I'm driving from Hemel Hempstead to Rye this Sunday, leaving HH at about 10:00 and starting back from Rye at about 18:00.
On the map it looks pretty much a toss-up between M25 clockwise OR anti-clockwise, with slight differences once I'm south of London, depending on which way round I've gone.
I'm assuming going down on Sunday morning ought to be fairly easy and I'm favouring the anti-clockwise route, with no Dartford toll (or is it free on Sunday anyway?) But, on the way back, given the current roadworks in various places and the fact that there will be the usual Sunday-evening traffic, I'm less certain.
Advice, please?
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I would say southbound on M25-then M20 to Ashford,then Brenzett, then Rye.
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TomTom route planner, which purports to have knowledge of past traffic conditions for various days of the week on main routes, suggests that for a 10.00 departure the better route is clockwise and will take 2 hours
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Agree with PP etc. Clockwise looks a little shorter and the tunnel toll is a couple of quid??
The NE quadrant (A1-Dartford) is as quiet as the M25 gets. OTOH the NW to west side is pretty bust 24/7/365 on account of LHR/LGW if nothing else.
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Google Maps shows the clockwise route to be 103 miles in 2 hours 7 minutes, and the anticlockwise route to be 105 miles also in 2 hours 7 minutes.
I would keep the radio on for the traffic news, and make my decision on the day.
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FWIW, don't forget Google Maps also has the ability to predict journey times based on departure day and time. It uses historic traffic patterns to do it, much like TomTom.
Took me ages to find it when it was first launched, but you just turn on "traffic" and then click "options".
I can't vouch for its accuracy of course.
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It's all about roadworks. There are some between 9 & 10 and they have been closing the road
Check with the HA
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HA site at www.trafficengland.com gives details of roadworks and accidents and has the ability to give you real-time average speeds between M way junctions on your route
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Tunnel toll is now £1.50-free 22.00 to 06.00.Major road works M11 to A127.
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I would normally use the Western side of the M25. So, Anti-clockwise going down and clock-wise coming back. No toll to pay on the bridge or through the tunnel.
Aren't the roadworks between 9 and 10 at night?
Going down/up on the Eastern side of the M25 always feels uncomfortable to me, but then, I am a Middlesx/Surrey lad.
I think if I broke down on the M25 in Essex and stopped on the hard shoulder, someone would creep out of the bushes and eat me.
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I'd be going the Southern route both ways, Dartford approaches can foul up at a fast rate, and alternative crossings don't bear thinking about.
If something happens Southern route there's scope for getting round any problems.
Subject to checking before departure on the Saturday.
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>> I'd be going the Southern route both ways, Dartford approaches can foul up at a
>> fast rate, and alternative crossings don't bear thinking about.
Do you mean the Western route?
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>> Do you mean the Western route?
Yes guvnor, Heathrow side both ways.
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The Google map route with specific departure times suggests clockwise out, anti-clockwise back, but it's all pretty marginal.
BTW, have decide to break the journey at Bodiam Castle on the way down, which in fact seems to make no difference to the suggested routes/times.
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You won't get eaten on the hard shoulder in Essex at the moment-there isn't one.That's why I said MAJOR road works;the road is being changed to four lanes.
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Good looking castle is Bodium, Great moat.
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Mission accomplished.
Journey down (M25 clockwise) pleasant and uneventful, in sunshine.
Return journey (M25 clockwise) less pleasant. Rain on and off, very slow traffic from before Junction 10 until Junction 12; maybe anticlockwise would have been better.
All in all, a good day, with lunch at Bodiam and a quick look around the castle, and tea with friends in Rye.
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Best route Hemel to Rye - jc2
