mo wrote:
"Richard J." wrote in message
news:zm20e.3623
No point. It's a longer way round, and you'll hit the roadworks on
M25 near Heathrow and quite possibly a queue on M4 approaching
Chiswick. M3 to its end, then A316 is much more direct.

i notice that the A316 goes onto the Chiswick roundabout - so would
it have been quicker for me to have used this route to the Chiswick
roundabout all those times i went there in the past rather than the
M4 route???


http://multimap.co.uk/map/browse.cgi...=6&right.y=142

The A316 meets the A4 at the *Hogarth* Roundabout, which is by the "k"
of Chiswick on the above map. The Chiswick Roundabout is where the A4
meets the North & South Circular Roads, underneath the start of the M4
(marked as Junction 1 on the map).

so are you suggesting i take the A316 onto the chiswick roundbaout
and then the A4?

A316 to the Hogarth Roundabout, then the A4.

whats the a316 like - is it 1 or 2 lanes and is traffic free flowing
on it - is it as easy to drive on as the M4 would be and how much
time would i be saving?

It starts off as 3+3 dual carriageway and progressively degrades to 1+1
single carriageway. Mostly 2+2 lanes, though, and 40 mph limit with
about 6 roundabouts and various traffic lights. On a Saturday, I would
expect it to be reasonably free-flowing unless there is a big match at
Twickenham, in which case use M4 instead. M25/M4 tends in my experience
to be more prone to queues.
--
Richard J.
(to e-mail me, swap uk and yon in address)

In message , mo
writes

whats the a316 like - is it 1 or 2 lanes and is traffic free flowing on it -

It is virtually motorway standard (3 lanes) until about the last 3
miles. After that it is 2 lane, with 5 roundabouts and 3 sets of traffic
lights before the Hogarth roundabout (where you join the A4, rather
closer to the centre of London than Chiswick roundabout, incidentally).

is it as easy to drive on as the M4 would be and how much time would i be
saving?

It is difficult to say, because what you are saving is the likelihood of
running into interminable jams on the M4 - but I would say the A316 is
almost always going to be quicker. I live in the area, and would never
consider going all the way round to the M4 when coming up from
Southampton, unless there is a big match at Twickenham at the critical
time (the A316 runs almost outside the stadium) - but I don't think
there's a match this weekend.

I would certainly consider the advice to park outside of the centre of
town and get the train for the last stretch. As you can see he

http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.c...e=10000&icon=x

Chiswick station is about 1 minute off the A316 after crossing the
Thames, parking is free and trains are every 15 minutes, up to almost
midnight. Journey time 25 minutes to Waterloo - considerably less than
the drive time. It offers a relaxing ride in and out of town - and when
you pick up the car you get straight out onto fast roads. No engineering
works are listed for this weekend, incidentally.

Parking in Hammersmith is also worth considering - I often park under
the A4 flyover, next to the church, but you have to pay up to 6.30pm and
there may be a maximum of 2 hours. Also, if you don't know the area,
this is harder to find than Chiswick station.

As I mentioned, I live in the area and would not normally consider
taking the car into that part of central London on a Saturday afternoon
because of the difficulty/expense of parking and the uncertainty and
frustration of long traffic delays.
--
Paul Terry

also last time we went we stayed in a NCP car park but i noticed a lot of
car parking spaces on roads, does russell street have any and if not any
large roads to check out before the NCP?


Parking restrictions in the area north of High Holborn and east of Kingsway
(northeast of Holborn tube) finish at 1.30 on Saturdays. You can park for
free on single yellows and pay-and-display bays (not resident's bays). There
are usually spaces on (or just off) Theobald's Road. But look at the signs
carefully!

You've got a 10/15 minute walk to bow street from there.

xx j

In message , Mike Hughes
writes
However, it will all depend upon the time of day, and the type of
vehicle you are driving (you are not allowed to take commercial
vehicles or vehicles with adverts through the royal parks) as this will
affect the route.

