Opinions requested - in two weeks time on a Thursday my family will be
coming to visit us, and will be driving from Heathrow Airport to
Walthamstow, starting out from Heathrow at about 15:30.

I guess the two obvious routes are M25-M11 or A4-A406-A10. What do you think
would be quickest at that time of day? Typically, how busy are the two roads
main roads (M25/A406) then?

Thanks in advance,

Andy.

In article ,
Andrew Wyatt wrote:
I guess the two obvious routes are M25-M11 or A4-A406-A10. What do you think
would be quickest at that time of day? Typically, how busy are the two roads
main roads (M25/A406) then?

Currently there are horrid road works on the M25 around Waltham Cross; I'd avoid
that route at the moment.

--
I don't play The Game - it's for five-year-olds with delusions of adulthood.

On Sat, 16 Sep 2006 07:56:03 +0100, "Andrew Wyatt"
wrote:

Opinions requested - in two weeks time on a Thursday my family will be
coming to visit us, and will be driving from Heathrow Airport to
Walthamstow, starting out from Heathrow at about 15:30.

I guess the two obvious routes are M25-M11 or A4-A406-A10. What do you think
would be quickest at that time of day? Typically, how busy are the two roads
main roads (M25/A406) then?

Starting out at 15.30 means they will hit the school run and the evening
rush hour.

I really would not use the M25 and M11. As another poster has said there
are roadworks near Enfield / Waltham Cross that are causing huge jams
and more accidents than normal. The motorway has been closed on several
occasions.

Can't comment on the A4 as I don't use it much. The A406 from
Gunnersbury to Hanger Lane will be slow - there's nothing you can but be
patient. The rest of the A406 is not too bad although you may get
delayed through Neasden and Henly's Corner (near Finchley). The next
likely jam is on the section through Bounds Green to Palmers Green -
again take your time. I don't understand the reference to the A10 as
that won't get you to Walthamstow - more likely Wood Green or Enfield.
The A406 runs right round to the Crooked Billet junction which will get
you into Walthamstow directly.

I would allow at least 2 hours for the trip - possibly more as it's a
very busy route.

--
Paul C


Admits to working for London Underground!

"Andrew Wyatt" wrote:
Opinions requested - in two weeks time on a Thursday my family will be
coming to visit us, and will be driving from Heathrow Airport to
Walthamstow, starting out from Heathrow at about 15:30.

I guess the two obvious routes are M25-M11 or A4-A406-A10. What do you
think would be quickest at that time of day? Typically, how busy are the
two roads main roads (M25/A406) then?

Depends how confident they are with the back streets (or not-so-main roads)
really.

Bits to avoid are the A406 between A4 and A40 (Hanger Lane), North Circular
around the A1 junction (Henlys Corner) and near Bounds Green/New Southgate,
and the rest should be ok. Others have mentioned the roadworks on the M25
near Waltham Cross as well, so with that in mind, I'd go one of two ways:

1. M25, then A40/M40 to Hanger Lane [1], then A406 to Brent Cross, taking
A41 towards London. Third left (excluding the ones on the sliproad just as
you join the A41) into Wayside, 2nd left into Armitage Road, straight across
two sets of lights, and follow the road up to Meadway until Kingsley Way
(about 0.8 miles), then left onto Kingsley Way, straight over the first set
of lights (A1 junction), and right at the top onto East End Road, which
leads into East Finchley. Then just follow the A504 through East Finchley,
Muswell Hill, Hornsey, leading up to Seven Sisters, and up to Walthamstow
from there. From joining East End Road things might be a little slow, but
far less worse than the alternatives IMHO.

2. M25 around to the A10 junction, then A10 towards London, and first left
towards Enfield Lock - then follow the A1055 past Enfield Lock and
Brimsdown, either picking up the North Circular where you come to it, or
just carry on to Tottenham Hale and go into Walthamstow from there.

Either of those should avoid most of the worst traffic blackspots for that
journey.

--
[1] You could go A30/A312, or M4/A312, but you're probably as well just
staying on the M25 if you're starting on it, and if you go A30/A312 the
queues can be a pain coming up to the M4.

Thanks for all your comments.

Andy

Andrew Wyatt wrote:
Thanks for all your comments.

Andy

I wouldn't necessarily suggest public transport for a family with
luggage but this is one instance when it might be worth it. Picc line
straight up to Finsbury Park then just walk across the platform to The
Victoria line verses a slog around the North Circular.

Kevin

Andrew Wyatt wrote:
Opinions requested - in two weeks time on a Thursday my family will be
coming to visit us, and will be driving from Heathrow Airport to
Walthamstow, starting out from Heathrow at about 15:30.

