Best Weekday for Cross Country Drive

smithson5

Hi

I'm moving house from London to Stafford and my uncle is driving down from Stafford to collect me and my belongings, then we're heading back up to Stafford the same day.

Its looking like it will have to be a Weds, Thurs or Friday.

Could anyone advise on which day would probably be best traffic wise?

Many thanks, smyths

worried_jim

Not Friday.

JQ.

Whichever day is most convenient for you and your uncle.

The best day would be the one where there are no crashes on the M25 or M40, so unless you are psychic, refer back to my first point.

Although I would also probably avoid Friday afternoon.

oscarward

Avoid the motorways during rush hour and you should be fine. Listen to traffic reports on the radio as well. Friday rush hour starts at 12 (Poets day) and interestingly some people seem to be working 4 day weeks and going home/ weekend on a Thursday PM so there is congestion then as well.

I travel west mids to leatherhead usually on a wed. going down I try to get to heathrow area before 8am and usually come back at 10 am on a Thursday. As a previous poster said if there is an accident then all bets are off.

e.g.
On occasion I have taken 90 minutes to travel the 20 miles from Leatherhead to the M40/M25 junction at 6pm on a Thursday just down to sheer volume of traffic :mad:. But On a Sunday just before Christmas I did the whole journey of 149 miles in just over 2 hours . A colleague last week took 5 hours to drive the 65 miles from his home in kent to the office because of an accident on the M25.

gilbert_and_sullivan

Best morning for his travel down will be Friday.
If you can be leaving London for the return journey by 10am then Friday can be surpisingly good, but once lunchtime arrives forget it you want to be North of B'ham by midday.

If its going to be an afternoon return then Weds as Thursday afternoons get busy heading North.

Keep 'TA' on the radio, might be worth that fiver to use the M6 Toll northbound on return.