Cross country - M62 or A628?

rev_henry

I often drive from Manchester to North Lincs over the M62, but the sat nav often suggests the A628 over the Pennines. Would this be a better idea? Sure its shorter but would it take hours longer and be likely to get stuck in traffic?

redux

I don't know the area at all, but I can suggest that on Google Maps on a PC you get 2 or 3 choices of route, and you can also right click and drag to other roads, so that should give you some rough comparisons

Google Maps suggests maybe 20 miles shorter and 5 minutes longer, but they tend to be a bit cautious about non-motorway routes.

I suppose it depends a bit whether you get behind slow lorries uphill, and how many overtaking chances

It should save a few quids worth of fuel as well, partly the shorter distance and partly travelling a bit slower.

I'd say explore it, and even if you don't end up on the scenic route every day you can keep it in reserve for when you hear about motorway jams.

banger9365

you have more chance of getting stuck on the m62 than the 628 ,its been running rubbish for the last few fridays,
i travel the m62 both ways twice a day
the 628 is longer in time if the m62 is running fine but if not its faster ,and one thing to remember it an old trunk road to so if m62 is closed where do people go

rev_henry

redux wrote: »

I don't know the area at all, but I can suggest that on Google Maps on a PC you get 2 or 3 choices of route, and you can also right click and drag to other roads, so that should give you some rough comparisons

Google Maps suggests maybe 20 miles shorter and 5 minutes longer, but they tend to be a bit cautious about non-motorway routes.

I suppose it depends a bit whether you get behind slow lorries uphill, and how many overtaking chances

It should save a few quids worth of fuel as well, partly the shorter distance and partly travelling a bit slower.

I'd say explore it, and even if you don't end up on the scenic route every day you can keep it in reserve for when you hear about motorway jams.

Yeah my thoughts exactly. I should really try it once or twice, looks like a stunning road too, and of course its all about saving fuel. I'm vaguely on the right starting side of Manchester for the A628 so probably slightly more than 20 miles saved, so that's about £6 or so there and back.

banger9365 wrote: »

you have more chance of getting stuck on the m62 than the 628 ,its been running rubbish for the last few fridays,
i travel the m62 both ways twice a day
the 628 is longer in time if the m62 is running fine but if not its faster ,and one thing to remember it an old trunk road to so if m62 is closed where do people go

Ok cheers, are the silly 50 zones still up round Leeds? Though I guess when they're done with that we'll have managed motorways with hard shoulder running. :j

TKA25

rev_henry wrote: »

Though I guess when they're done with that we'll have managed motorways with hard shoulder running. :j

LOL :rotfl:

kowloonboy

I will stick to the motorway, it always work out cheaper on the fuel. Did you set you satnav to the shortest distance, instead of most less setting?

Lincoln_Imp

I travel that way regular to visit my lad at uni in Manchester
But always try to go to avoid hitting the traffic at stupid times

Hollingworth is your biggest problem with travelling that way
As soon as you come off the M67 (or going up the hill on mottram moor going the other way) you will hit traffic ,in fact if its rush hour expect to be stuck for a hour or so

All depends at what time you travel

rev_henry

TKA25 wrote: »

LOL :rotfl:

What's so funny?! Managed motorways seem to work great around Birmingham, and are FAR cheaper than building another lane.

kowloonboy wrote: »

I will stick to the motorway, it always work out cheaper on the fuel. Did you set you satnav to the shortest distance, instead of most less setting?

I may have set it to most economical, though on my new phone Apple Maps has no such setting and none of the three routes it suggests are via the M62. But we all know about Apple Maps...

Lincoln_Imp wrote: »

I travel that way regular to visit my lad at uni in Manchester
But always try to go to avoid hitting the traffic at stupid times

Hollingworth is your biggest problem with travelling that way
As soon as you come off the M67 (or going up the hill on mottram moor going the other way) you will hit traffic ,in fact if its rush hour expect to be stuck for a hour or so

All depends at what time you travel

Hmm, ok. I'll be going tomorrow lunchtime ish, undecided yet...

opinions4u

Don't rule out Snake Pass either.

Unless it's snowing!

Buellguy

rev_henry wrote: »

What's so funny?! Managed motorways seem to work great around Birmingham, and are FAR cheaper than building another lane.


I may have set it to most economical, though on my new phone Apple Maps has no such setting and none of the three routes it suggests are via the M62. But we all know about Apple Maps...



Hmm, ok. I'll be going tomorrow lunchtime ish, undecided yet...

I think the LOL is there because the roadworks are due to be there until at least late next year. I used to go from St helens to 15 miles south of Lincoln and always found the quickest/least hassle route to be M62/M18/M180 then A15. It all depends on when you are travelling and where to - St Helens to Sleaford used to take me about two and a half to 2 hours 45, far better than the A1 IMHO

purplestar133

I prefer the A57 (Snake Pass) over the A628. It is roughly the same distance but seems a bit quicker on the A57. There's also a steady speed limit - the A628 limit changes up and down throughout the route, it's also much busier than the A57 with lots of lorries and coaches.

Lincoln Imp is right - heading out of Manchester on the A57 at Mottram before you take the road for A628 (just after you come off M67) you can be queuing for ages. Some tips for this are to come off the M67 in the right hand lane, go round the roundabout and join the A57 queue again - gives you a bit of a head start. Or you can go round the roundabout past the McDonalds and and turn left where the new Tesco is. Then you go through a housing estate and end up queuing at the end to get back onto A57, but you've already skipped a big bit of the queue.

I do this journey regularly - hope this helps!