M6 or M6 toll - that is the question!

[john_5040735]

Hi folks - going away tomorrow night (Tues/Wed) and travelling from north west England to Dover to catch early morning ferry. I shall be travelling M6/M1/M25/M20. Question is - should I use the M6 toll around west midlands - even at around 3am? Have heard terrible tales of roadworks on M6 around Birmingham!

Other question is abou the M25 heading towards Dartford crossing/M20. Should this be clearish at about 6am?

Thanks once again in advance of your assistance.

John

 

[Lol1]

Hi John, at 3am even Birmingham is relatively quiet. There may be road works but they should present a minimal delay. The choice would be a lot harder if the Toll road fees were lower, but they aint, so I would gamble and take the M6

 

[mo hamilton]

when travelling down from scotland 2-3 weeks ago the overhead signs all said bad congestion m6 , we swithered whether to take the toll road but decided to against it , guess what , no congestion . sometimes I think its a conspiracy, honestly though we saw no road works and were not held up at all , we travelled on a monday so maybe that explains it

 

[BOING]

john,i live in burton near the m6 toll,only 20 minutes away.if you travel down the m6 at 3 am there will be no traffic .your chioce,but if you take the toll road you will be charged for your caravan at a cost of about

 

[PC_5119929]

John avoid the toll and strongly consider M40 and southern route past Heathrow rather than M1 and M25 past A10, M11 and the Dartford crossing.

M1 can be a nightmare at any time of the night, if you are not on the M25 by 6 AM be wary.

I'd place

 

[ThePadre]

Living in Dartford, I would honestly say if you can make it before 5am you should do fine, after that, "you pays your money and you takes your chance".

But one word of warning, if you take the other way round the M25, there have been some lovely hold ups round by junctions 9 + 10 recently, got caught up in them on Saturday whilst running around from the C&CC site at East Horsley.

 

[Tom_5075779]

Hi

I would not use the toll road at that time of the day as the motorway will not be an issue unless it is completely closed. It is pretty well signposted on the diversion if it is closed as well.

The M25 will be getting steady, but excluding any big accidents it shouldn't be a problem at that time of the day. i have often used it then and it is no problem.

 

[PC_5119929]

What the Padre says is partially right, but that area has less problems than M1 M1/M25 A10/M25 and M11/M25 junctions. The northern M25 Alternative routes are not as good the Alternatives to the south of the M25.

Take what the Padre says about before 5am as a very valid point which is why you would be wise to do M40 and the southern route around the M25, for southern M25 you need really to be on before 6am and off before 6.30 am !!!!!!!

 

[rob_jax]

Hi,

I commute to Rotterdam by car almost every other week, and have the pleasure of driving around London at around 5am.

At this time the M25 is just starting to get busy, quite a lot of HGV traffic.

The northern route around London - particularly the A10 junction at the Holmesdale tunnel - is very difficult, with major road works - avoid after 6 am.

The southern route is generally OK.

My suggestion - Using the M5 and M42, avoid the central part of Birmingham, take the M40 to the M25 and follow the route soutwards. Then take the M26 link road which joins with the M20 near Maidstone.

Enjoy your vacation. Robert

 

[WatsonJohnG]

Agree with comments above re M6 at 3am

As an aside disabled blue badge holders can get a pass for the M6 toll for