how bad will traffic be on m5 around bristol on friday?

[HauntedLittleLunatic]

Going to Minehead on Friday.

Will probably hit the m4/m5 interchange around lunchtime/early afternoon. How bad will it be getting into devon?

I have an alternative route taking me down m4 into bath and street but that will add an hour onto journey (on paper).

How is the m5 likely to be Friday afternoon?

Hmmm....I used to live in bath..don't remeber the a46 being that bad but then it had just been widened so prob felt better than it was before it was widened.but it was a long time ago so my memory is hazy....

it was the whole of the stretch from interchange all the way down that I was worried about - not just the interchange.

I am coming from east mids so have 2 main options...cut across the country on m6 and then come all the way down m5 from there or come down via m1, a43 and a34 and then cut across on m4. The latter is an hour longer and I don't know if avoiding the m5 is worth it.

It won't be great! M5 between Bristol & Bridgewater/Taunton always seems busy. Don't turn off at Bridgwater, go on to Taunton junction then A358, much better road.

Well that was hell on earth.

Bristol to bridgewater was largely ok but got stuck near cheltenham for 2hrs.

Also didn't follow advice regarding continuing to taunton because motorway was looking sluggish and regret that.

But we have now arrived in minehead...(well a couple of hours ago) absolutley exhausted so I am off to bed before a chill out minimum driving day tomorrow.