Conference terri::cars_uk

    Thanks for your very informative and helpful reply!
    

    Tom,
    
    	The route you need is a little complex, I would estimate that
    it will take you around 2 to 3 hours depending on the traffic.
    
    There are two routes I would choose from, (although I am sure there
    are many other routes that I have not explored), they are :
    
    from Heathrow get onto the M4 going West and then almost immediately
    take the exit marked M25 South (I think this is marked Heathrow
    Terminal 4). 
    Follow the M25 for about 8 miles to the exit marked M3 / Basingstoke.
    Follow the M3 to the end which goes into dual carriageway, continue
    for about 8 miles until you see signs for the M27, take the M27 exit
    marked Portsmouth. 
    Follow the M27 to the end and then onto the A27, the A27 will lead 
    directly to Arundel. The distance from the point at which you
    joined the M27 to Arundel is approximately 45 miles.
    Although the above route is longer, during the rush hour
    it may be faster.
    
    Route 2
    Again take the M4 from Heathrow and then onto the M25 South, this time
    however, stay on the M25 to exit 10 (A3/Guildford). Follow the A3 South
    and then after about 6 miles (just before Guildford) look for signs 
    to the A281/Horsham.
    Follow the A281 for about 15 miles and then, at a roundabout, take 
    the A29 South to Arundel (Approx 20 miles).
    
    Good luck
    
    Dave
    

    Dave,
    Thanks very much, excellent directions. I owe you a pint if I ever
    meet you.
    Regards,
    Tom.
    

For those amongst us who are firmly locked into fuming on the ground in traffic
jams, the OBVIOUS alternative is to fly.  If you've never looked at it seriously
you should as air taxi services for small numbers of people are now equally cost
competitive with motoring - and I'm talking less than four people travelling.

I'd have thought that going to Heathrow, the MOST obvious answer was the one I
gave in .1 - unless you must waste time, fuel, energy, etc.....

Your motorway route is a little long, the Horsham route is not that slow 
and would be more pleasent and maybe even quicker. I believe there is a 
quicker way still which bypasses Horsham but will have to check a map.
I think you can also save time and distance by getting on to the M25 south 
east of the airport by taking the perimeter round (or A4).

Dave.

    
    Re:.6
    
    The quickest way out of the airport is via the perimeter road, if you
    are heading for the A3/M3. This is especially true if you are
    collecting an Avis/Hertz hire car. Once you leave  the hire depot, turn
    RIGHT out onto the perimeter road. At the first roundabout, turn right,
    then straight across the next, and the next one is the junction with
    the M25. The 3 roundabouts can't be more than 500 yds apart in total.
    
    David.

	Can anyone give any explanation why the A1, southbound from around the
	latitude of Spalding moves at an average of 2 mph for god knows how
	many miles. I missed my ferry from Harwich due to this wonderful
	section of road. Ok, they do have signs every 3 miles or so stating
	"QUEUING POSSIBLE", but these should be revised to "QUEUING INEVITABLE"	
	,on Monday mornings anyway.

	Before I managed to get off and circumnavigate this mess via 
	one of the B roads, we didn't pass any road works, or are these further
	on ? The B road ploy didn't work either, we got held up for a total of
	30 mins by level crossings with 125's thundering past !

	Gordon 

    HI All...I've been moved to Newbury for the next few months, and I live
    in Reading.  Can anyone suggest a hassle free route between the two
    towns??  The only one I know is the A4...and I imagine that in the
    mornings and evenings the traffic is going to be solid!
    
    Ta
    
    Mikef

    There are 3 routes
    
    		. M4 (loony-free but Robin Hood)
    		. A4 (no Robin Hood, but 2 nutters/week)
    		. Back doubles (Aldermaston ...)
    
    I'd use the A4 , but be ready for evasive action on the bends.
    
    Mike Day
    

    Ta...but what do the 2 nutters per week on the A4 do?
    
    Mikef

It (getting to and from Newbury) was thoroughly discussed in the appropriate
conference which is of course... 45591::NEWBURY ('fraid I don't know the pukka
nodename).

