try checking on the TOM TOM website, it has a journey planner but you can just as easily use its live data map [free to all] to see where the hold ups are or road works. have found it pretty useful over the years to see where road works are before selecting a route ...
Thanks for that. My Tom Tom sat nav doesn't have live traffic on it but your solution works a treat. Just checked the route and it seems the 3 year long roadworks are just about done.
Alan