Nigel H

Need to get to Brentwood back from Reading on Friday night - probably leaving Reading about 18:30.

Any advice on routes and traffic? My inclination is to go M4/M25, but I expect this to be horrendous.

Jolly Green Monster 2

Like you say you are pretty much stuck with M4 M25 (anti-clockwise) towards Gatwick and Dartford tunnel.. although the other way around the M25 is not much further from there and you would avoid the toll on Dartford tunnel... If you leave Reading at 18:30 you shouldn't be to the M25 until gone 7 and the traffic should be okay.. although still a fair amount about..
Keep an eye on the traffic before you go Teletext on ITV 162 gives the motorways.. although watch when it was last updated.
Try listening to the radio in the car.. as this might help with the decision of clockwise or anticlockwise..
There are road works around junction 21 so if you go clockwise be aware of the 40mph road works but again at that time you should be okay...
Try www.streetmap.co.uk or www.multimap.com to plan a route... also www.theaa.co.uk has a route planner..

Also there is a short cut from the M4 to the M3 getting you on the M25 further around and missing the heathrow traffic, via Bracknell.

I shall have a look and repost the junction number off the M4..
it is a straight forward route and I believe the M3 is signposted more or less straight away.

I am likely to be on the M25 from junction 21 to 31 on Friday afternoon towing a Corsa on a trailer behind my Scooby so if you see me wave!

JGM

Edited because I spelt Bracknell wrong..

[Edited by Jolly Green Monster 2 - 10/30/2002 1:08:35 PM]

TelBoy

In fact, last time i did M25 on a friday evening, i was shocked as to how easy it was. Maybe i got lucky.

Whatever you do though, don't thread your way through London. The M25 can be frustrating, but the City can reduce you to tears very quickly...

Jolly Green Monster 2

Short cut is junction 10 off the M4 and the A329..

See HERE

JGM

Jolly Green Monster 2

Agree with Telboy regarding London.. most of the time if the M25 is bad then London will be worse as it only takes 10% of the people to decide to jump off the M25 and through London and it is at a standstill for longer than the M25 and at least with the M25 you know exactly where you are going..

Said from experiance of sitting in queues through London and I know my way through most of it..

JGM

ADP

I do this exact journery very often.

Its not good on a Friday night, M4 -> London will be slowish, then I normally go clockwise round the M25 to Junc 28/29. The traffic normally flows, provided there arent too many incidents etc but only at 50mph ish. Dont expect to blat along at 90.

andy

V5

I would have said clockwise would work better, but I haven't been through the roadworks at J21 on a Friday. When we've gone from the M3 to M1 on a Friday night we've been suprised how much it does flow - a steady 50-60mph. Mebbe we were as lucky as Telboy!

Soapy Sam

Agree with JGM, the A322 is fun, nice roundabouts...

Nigel H

Thanks folks - just the sort of advice I was after.

Will use me mobile (2222) vodafone to get an update, but I just wanted a view on the normal best route.

I'm hiring a Mini Cooper for the week as the missus wants to try one.