The Road To Hell...........

[10ClarionSt]

................is now the M6, not the M25. Yesterday we went to Birmingham to watch my granddaughter in the National Festival of Music For Youth. The M6 was a nightmare before we then encountered the Aston (Non) Expressway. A further nightmare. The journey back to Manchester was extremely slow and annoying. It took 4 hours. They reckon the roadworks will improve things when they're finished but I can't see it. It'll still be the longest car park in Europe.

[anneasquith]

Let the train take the strain .?

[hereIam]

Except there are strikes on northern lines this weekend !

[albaqwerty]

strikes on arriva and southern too.

What a shambles..

[Captain2]

I had to go to Birmingham from Stockport once a month for meetings with a client. When it got to the stage of having to leave at 6am for a 10am meeting I gave up the driving and went by train. So, so much more relaxed.
Having said that our daughter picked us up from East Midlands airport yesterday at 1.30pm and had us home, safely I add, by 3.45pm with 'only' one stretch of about 5 miles down to a crawl; so can't complain at that.

[tonyav]

Yep, the M6 has always been busy through Brum, I think there is some sort of ongoing roadworks happening on the Aston ( Non ) expressway at the mo.

[Buenchico]

I was 'trade plating' (delivering cars across the country) nearly twenty years ago. I never regarded the M25 as much of a problem then (and, despite having driven hundreds of miles on it for work during the past week, I still don't). It was always the M6 which I really detested (and I still do!)

[Captain2]

Agree with WW re the toll road section; moaned at paying but well worth it.
Agree with Chris too, 15 miles either side of the M6/M5 junction has got to be the worst road going, although the M60 around Manchester is getting worse by the month.

[tonyav]

At what venue was the National Festival of Music For Youth held ?.

[sherrardk]

About six weeks ago my eldest daughter was coming home to Hereford from a residential trip in London and it took over 7 hours :(

[Buenchico]

^^^ . . . and the M4 and M50 are generally regarded as 'good' roads, Sherrardk!

[Buenchico]

>>> At what venue was the National Festival of Music For Youth held ?.

Here:
https://www.thsh.co.uk/symphony-hall

[tonyav]

Took me four and a half hours to get from Padstow ( Cornwall ) to around 10 miles North of Brum today. A30, M5, M6.

[Buenchico]

^^^ The AA route planner reckons on 4h 12m from Padstow to Walsall, so that seems to indicate that everything was free-flowing.

[tonyav]

Yes, Chris, avoided the roadworks going on the A30, just the usual build up of traffic in the Bristol ( M5 ) area.

[tonyav]

https://www.thsh.co.uk/symphony-hall

Thanks Chris, no avoiding the Aston Expressway.

[murraymints]

and dinnae start me on the M8 !!