/. Ian .\

    Any route before 0700 hrs and after 1900hrs will be hassle free.
    Avoid all travel within that window.
    
    Dick_who_speaks_from_bitter_experience
    

    Re a couple back Try LESLIE::NEWBURY

    Re .14
    
    It's note 10 and replies in the Newbury notes conference..
    
    Rich
    

	The thing is that there's this thing called the Robin Hood
	roundabout. It's a sort of mini race track with starting
	grids at all five entrances and a no prisoners taken type
	philosophy. Anyway it dominates all Newbury traffic by
	snarling up all of the approach roads. At the present time
	it's being copmpletely revamped, apparently with traffic 
	lights. 

	It is to be hoped that things will then improve, but until
	then there is no decent route between the two towns/DEC sites.

	Beware of people who will tell you that by taking 50 different
	little backroads you're going to get there in half the time, more
	likely you'll be stuck behind a tractor for 45 mins at 3mph, be
	driven into the muddy verge by deranged Volvos and get covered
	(your car that is) in manure too.

	-John

    re several back..... what doesn't work about LESLIE::NEWBURY?

    Re: .18  Exactly my question.
    
    > >>>Re a couple back Try LESLIE::NEWBURY
    > it doesnt work
    
    LESLIE::NEWBURY is perfectly OK - your node database must be out of
    date.
    
    Jeff.

    
    Has anyone driven up to Liverpool recently? We've got to drive up there
    tomorrow evening (from Reading area) and I believe there have been some
    horrendous tailbacks recently, due to roadworks on the M6.
    
    Any route advice gratefully received!
    
    

There were roadworks on the M6 north of the M5 junction but when I came through
recently a sign said "suspended until Oct 1".

The road works north of Keele sevrices cause a few problems: consider exiting at 
the A500 (one exit north of Keele services) and following the A roads north...

/. Ian .\

I've been up the M6 to Manchester a couple of times in the last few weeks, and 
although there is a three mile contraflow around J17/18, I've never had any
problems with taffic delays. Perhaps I was always going the right way at the 
right time, but with my usual luck I don't really believe that.

I've been through the roadworks northbound at around 7.30am and 7.15pm on a 
weekday, and southbound around 4-5.00pm, again on a weekday. On the early
morning trip up to Manchester there was a horrendous queue (5-6 miles) heading
south, but by the time I came back - nothing.

The biggest problem was the M6 around Wolverhampton; got stuck there for over an
hour in a 6 mile jam, but these roadworks are now 'on hold' until Oct 3rd, so
you shouldn't have problems there.

One thing that is worth noting; all these roadworks have a 50mph speed limit on
them. A couple of days after the contraflow was opened, I think it was a Friday,
the local police hid radar cameras vbehind the speed limit signs. They 'booked'
over 2000 speeders in an afternoon! You have been warned.

Dick

    From Thatcham (not quite Reading) I would go A4 to Swindon, across to
    Gloucester, and then M5 and M6.
    
    Leaving at 5pm on a Monday night, no problems last week. Roadworks on
    the M5 / M6 junction were 50mph, and the traffic slowed that to 40mph -
    but well behaved and moving smoothly... BUT I can imagine horrendous
    problems if there is an accidnet in the contra-flows.... either there
    or further North at J16/17.
    
    Then you turn off the M6, onto the M62, thinking no more problems....
    but you then get roadworks on the M62 (but very few holdups, either in
    the evening or at rush hour times).

    And just for info.....
    
    The Banbury section of the M40 extension has had it's opening date put
    back from October '90 to Spring '91.
    
    Don't know why. just saw the signs this morning.
    
    JK
    
    p.s. If you use the M40 from Warwick to Brum, then I sugest you go
    round the M42 east to the M5, and then M6. This certainly feels quicker
    than going North on the M42 to the M6.

According to a short paragraph in the motoring press recently the contractors
have agreed to open the entire "M40 gap" in Spring 91.

I guess the delay is so the whole thing can open on the same day...

/. Ian .\