Haven't diven on the M1 for a few years.Usually when I drive to Dover use the A1 M25.
Inpressed with the four lanes on some parts and no 50mph roadworks.We had a nice drive to see son in London,I had to adjust to the hussle and bustle of a big city.Car horns blowing aggression and patience all part of live.Inpressed with the Taxi Drivers but they know where they are going..;)
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Usually motorways are all the same. That's the whole point - you don't need to learn anything extra to drive on a specific motorway.
M25 is probably an exception. It may be useful to mark few spots as pee-spots especially when you are stuck there for hours.
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I attempted to drive down it this morning. Sat Nav and radio traffic announcements were telling me it was solidly stopped from Milton Keynes to the M25.
I was going across the WGC but the Merc's sat nav kept re-routing with ever larger diversions as alternatives got jammed. Thankfully I managed to remember one of the earlier suggestions that look OK route-wise. At one point I was running next to the northbound carriageway then swapped over and was next to the south bound. It's not often you can see if your diversion was a good idea or not, but I certainly could this morning.
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I've used the sat nav in London.Not that happy with the new Tom Tom one,very slow to react when you take a wrong turn,or directed me into one way streets no entry.The previous model I still have was quicker to redirect a route.
Near London on the M1 four lanes and 60mph overhead gantry signs where up.Not many drivers took any notice of the speed restriction.Traffic wasn't that busy on the M1.
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We drove the length of the M1 northwards from J8 last Friday on a trip north to see my daughter and elder son. The traffic got worse and worse and eventually we pulled off, needing a "comfort break", and ended up in Alfreton. Thought we might as well stay for a pub lunch. We had intended to get as far as Hardwick Hall for a more classy meal and a look around, but had to abandon that plan. When we resumed the journey the traffic was still bad and we had little option but to press on. Apparently there had been a vehicle fire earlier and even though that had been dealt with before we were on the scene the backlog was tremendous and eventually it all merged with the usual Friday rush.
Made it to the Travelodge at Darlington. but the nightmare resumed on Saturday morning when we drove up the A1 to Newcastle in torrential rain, hitting another huge jam; the queue started well before the Tyne Tunnel turn-off and continued until well after the Metro Centre turn-off. Is it like that every weekend? Ghastly.
Last edited by: FocalPoint on Tue 21 May 13 at 11:30
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"Is it like that every weekend? Ghastly."
'fraid so! Fridays are dreadful on M1/A1 going South to North (with various "jam spots" near Luton, Northampton, Leicester, Nottingham etc, etc) and and that bit on A1 near Metro centre is ALWAYS dreadful! I quite often use A19 to get up to (and down from) Newcastle/Gateshead area - it's usually quieter, but dual carriageway like A1. Could you use M40/A43 from where you are? Not a bad route on Friday except for exit from M40 to A43 and Towcester.
Incidentally, my Grandad was county surveyor for N Yorks in the 1950s. He was very proud of the fact that he oversaw the "dual-carriagewaying" of A1 from Bramham crossroads (A64/A1 intersection) to Scotch corner. This was done in early 1950s he said N Yorks was first county in Britain to have a dual carriageway going all way through it!) and until the recent upgrade had remained much the same for 60 years (some roundabouts were removed, and the traffic lights at Bramham!!!) I remember being taken out to view some of his work when I was about 5 or 6 - was it only last year they opened the improvements near Leeming?? Nearly my whole lifetime to improve on of main N-S routeways!!!
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>> Could you use
>> M40/A43 from where you are? Not a bad route on Friday except for exit from
>> M40 to A43 and Towcester.
An alternative to A43 for cars/light vans is the old line of the B4525 from Banbury. Leave M40 at Banbury (J11). Follow Northampton B4525 as far as Thorpe Mandeville then a lovely run through unclassified roads Sulgrave>Morton Pinkney>Canons Ashby>Maidford>Litchborough to join A5 south of Weedon.
You then have a choice of routes to M1/J16 via Weedon and Flore or Bugbrooke>Kislingbury>A4500. Alternatively stay on A5 to J18 or via Gibbet Junction and A426 to M1/J20 or M6/J1.
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>> Made it to the Travelodge at Darlington. but the nightmare resumed on Saturday morning when
>> we drove up the A1 to Newcastle in torrential rain, hitting another huge jam; the
>> queue started well before the Tyne Tunnel turn-off and continued until well after the Metro
>> Centre turn-off. Is it like that every weekend? Ghastly.
>>
We must have been a little behind you as the traffic was queuing from just after the Chester-le-Street junction all the way up past Washington Services. I opted for the Tyne Tunnel but that was congested due to flooding on the approach road from Testos roundabout leading to the tunnel.
Once north of Morpeth the A697 was pretty bad due to heavy rainfall and poorly maintained road surface.
Last edited by: gmac on Tue 21 May 13 at 18:43
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The M1. - movilogo
