To think it would be folly to try to drive to Elephant & Castle on Sunday?

[SeekEveryEveryKnownHidingPlace]

That is, marathon day?

Driving from the north, delivering daughter back to university (has too much stuff for the train on this occasion).

I think this would be rash - am I wrong?

The route doesn't appear to go especially near Elephant and Castle. Where do you normally cross the river?

Usually tower bridge, which is obviously out! I can see most of the route isn't near e&c, but it does seem to block off most of the ways we would cross, or routes through the north of the river leg of the journey ....

I'm also thinking that roads which do remain open will be even busier than usual.

tfl.gov.uk/status-updates/major-works-and-events/london-marathon

It looks like it. Is it possible to come Saturday instead?

Saturday is possible but less ideal for various reasons ... might just have to suck it though! Unless anyone comes along with a brilliant sneaky route or says don't be daft, I always drive around during the marathon and its fine!

If you do come you could cross country to the M11 and over the Dartford bridge or the Woolwich Ferry if you leave it until later in the day and they are further round?

Through the blackwall tunnel?

It looks like the South circular and presumably the ferry reopens around 3pm but I don't know how reliable that is.

The Blackwall tunnel is open, but with Tower bridge and the ferry shut it will probably be busy.

Could you all pack suitcases, drive to somewhere on the northern/ Bakerloo line that is convenient, all take suitcases to E+C and to her room, then unpack them, back on the tube and drive back that way? It probably wouldn't be too much of a time difference - especially in that traffic?

All helpful thoughts, people - I'll moot them later!

This was bad planning by us!

The problem is the later in the day I leave it, the later I have to face 4 hour drive back ,...

Can you do it in Saturday instead?

Or she goes on the train with just enough stuff for a week and you come with the rest next weekend?

The displaced traffic from the road closures means that everywhere central is very could try it, maybe much later in the day than you would normally travel. Consider going round on M25 then cutting in from a more southerly direction.

Rotherhithe Tunnel was an absolute nightmare during the recent Tower Bridge closures, so I think you need to be further out than that.

In your shoes I would switch to train and drive down sometime soon with her stuff, or go Saturday or Monday.

Or depending where coming from go west and round london IYSWIM

x-ed with your last

"The problem is the later in the day I leave it, the later I have to face 4 hour drive back ,..."

Could you stay over somewhere, rather than doing all the return journey on the same day? Even if you have to be at work at a fixed time, just driving the first hour or two out, then stopping, sleeping and leaving at sparrow's fart the next day might give you a useful leeway on timings

Yes, rotherhithe is horrific at the best of times. As is most of it, to be fair! Staying on Sunday night would be a good idea (though I suspect she has plans for boyfriend, not me, to stay over!) - or train & bring more stuff later, maybe.

If you're going to do it I would go West rather than East

When you say north, exactly where? North London or coming in on the M1 from The North. Unless you're coming from NE London I don't know why you cross Tower Bridge.

I often go through 'the Elephant' on a Sunday afternoon, by bus. Can you not cross the river further west say Vauxhall Bridge?

Come via West London, cross the river on the south circular around Kew and go that way.

Given that there will be road closures right down to Westminster until c.1900, then I suspect Vauxhall Bridge (the next one along) could be rather busy. I'd stay further out if attempting a westerly approach.

Coming at it from one of the bridges further west might be less busy; then head for the A3 and just slog your way up that.

No way can you approach from the East but I can't see a problem coming over say, Battersea, Albert, Chelsea or Vauxhall bridges in the West.

Elephant & Castle is some way from the Marathon route - even allowing for knock-on effects.

Westfacing - coming north as in The North! Down the m11.

Coming in on the m1 is a nightmare - takes you through bloody Bloomsbury!

Come down the M1 but then north circ West to the river at Kew. You don't have to go through central London to get to E&C.