new job is but a 10 minute drive, although I plan to cycle/walk as soon as the weather improves.

Whereabouts in North Dorset if you don't mind me asking?

I'm Sturminster Newton

Sure, Blandford St Mary. We rented in Blandford Forum a few years back and really enjoyed it, we managed to purchase a little house out here and moved in a few weeks back. So unbelievably quiet compared to Poole/Bournemouth!

fking hell I am in Charlton Marshall!

Small world! I drive through it often. There’s often an interesting car or two in the Charlton Inn car park. Recently seen a Mustang, and last week an old red Bentley (or might of been a Rolls Royce...)

Stalbridge! (when I'm not at uni)

Mustang is the landlords.

Must have a north dorset hoon, so many good roads and dying to take the st for a proper run out..

Sounds a plan!

[sparks_E46]

interstellar said:

sparks_E46 said:

Johnnytheboy said:

They are good because they actually try and repair tyres

If you see a bloke in a van with a pot plant on the side in there, that's me, we take our work vans there.

That’s reassuring, I’ve heard good things about them! Look out for a filthy E46 coupe (we live on a new build site that isn’t finished)

I am assuming that’s the persimmon one then?

Yes, for our sins

[sparks_E46]

interstellar said:

sparks_E46 said:

interstellar said:

sparks_E46 said:

Johnnytheboy said:

They are good because they actually try and repair tyres

If you see a bloke in a van with a pot plant on the side in there, that's me, we take our work vans there.

That’s reassuring, I’ve heard good things about them! Look out for a filthy E46 coupe (we live on a new build site that isn’t finished)

I am assuming that’s the persimmon one then?

Yes, for our sins

I looked at that but bought new from Bellway in Ferndown in the end but I am home based so have no commute. My girlfriend lives in Blandford though so know it well.

It hasn’t been without drama I can tell you that! And so can all my neighbours

[sparks_E46]

interstellar said:

sparks_E46 said:

interstellar said:

sparks_E46 said:

interstellar said:

sparks_E46 said:

Johnnytheboy said:

They are good because they actually try and repair tyres

If you see a bloke in a van with a pot plant on the side in there, that's me, we take our work vans there.

That’s reassuring, I’ve heard good things about them! Look out for a filthy E46 coupe (we live on a new build site that isn’t finished)

I am assuming that’s the persimmon one then?

Yes, for our sins

I looked at that but bought new from Bellway in Ferndown in the end but I am home based so have no commute. My girlfriend lives in Blandford though so know it well.

It hasn’t been without drama I can tell you that! And so can all my neighbours

spill the beans then. I did pull in to that road about a month ago and it was very muddy and fences everywhere but what went wrong with the build?

Where to start! Leaky plumbing, wet ceilings, blocked drains, a flood.. front door didn’t lock or even close properly- this was all on our first day. Our mistake was entrusting the developers with a key to carry out some rectification work a couple of days later, only for them to go home leaving our front door wide open with no one home, and all our possessions inside, all the lights on and the heating on full whack. A builder telling me to fk off when I asked him not to park in our space... Builders ripping up the residential parking only signs and throwing them on the road.

On handover there were still people working on the house and it was filthy. We had 70 odd snags. To their credit they have fixed about 80% so far, but first impressions were pretty awful! The site was unsafe, apart from being absolutely filthy there were no clear defined pathways for pedestrians and equipment and fencing strewn everywhere. It’s been a nightmare to be honest. Funny thing is every person we’ve met who has moved in has had pretty much the same problems. We do love the house though, and the area.