I guess the two obvious routes are M25-M11 or A4-A406-A10. What do you think
would be quickest at that time of day? Typically, how busy are the two roads
main roads (M25/A406) then?

A10 would be the wrong exit from the A406. For Walthamstow you will
want to exit on A112 (Chingford Road) at Crooked Billet or possibly
A104 then right onto A503.

Also you'd want to take the route A312/A40/A406 rather than A4/A406.

The parts of the A406 you may find slow are around Henlys Corner (A1
junction) (not usually so bad in that direction, worse the other way)
and Bounds Green to Palmers Green. There are some road-works at the
moment just before Henlys Corner but they are night-time only and
shouldn't affect you.

The M25 route is a long way round. Might be worthwhile though. As an
alternative to leaving at M11 you can leave at J24 and take the A111
until it meets the North Circular at the Great Cambridge Roundabout.
That road is generally fairly clear except for a small hold-up in the
middle of Southgate.

Then there is the "central" route:

A40 all the way to Marylebone (where it becomes A501)

left onto A4201 (Albany Street) (just after Regents Park, which you can
go through as an alternative). Follow the road round into Parkway and
at Britannia Junction (Camden Town) take A503 Camden Road and follow
this road all the way to Walthamstow.

AstraVanMan wrote:


Others have mentioned the roadworks on the M25
near Waltham Cross as well, so with that in mind, I'd go one of two ways:


2. M25 around to the A10 junction, then A10 towards London, and first left
towards Enfield Lock - then follow the A1055 past Enfield Lock and
Brimsdown, either picking up the North Circular where you come to it, or
just carry on to Tottenham Hale and go into Walthamstow from there.

The roadworks are immediately east of the A10 junction. To avoid them,
come off at the A111 junction (Potters Bar), and take the fourth exit
(A111 southbound). Follow this all the way to the A10, junction with
the North Circular, then east to Walthamstow.

AstraVanMan wrote:

1. M25, then A40/M40 to Hanger Lane [1], then A406 to Brent Cross, taking
A41 towards London. Third left (excluding the ones on the sliproad just as
you join the A41) into Wayside, 2nd left into Armitage Road, straight across
two sets of lights, and follow the road up to Meadway until Kingsley Way
(about 0.8 miles), then left onto Kingsley Way, straight over the first set
of lights (A1 junction),

Interesting way to avoid Henlys Corner.

and right at the top onto East End Road, which
leads into East Finchley. Then just follow the A504 through East Finchley,
Muswell Hill

technically "following" the A504 through Muswell Hill means by-passing
Queens Avenue.

Hornsey,

I use A1 Lyttleton Road/Aylmer Road then left onto A1000 for a few
yards then through Woodside Avenue, Cranley Gardens, The Chine and left
into Park Road before joining the A504 by turning right into Priory
Road.

leading up to Seven Sisters,

Which means at Turnpike Lane you must turn right then left again,
because the obvious "ahead" is the A1080 Westbury Road which takes you
up to Lordship Lane.

And as you're going to head for Seven Sisters anyway you may as well
use Philip Lane which is the B153.

and up to Walthamstow
from there. From joining East End Road things might be a little slow, but
far less worse than the alternatives IMHO.

I wouldn't be so sure.

2. M25 around to the A10 junction, then A10 towards London, and first left
towards Enfield Lock - then follow the A1055 past Enfield Lock and
Brimsdown, either picking up the North Circular where you come to it, or
just carry on to Tottenham Hale and go into Walthamstow from there.
Either of those should avoid most of the worst traffic blackspots for that
journey.

No, you should leave at J24 and go through the A111.

[1] You could go A30/A312, or M4/A312, but you're probably as well just
staying on the M25 if you're starting on it, and if you go A30/A312 the
queues can be a pain coming up to the M4.

There are rat-runs for that too, but the main road is generally faster.
You'd be surprised how often staying on the main road and moving slowly
with the traffic queue is actually faster than the seemingly flowing
alternative routes.

StephenC wrote:
AstraVanMan wrote:


Others have mentioned the roadworks on the M25
near Waltham Cross as well, so with that in mind, I'd go one of two ways:


2. M25 around to the A10 junction, then A10 towards London, and first left
towards Enfield Lock - then follow the A1055 past Enfield Lock and
Brimsdown, either picking up the North Circular where you come to it, or
just carry on to Tottenham Hale and go into Walthamstow from there.

The roadworks are immediately east of the A10 junction. To avoid them,
come off at the A111 junction (Potters Bar), and take the fourth exit
(A111 southbound). Follow this all the way to the A10, junction with
the North Circular, then east to Walthamstow.

The trouble is a lot of other people do that. I go the other way and
there is usually a queue all the way, or not far off all the way, from
the M25 to Cockfosters station. I imagine going through Enfield is the
same.

Kevin