A1 vs M1

Craig

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Morning all

It's donkeys years since I have done the driving run back from Brussels to Yorkshire, so I'm a bit out of practice.

Coming up on the M20, M25 and cannot decide whether to go A1 or go a wee bit further around for the M1. We'll be travelling after 10pm on a Friday night

Anyone got any ideas? I recall the A1 being a bit of a nightmare but times have maybe moved on since I last did the run. Or perhaps not.

 

Brown Bottle

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Personally Craig I prefer the A1, M11 when I go to North Yorks as it gets you off the M25 quicker, but I generally do it on Saturday mornings. I last did it about a year ago and the cameras weren't too bad.

M1 and M180 may be better for you. When I lived in Leeds I used to use the M1 late at night and you could fly. Do a routeplan on the AA, if M1 is shorter distance you are probably better with it.

Cheers BB

 

Craig

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darrenm wrote:

Craig, do you live in Belguim and England?
Not quite. Live in Brussels, next stop is back to Copenhagen - maybe soon, maybe in a year or so - and I'm from South Yorks / N Lincs where the folks still live

BB: if I take the M1 I'll be getting off on M18 then through to M180. M11 + A1 route seems easier and whilst it's shorter, viamichelin, AA all put M1 up as the quickest way home, which I find odd. as a c asual glance at the map says M11+A1(M)+A1

Still, it's gonna be dark and I'm in a left hand drive car.......I recall the A1 getting a bit twisty in places.

 

darrenm

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Craig wrote

Still, it's gonna be dark and I'm in a left hand drive car.......I recall the A1 getting a bit twisty in places.
The Motorway is always going to be an easier drive - straight line.

I drive a left hand drive car here though and it's no problem around rural roads.

 

griffo104

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Lot of roadworks on the M1 by J6 to J8 at the moment which has been causing problems on the M1.

I lived in Leeds for a year and go to visit my friend in Halifax regularly and still use the M1 in preference to the A1.

 

Boxer

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M1 will be quicker than A1, `cos you avoid that ridiculous bit thru` Notts where you're down to 50 & there's a camera every 2 inches. That & the A1 is a feckin` awful road and I HATE IT!!!!!!!!

A1-hating Boxer

 

Craig

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This sounds like a no brainer to me. M1 it is

I'll do the AA sms thingie to check if there are any roadworks on the way

Thanks for the tips, fellas.

Boxer, you swung it

 

Chewie

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Definitely the correct decision Craig :^the A1 is littered with tax cameras these days :eek:ff:these are bad enough if you know where they are but if you don’t and want to press on a bit, forget it.

 

ClassikFan

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thrunobulax wrote:

At that time of night the M way is almost a clear run, i expect the A1 is camera ridden by now.
The section of the A1 that I use, between the Hatfield and St Neots has plenty of speed cameras.

 

Craig

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I think my tomtom has most speed cameras on there, so hopefully I won't fall foul of the Bill.

Still, better safe than sorry

 

Boxer

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Craig wrote:

This sounds like a no brainer to me. M1 it isI'll do the AA sms thingie to check if there are any roadworks on the way

Thanks for the tips, fellas.

Boxer, you swung it
Why, thank you, kind sir! We aim to please!

Helpful Boxer

 

JPG

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Careful of the average speed camera system around J10 of the M1. The whole stretch of roadworks (widening) is a 40 limit. My choice would be to come off the M25 at Hemel Hempstead, go to Luton via the back roads and get onto the M1 at J10- the roadworks fnish soon after.

but at that time of night, it would probaby be quicker to do the 40 through the roadwords anyway.

JPG

 

dudywoxer

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JPG wrote:

Careful of the average speed camera system around J10 of the M1. The whole stretch of roadworks (widening) is a 40 limit. My choice would be to come off the M25 at Hemel Hempstead, go to Luton via the back roads and get onto the M1 at J10- the roadworks fnish soon after.but at that time of night, it would probaby be quicker to do the 40 through the roadwords anyway.

JPG
Craig, I travel from Maubeuge, (Just south of Mons) fairly often, and find the M25/M11/A1 up to Newark the most predictable for time, especially late evening/night.

The A1 from top of M11 to beyond peterborough is 4 lane now. (its still shite up to Newark though). Lots of camera's across the top of Cambridge so keep near the limit and your eye's open (on the A14)

 

griffo104

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dudywoxer wrote:

JPG wrote:
Careful of the average speed camera system around J10 of the M1. The whole stretch of roadworks (widening) is a 40 limit. My choice would be to come off the M25 at Hemel Hempstead, go to Luton via the back roads and get onto the M1 at J10- the roadworks fnish soon after.but at that time of night, it would probaby be quicker to do the 40 through the roadwords anyway.

JPG
Craig, I travel from Maubeuge, (Just south of Mons) fairly often, and find the M25/M11/A1 up to Newark the most predictable for time, especially late evening/night.

The A1 from top of M11 to beyond peterborough is 4 lane now. (its still shite up to Newark though). Lots of camera's across the top of Cambridge so keep near the limit and your eye's open (on the A14)
Lots of forward firing cameras on the A14 as well, so be very careful as your picture's taken before you even now the camera is there.

 
E

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Doing London, then Oxford, to Co. Durham once a week for 9 years I ended up preferring the A1 - less psychos trying to kill me, pure and simple. It's also much straighter than the M1 in the long run, FWIW. But for a one-off late at night M1 will prolly be easier.

 

Matt J

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Is most of the A1 still concrete? god that suff drones on, I'd rather share a car journey with a women than drive on that stuff, whoevers idea that was needs a severe poker in the eye.

 

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