The M25 clockwise or anti-clockwise

FM02MZO

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For several years now when driving down to either Dover or the Tunnel from Derbyshire, between 12:00 hours and 19:00 hours, we have gone M1 and clockwise round the M25 but we have always encountered very long delays as we approach the Dartford crossing. I have never travelled anti-clockwise round the M25 from the M1 and I realise it is about 15 miles further, and wondered what your thoughts are.
 
Anti-clockwise can also get very busy especially the M40 round to A3.

We always used to go via the Tunnel/Bridge from Hertfordshire to Brighton (M23). However in recent years the Tunnel/Bridge has got very busy due to increasing traffic and the constriction of the tolls which they promised they would remove after the bridge has been financed. That happened in 2008, but so much for promises...

They have improved the stretch A41 to M40 to 4 lanes now, so my preference is the anticlockwise route, avoiding the tolls and the flow constrictions clockwise.
 
I live in Kent so don't have this problem :lol-049::lol-049::lol-049:

Other wise if going north same as Sparks use the M25, M40, M42, M6 :drive:
 
Live in North London, so straight through London for me. If heading that way from further north, anti clockwise every time because of cost and delay at tolls.
Best option though, avoid the whole area around 17:00, :lol-053:
 
Sparks said:
Got to say, If I lived down there I'd be over the channel a lot more than I do now.
Could be worse though, I'd hate to travel down from Scotland and have to plan an extra night in this country. Or worse still Northern Ireland with ANOTHER ferry :rolleyes2:
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Only another two weeks till we go out for the summer:banana::banana::banana: bless teachers holidays :wave::wave::wave:
 
I use the M25 a lot and as a general rule using it anticlockwise works best for the M1, whether travelling North or South, it can also be quicker for the M4/M40 when travelling in the morning.. I have traffic on my satnav though so don't always stick to this.
 
Hi Terry

I have just used TomTom Truck IQ Routes to compare clockwise against anticlockwise from Derby to Folkestone. As you will know, journey times will differe by time of day and day of week.

So basing it on leaving right now, c/w is 208 miles and takes 4hrs37mins. a/c/w is 236miles and takes 5hrs20mins.

You could try this for different times/days using the TomTom Route Planner which is freely accessible online Routeplanner - de beste route- en verkeersinformatie van TomTom and see if you get any difference. (Choose English top right of page)

But it looks like clockwise is a bit better for you. Obviously the route from Derby to the M25 will be slightly different accordingly.
 
30 Miles is quite a lot (imo), but interesting they have calculated 45 mins extra for it, esp considering the hold up for the crossing on the other route.

I too am very frustrated with the jams at Dartford, but have also had several jams before getting there on the c/w route.

I drive regularly a/c/w (Kent direction) and rarely have a problem.
 
I'm round it and over it everyday of the week and Fridays is the worst in any directions..:banana::drive:
 
When we go down south we always (now) use the M1, A1, M11 then M25, over the bridge and into Kent that way. We try to hit the M25 at dark o'clock every time too, and seems to work with the motorhome, cos we then get to Dover (Marine Parade) at about midnight, to get our heads down ready for an early morning ferry the next day. Works for us!!!!
Except this year cos we are using the Chunnel ....:)
 
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They really should review the tolls on the Dartford crossing.

Considering that people's time has a cost associated, even leisure time, not to mention the fuel wasted in jams, it's costing the nation more to collect than they get back in tolls.

This is based on the fact it costs £1.50 in a car I think, and a half hour delay could be £10 in business or £3 leisure time plus the fuel wasted and pollution caused. Delays to commercial vehicles cost even more. It doesn't make sense to constrict such a busy road with toll booths, especially now the bridge is payed for.
 
Firefox said:
They really should review the tolls on the Dartford crossing.

Considering that people's time has a cost associated, even leisure time, not to mention the fuel wasted in jams, it's costing the nation more to collect than they get back in tolls.

This is based on the fact it costs £1.50 in a car I think, and a half hour delay could be £10 in business or £3 leisure time plus the fuel wasted and pollution caused. Delays to commercial vehicles cost even more. It doesn't make sense to constrict such a busy road with toll booths, especially now the bridge is payed for.
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I don't really understand that! I often use the Dartford Tunnel and have never had a thirty minute delay. After I've gone through I am £1.50 poorer and whoever owns the Dartford Tunnel is £1.50 richer, so over the year, they get tens of millions of pounds to pay for the upkeep of the bridge and tunnel. And the cost to me? My journey takes a few minutes longer, but if it wasn't for the tunnel it would take an hour longer.

If I was the owner of the tunnel I'd want to keep the charges. If they are scrapped where does the revenue come from to replace the lost tolls? Anyway, it's nice to know that every hour of my holidays is worth £6.00! That means for a ten hour day my holiday is worth £420 a week! Not bad for sitting around doing nothing!
 
Hello
I live in north Lancashire. Used to go clockwise but now go anti clockwise every time (at least 4 times a year )

Blue Skies
 
Northerner said:
I don't really understand that! I often use the Dartford Tunnel and have never had a thirty minute delay. After I've gone through I am £1.50 poorer and whoever owns the Dartford Tunnel is £1.50 richer, so over the year, they get tens of millions of pounds to pay for the upkeep of the bridge and tunnel. And the cost to me? My journey takes a few minutes longer, but if it wasn't for the tunnel it would take an hour longer.

If I was the owner of the tunnel I'd want to keep the charges. If they are scrapped where does the revenue come from to replace the lost tolls? Anyway, it's nice to know that every hour of my holidays is worth £6.00! That means for a ten hour day my holiday is worth £420 a week! Not bad for sitting around doing nothing!
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It's as much the fact that the toll was meant to stop once cost had been recovered. Delays are huge, 15 mins + easily daily at peak hours, 30 mins + delays often enough too.
Still, re tolls in general, I've spent far more on tolls in France this year then the cost of my UK road tax, by a huge margin.
 
mark61 said:
It's as much the fact that the toll was meant to stop once cost had been recovered. Delays are huge, 15 mins + easily daily at peak hours, 30 mins + delays often enough too.
Still, re tolls in general, I've spent far more on tolls in France this year then the cost of my UK road tax, by a huge margin.
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You may well be right but I'm not actually questioning whether or not the tolls should be scrapped, just the point put forward that collecting the tolls isn't cost effective. It most certainly is! The revenue from tolls will be ten times greater than any loss of productivity owing to the minor delays on a road that's already subject to more delays than any other.

I also like your point about tolls in France. I often find myself very amused by those who look at France through their rose-tinted spectacles. They drive to the Channel ports from all over Britain using our lovely free motorway system (and they all do!) but when in France suddenly decide that they prefer schlepping along N roads and through heavily industrialised areas and by-passing towns and villages that all seem to have a dozen roundabouts. And they defend France by saying that you don't have to use toll roads, and they enjoy using the N-Roads! Well, some people do have to use toll roads I'm afraid and it costs them dearly!

Early in the year we have a month in Spain or Portugal. I'm not interested in meandering through regions of France that I've visited a dozen times before and, because I have a limited time for my holiday, I use the toll motorways. I think it was about €100 each way! I reckon that using motorways both ways gives us an extra two days holiday and the picnic/rest areas (not the big motorway services) are superb for an overnight stop and most have toilet blocks with a water supply and loos where you can dump your cassette. So no wandering around looking for aires or suitable wilding spots.
 
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