I thought that the no adverts rule in the Parks had been lifted some
time ago? Ids that not the case? Or is an exception just made for
taxis?
--
Ian Jelf, MITG
Birmingham, UK

Registered Blue Badge Tourist Guide for London and the Heart of England
http://www.bluebadge.demon.co.uk

"Richard J." wrote in message news:fu40e.3673

A316 to the Hogarth Roundabout, then the A4.

Thanks - so what happens once I am cruising on the A4? Juts keep going
straight til I see signs for Covent Garden or what?

I am willing to stop and park up somewhere if

1) its walkable from the theatre area
2) its quite an easy place to find once we are out of the cinema - i.e we
dont lose the car!!

mo wrote to uk.transport.london on Wed, 23 Mar 2005:


"Richard J." wrote in message news:fu40e.3673

A316 to the Hogarth Roundabout, then the A4.

Thanks - so what happens once I am cruising on the A4? Juts keep going
straight til I see signs for Covent Garden or what?

I am willing to stop and park up somewhere if

1) its walkable from the theatre area
2) its quite an easy place to find once we are out of the cinema - i.e we
dont lose the car!!

Honestly, given that you are really unfamiliar with London - wouldn't it
be a lot easier to get a train to Waterloo & then a taxi to your
destination?
--
"Mrs Redboots"
http://www.amsmyth.demon.co.uk/
Website updated 20 March 2005

"Mrs Redboots" wrote in message

Honestly, given that you are really unfamiliar with London - wouldn't it
be a lot easier to get a train to Waterloo & then a taxi to your
destination?


whats the point, it probably costs more money getting there in taxi than it
does in parking, also at least once you are out of the theatre and all tired
you can aim straight for the comfort of your own car.

ok maybe it is a little more hassle driving in but its worht it (imo)

"mo" wrote in message
...

"Mrs Redboots" wrote in message

Honestly, given that you are really unfamiliar with London - wouldn't it
be a lot easier to get a train to Waterloo & then a taxi to your
destination?


whats the point, it probably costs more money getting there in taxi than
it does in parking, also at least once you are out of the theatre and all
tired you can aim straight for the comfort of your own car.


Unless someone has trouble walking, you don't even need a taxi from
Waterloo - it's probably less than 20 minutes walk across the eponymous
bridge, which has some of the best views in London!

xx j

In message , mo
writes

"Mrs Redboots" wrote in message

Honestly, given that you are really unfamiliar with London - wouldn't it
be a lot easier to get a train to Waterloo & then a taxi to your
destination?


whats the point, it probably costs more money getting there in taxi than it
does in parking,

No. Waterloo to Bow Street is only a few minutes walk. If you really
must take a cab, it would be about a 4 pound minimum fare (it is well
under a mile). Street parking in that part of London (if you can find
any) is 4 pounds an hour.

ok maybe it is a little more hassle driving in but its worht it (imo)

You are certainly entitled to your view. I go to the theatre in the west
end quite regularly, and I wouldn't dream of taking my car all the way
in - quite apart from the cost, the worry of missing curtain-up with the
frequent lengthy traffic jams throughout central London is just not
worth the risk, imo.

--
Paul Terry

mo wrote to uk.transport.london on Wed, 23 Mar 2005:

whats the point, it probably costs more money getting there in taxi than it
does in parking, also at least once you are out of the theatre and all tired
you can aim straight for the comfort of your own car.

ok maybe it is a little more hassle driving in but its worht it (imo)

I doubt it would cost more to get a taxi, to be honest - and is it worth
getting thoroughly lost and stressed & missing the first half of the
show?

I wouldn't dream of driving into central London even, or perhaps
especially, on a Saturday night. Public transport and/or taxi, or not
at all. We would - and do - drive if we're going across London, right to
the other side, but not into central London except in an emergency!
--
"Mrs Redboots"
http://www.amsmyth.demon.co.uk/
Website updated 20 March 2005