I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice on my new commute.
I live in Battersea (SW8) and have to commute to work 3 days a week to my new office in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire. The shortest route in miles is straight through central london, up through Victoria, Marble Arch and St Johns Wood to join the A1 (North) past Brent Cross. The only other option is to drive west out of london and join the M25 (and take this up to the North Circular then A1 North)which seems like a long way to go to take a road which is usually very busy and prone to delays...
Does anyone know at what time rush hour gets really bad in central London. AA route finder says it wil take 1hour 24mins, but has anyone got a handle on a more relaistic time i would have to leave to get in the office for 9am?
Any advice on how best to tackle this would be much appreciated.
Cheers,
Greg
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Probably get contradicted by "the locals" for this but as a provincial I have found going through London from M1 to Norbury area not bad at all between 6 and 7am a couple of times recently. On the other hand the M 25 can be very slow at those times (this morning it was awful) especially with roadworks from M40 junction going clockwise. Also bear in mind that you will be going "against the flow" so may not be too bad.................????????
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It makes no sense to drive out of london to hit the M25 which is a nightmare going north at that time anyway.
In truth, once you are north of the river, the going should be pretty easy as all traffic will be going the other way. So yes your best route is straight through London and work out the little rat runs as you go on. Dont forget you will need to pay cogestion charge.
Leaving at 7 should see you at your desk with a latte in your hand by 8:45 /9:00am.
Or how about thames link train?
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I reckon AE's right. Going straight through isn't a doddle until you're used to it, but not as bad as people think unless you are unlucky.
If you are through the congestion zone by 8 you don't have to pay it. But there's a central through route involving Park Lane and Edgware Road, and a western through route that uses Scrubs Lane, right and left at Harrow Road there and wriggle your way through to Hendon Way and the A1 that goes, I seem to remember, straight to Biggleswade.
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You might be OK as you are going against the flow,
Its not so much the traffic that will slow you down going through the centre of town as the traffic lights, pedestrian crossings etc which you do not experience on the motorway.
In the old days before the M25 from Marble Arch I used to go on the A5 ( Edgware Road ) then on A41 to the A1 - you turn right off Edgware Road at St Johns Wood Road and join the A41 at St Johns Wood ( left just after Lords Cricket Ground ) and head north up the Finchley Road ( many sets of lights ) and follow the signs for the A1.
Good Luck!
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If you are through the congestion zone by 8 you don't have to pay it.
Thought it started at 7am
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Thought it started at 7am
Quite right, sorry. I'm not an early morning person but that's no excuse.
Google the cz and look at the map. It will show the through routes.
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Thanks for the advice everyone. I will take the Marble Arch/St Johns Wood route and avoid the congestion charge by looping up via Victoria instead through Chelsea.
Cheers
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Or how about thames link train?
Think that would involve a change at Kings Cross/St Pancras. Thameslink goes to Bedford on the Midland Main Line, Biggleswade is on the ECML (Dad's territory?).
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East Coast Main Line does indeed stop at Biggleswade, it runs from Kings X too so tube up from Battersea to there and sit back afterwards. Biggleswade train station is about 300 yards from the Market Square so very handy if the OP's new work is in the town centre.
If, however, work is on the large Stratton Park industrial/commercial development to the south of the town then using the roads would probably make more sense. You would indeed be travelling against the flow for pretty much all of the journey, although queues leading up to the south Biggleswade roundabout are quite common in the morning.
To avoid these a simple short-cut would be to leave the A1 by the Langford water tower (at the top of the first hill after the end of the A1(M)), cross the bridge and head northeast towards Dunton. When you get to Dunton turn left onto Biggleswade Road (surprisingly!) and you end up right by the business park without the tiresome (and in fog previously, lethal) traffic jam.
I have lived in Biggleswade 3 times in the last 15 years, it's my old stamping ground ;-)
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I'd rather shoot myself than drive that route three days a week. Train all the way. If you can go round the inside of Regent's Park you'll probably find that quicker.
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