The AA site reckons Bristol to M Keynes = 2 hrs 47 mins, do you reckon it would be quicker at 6am?

[WideWebWitch]

Does anyone have experience of this route and am I going to be ok leaving Bristol at 6am to get to Milton Keynes for 9am? It wouldn't be the end of the world if I was late, I just want another night with my man and evening with my family so am wondering about leaving tomorrow early morning rather than tonight as I usually would. Anyone who knows this route, advice appreciated, TIA.
(dp just took the piss saying 'dear mumsnet, I am incapable of making a decision without consulting you, blah blah blah' in a stupid childish voice )

I live near MK and parents live in Bristol. We go M4, Swindon, A420 to Oxford, A34 to Bicester then Buckingham, Then MK. It takes us about 2 1/2 hrs.

how many miles is it www?

The AA were pretty spot on for me when going to Skeggy last week - they said 2hrs 55 mins and i did it in 3hrs.

If it involves the M25, i would allow an extra hour........ even at that time of the morning.

Took dad to Gatwick last week and we did 15 miles in nearly an hour!

Also because we avoid the motorways it is a pretty reliable journey time. Watch for the speed cameras on the A420 from Swindon to Oxford though.

I did this journey (Bath-MK) when I was in the UK this summer. I took the route mentioned by Ladylucan and got to the area within 2 hours (I left at 8.00am) BUT I got horribly lost on the way into MK.I think that if you follow the AA route exactly (I didn't) 3 hours will be fine especially at that time in the morning. You won't actually go into Swindon or Oxford.

Thank you all, yes LadyLucan that's the route the aa are sending me. Thanks for the warning re cameras too, I can't afford to get any points. Jessicasmummy, I think it's about 150 miles but some of them are country miles, i.e. not on motorway. I don't go anywhere near the M25 thankfully, I'd have to leave the day before yesterday or something if so! Pollylogos, I know where I'm going once I get there, thank you, I reckon 2.5 hrs is about right then, the extra half hour will be Bristol to Bath.

WWW - I told you to take this route a few weeks ago - left a messge on MN -you can also go to M4 junct 13 Chievely and go up A34 rather than take 420.

We got back from Cardiff ast week in 2 hr 20 min (we do speed on the M4 though)

and cardiff to mk is only 150 miles

Oi Iota, are you telling me off?! Do you reckon A34 is quicker than Swindon then? If so I'll do it.

yes yes yes -DO IT - I am telling you off- you could even get a night at home midweek with this toute

A43 is dual carriageway - -A420 isn't

A34 I mean

I tell you Iota, I need it too, I miss them all a lot. OK, I consider myself bollocked

Just trying to help WWW you know I am the resident MK expert

reposting the message I left for you:
wwww - strongly recommend my suggested route as it avoids the hell of the M25 round heathrow and the hell that is the M1. (can also come off at Swindon adn do the A420 to Oxford)

We often go to Cardiff to visit family and can do it in 2.5 hours at the weekend.

Re the childcare dilemma, I was thinking about possible disadvantages - obviously I don't know the exact circumstances location etc BUT

If you took children to XMIL, you would have to leave Bristol on the Sunday afternoon, otherwise you would have very nasty Monday commute to London, leave and settle children at XMIL then commute 1 hr to MK - not really very dooable. Then similar scenario on Friday pm - and the exodus from London on Friday pm is truly horrible.

If you come by yourself you could drive to MK early Mon and either stay locally or at XMIL and do lots of hrs - possibly getting away early on Friday to get back to your family. Then you would have 3 nights at home with them. Also, if teh journey is only 2 hrs, maybe you could go home say Wed pm to stay the night then drive back early Thursday.

My dh travels a lot in his work and sometimes choose to drive home rather than spend another night in a luxury hotel - strange but true - he misses us ahhhh

just a few thoughts

hope it works out for you

By wickedwaterwitch

I have done both A420 & A34 for years and have found that in rush hour A420 is completely reliable. Have sat on A34 many times in traffic jams. It's just a matter of personal opinion though. Also the M4 can be a nightmare.

not trying to disagree with you LL- either route is 1,000 times better than doing M4, M25, M1 in rush hour

and WWW don't go through Bicester, take the link road round it

It took almost exactly 2 hrs 47 mins! Left at 5.30am, got there at 8.17am , did A34, A421 etc. Thanks for all the advice. I'm knackered now and off to bed shortly!

www - just checking to see if it went OK - so glad it wasn't a bum steer and you meade it in time.