Bucks to Canterbury - which way round the M25?

Lethal`

Lethal`

Lethal`

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Travelling from Amersham to Canterbury in about 2 hours... which direction should I travel round the M25?

they're both similar distance and obviously clockwise I'd have to pay for Dartford bridge.
 
Check travel info before you go, but generally it's a good idea to avoid Dartford. Expect usual delays around Heathrow and in Kent through the roadworks section.

Edit: To clarify avoid Dartford because of the toll - £2 for a car now.
 
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Whichever way you go you're at the mercy of the M25 during rush hour. For what it's worth google maps average traffic shows clockwise as having less traffic... it probably is the less busy side but dartford tends to be traffic jam.

Therefore I would recommend straight down the middle, stick your car on a speedboat down the thames
 
Zogger said:
Whichever way you go you're at the mercy of the M25 during rush hour. For what it's worth google maps average traffic shows clockwise as having less traffic... it probably is the less busy side but dartford tends to be traffic jam
Click to expand...

As much as I would love to say otherwise, Google Maps traffic prediction is pretty rubbish. Better than most, but not accurate by any means (At least not here up North). My advice would be to check the BBC Travel News site before you head off, and base your decision on that.
 
Leave yesterday and there'll be no problems.

I'd go counter-clockwise, it's going to be rubbish rush hour which ever way you go though
 
Heathrow will suck
Dartford will suck

There is no real right answer for this, it all depends on specific traffic at that specific time. Just check the traffic as late as possible before joining the M25 and go the route of least resistance.
 
Used to do this from Silverstone when I was at uni... I would go North way round. When the folks moved to Brackley, I then used to do it south way round.
 
Anti clockwise you have choices if there's a problem even if it's a long way
Clockwise you are trapped if there's a problem on the bridge of any junction before
 
scorza said:
Check travel info before you go, but generally it's a good idea to avoid Dartford. Expect usual delays around Heathrow and in Kent through the roadworks section.

Edit: To clarify avoid Dartford because of the toll - £2 for a car now.
Click to expand...
True.. But if £2 saved me a load of time I'd rather pay it :p
maccapacca said:
Anti clockwise you have choices if there's a problem even if it's a long way
Clockwise you are trapped if there's a problem on the bridge of any junction before
Click to expand...
Good point. I might do that.
 
I regularly have to drive from Watford to Kent, usually go via Dartford (as I don't have far to go the other side of the bridge!) but to be honest, from where you are (depending on Heathrow to M3 turning traffic) I'd go the other way.
 
maccapacca said:
Anti clockwise you have choices if there's a problem even if it's a long way
Clockwise you are trapped if there's a problem on the bridge of any junction before
Click to expand...

That's only true once you get into Kent, and you can choose from the M26, M20 or M2. Down here in Surrey the roads here are generally terrible so if the M25 is knackered you might as well give up.
 
Bit late now, but we always go anticlockwise.
The roadworks on the last bit before the M26 sucked, but they may have gone now.

If you don't fancy the Heathrow bit which is always bad, you can go M4 to Reading then across to Bracknell and the M3 then up to the M25.
 
I went anti-clockwise in the end, and it took just under 2 hours but I waited until after rush hour :)

There are some roadworks for a fairly long stretch down to 50mph :(

Glad I wasn't going the other way... traffic backed up for miles after an incident between a car and motorcycle. People were standing outside their cars etc.
 
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