Best route from London to Plymouth

PMKeates

PMKeates

PMKeates

Soldato
Joined
16 Jul 2004
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Hi,

I am travelling from London (around the Dartford Crossing) to Plymouth in 2 hours. What is the best route to take?

Google Maps is offering two - one via Bristol and another more direct option.

Direct:
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&s...4941&sspn=16.628174,45.922852&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=8

Bristol:
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&s...spn=16.628174,45.922852&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=8&via=1

Any opinions? It seems odd that the Bristol route is even considerable, but I want to be sure I'm not missing the fact that the direct route is over some nightmare roads where I will be stuck behind a geriatric in a Matiz for 85 miles.

Thanks!
 
Easiest route (and most boring) to drive is M4 out, M5 then A38 down. You get a few average speed cameras on the M4, nothing on the M5 down from Brissle and then, works dependant, average on the A38.

I have driven the Plymouth up to Chippenham part of the drive many, many times (will never get those times back ever). That part takes about 2.5 hours and that was driven at 1300 on fridays. Took less going back, but that was at 0300 on a sunday night / monday morning.

I now use the train for trips back and too to Londinium (family visits). Booked well ahead nad with railcard can be got very cheap, even 1st Class.

Not sure what your direct route is as Google Maps doesnt work properly for me in work, but i am guessing here that it either goes via Southampton and along the coast road (via Bridport) or Basingstoke, Andover, Chard and then briefly onto M5 and down. The coast road route can be a complete nightmare. Is great if you like driving stuck behind tractors and Weekend Gypsies. Whne i used to drive from Portsmout to Plymouth, average for that run is 3 hours. The Basingstoke one is similar. A fair amount of single carriageways, interspursed with dual carriageway sections. Not sure on the timings for this route as have never driven it, ony been a passenger on those. One thing that both routes do have, is a hell of a lot more speed cameras on them.......

Hope that help you out some mate
 
Freind of mine always used to drive back from Exeter to Sutton in Surrey taking the A303, your first, direct route. He always stuck to it and didn't seem to have any problems. Sorry I can't offer any first hand advice.
 
303 is more fun, but only takes some slow stuff, an accident, roadworks and you get stuffed.

M4/M5 is boring, but usually trouble free and quick.
 
If you take the M5 route, be aware of your speed as you pass through Somerset and Devon, by far the counties I have seen the most traffic cops in on the M5. I do J31 to J4 and back a lot and never seem to see the feds outside of that stretch.
 
Andr3w said:
Average speed of about 80MPH? Thats got to be quite hard to achieve :eek:
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it's all motorway, very easy to achieve. Never seen a mobile speed camera.. only ever the tax/insurance cameras. Although one just before you join the m5 going northbound.
 
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Theophany said:
If you take the M5 route, be aware of your speed as you pass through Somerset and Devon, by far the counties I have seen the most traffic cops in on the M5. I do J31 to J4 and back a lot and never seem to see the feds outside of that stretch.
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I've always found the opposite, M5 always seems a 'quicker' road then when I get on the M4, then M25 when going up to London.

But I only usually stay on the M5 until the M4 so no idea what it's like past that junction :)

Takes me about an hour and a half door to door to get from Torquay to the office in Bristol, Plymouth from Bristol is a bit more, but not much, as it's just hitting the A38 and carrying on down.
 
I would take the A303, but join the M5 just outside Taunton.

The last part on the A303 Ilminster to Exeter is an awfull stretch of road, single lane most of it, if not all the way.

But saying that, you should be there by now!! :D
 
izzop said:
I would take the A303, but join the M5 just outside Taunton.

The last part on the A303 Ilminster to Exeter is an awfull stretch of road, single lane most of it, if not all the way.
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Pointless, the road from the A303 to Taunton is not very quick, and you will end up doing two sides of the triangle.

You only need to get to Honiton on the single carriageway section then it is dual all the way to Exeter from there.
 
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