I have to travel to a funeral tomorrow at 2 pm in North Northumberland and plan to leave Sussex around 5.30 am travelling M23, M25, then A1 all the way.
I reckon with a fair crack of the traffic its a seven hour drive.
Anyone know of roadworks , problems to look out for or avoid?
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Roadworks with average speed camera's at Nottingham and IIRC around Sheffield way on the M1
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You rmain problem is the bottom of the A1, roadworks at the hatfield tunnel. If your leaving at 05:30 you should get through them before it builds up. Dont forget the roadworks on the M25 from M40 upwards
Might be tempted to go a/c wise round the M25, over the Dartford crossing, up the M11, A14 then A1.
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Worth considering M1 M18 ilo A1. M1 all the way up past Leeds can be quicker but is a little further.
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Roadworks north of Wetherby to Scotch Corner.
It's still two lanes each way, but there is a 50mph average speed restriction.
I've been through a few times and it's flowed OK, but the stretch must be 10 or 15 miles, so it will add a little time.
IJWS14 is spot on about coming off the M1 at the M18 and joining the A1(M).
It is shorter, still motorway standard all the way, and misses out the Sheffield/Meadowhall (?) shopping centre stretch of the M1, which can be slow moving.
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I travelled from Nottingham up to Edinburgh on Tuesday.
M1, M1link road east of Leeds, A1 all the way.
A1 has 50mph average speed camera zone from Dishforth to Ainderby Mires with Holtby (roughly half way between Leeming Bar and Caterick)
Traffic also ground to a halt several times down passed the Angel of North to the MetroCentre. That was approx. 6pm so to be expected for the time of day.
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There is another way that misses out the roadworks on the A1 in North Yorkshire, and the sticky bit past the MetroCentre at Gateshead.
Head towards Teesside by coming off the A1 at the A168 at Dishforth.
The A168 seamlessly joins the A19, stay on that past Middlesbrough/Sunderland.
Through the Tyne Tunnel and rejoin the A1 north of Newcastle.
Uninterrupted dual carriageway until a roundabout just south of the Tyne Tunnel.
Three or four roundabouts north of the tunnel, but generally OK for traffic outside the traditional rush hours we still have in the North East.
I think the OP might reach that stretch mid-morning, which should be a quiet time.
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I think i'd be inclined to do the M1/M18 route too, the roadworks between Nottingham and Mansfield are all but finished, it's still a 50 average speed section but all 4 lanes are up and running.
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>>Your main problem is the bottom of the A1, roadworks at the hatfield tunnel. If your leaving at 05:30 you should get through them before it builds up. Dont forget the roadworks on the M25 from M40 upwards
>>Might be tempted to go a/c wise round the M25, over the Dartford crossing, up the M11, A14 then A1.
In case you read this before you depart.
Check out
www.trafficengland.com/
and click on road side message signs. Gray M25 is bad news.
Click on the road side messages to read em.
I have just arrived home over an hour later than normal - late late 01:30 due to A1 & M25 south .
Diverted off A1 M due Hatfield tunnel closed and lousy diversions signs.
Spent 30 - 45 mins going no where on M25 cost that closed J21 A to J19 with no warning.
fortunately I was able to take M1 south to North circular.
If I were doing your trip take Zeros suggestions.
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Road sign on M23 warns of A1 closure J3- 4
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I think 7 hours should be fine and I would certainly use the M25 clockwise and then M1 all the way up to where it joins the A1 north of Leeds, at that time of day.
Looking at your start time, the only problems should be queing traffic to get off the M1 at M18 and possibly J40 to M62 split. These can be easily overcome in a car though, by getting in the outside lane early as it usually flows pretty well.
Pat
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Well thank you for all the suggestions . I am back now.
I did say the route I would take which was M23 , M25 & A1 , I just wanted to know any likely problems ....... None at all apart from the odd lorry overtake roadblock so we were lucky.
As it happened I 'made progress' and the only time I was below 70 mph was on the mandatory 50 's on the M25 , Hatfield tunnel , the 14 miles ( I clocked it ) in Yorkshire Dishforth - Leeming section and a couple of places on the non dual sections to the north of Newcastle.
Left home at 5.45 on Friday and arrived at destination 425 miles later at 1.15 pm having made one 15 minute loo stop after an hour on the way and one half hour stop for the loo and a little chef breakfast after 3 hours ( around 200 miles) . We stopped again for 20 minutes or so about 40 miles from our destination.
Around 6.5 hours actual driving in that time means I averaged 65mph. Although SWMBO is a good driver she is not keen on my car so I drove all the way.
We stayed overnight 30 miles south of Berwick . I have to admit I slept well.
I did the return journey on Saturday leaving at 10 : 15 and arriving home 4: 30 after clocking 385 miles in that time so again averaged around 65mph .
I worked out it was averaging 36 MPG over the journey for 2.4 Petrol Accord .
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Sussex to Northumberland - Redviper
