Travel from Newcastle Bank Holiday Monday

[Middleaged73]

Advice please!! We can’t leave holiday park until 8.30am tomorrow. Which is the best route down to Birmingham from Newcastle??? Loads of roadworks coming up on A1….will we be okay heading back at 9 am tomorrow?? Or should we cut across to Carlisle and take M6 down (risking Lake District traffic).

Google it at 8.30 and it will tell you.

Head south on the A1 all the way down to Doncaster. Then get on the M18 which joins the M1 and get off at 24A onto the M42.

If the A1 looks bad which is unlikely at that time cut across to the A19 and then follow the A19 all the way to the A1. The A19 is usually very quiet.

When you get to York if it flashes up A1 delays of 20 minutes ahead which it usually does as it goes down to 1 Lane due to road works just north of Doncaster keep in the right hand lane at the A1/M1 junction. You will then follow the M1 all the way to the M42. Just be careful once on the M1 as after about 10 miles it splits into M1/M62. You need to stay on the M1.

Don't head towards the M6 as you usually get delays around Blackpool and then Stop/start all the way from Warrington to Stoke.

Having done that journey every couple of weeks for 8 years, the M6 is never the right option! A1-M18-M1 is almost always the quickest even with roadworks.

Thank you

I always use Google Map when planning a long road journey. It automatically changes the route according to the traffic conditions.

I use it even when I know the route well because of the updates.

Do you not do this?

Yes we did on the way up, but still ended up crawling past the Angel of the North….just wanted some advice from anyone who knew the route. Thanks

Don’t forget about Leeds fest if you come down M1/A1 past Leeds!!

Today, almost certainly stick on the A1M and cut across on the M18. Yes, you'll hit the roadworks, but the alternative is Leeds Festival on the M1...
The M6 is never the answer!

The angel of the north is down to 2 lanes at the minute but it’s very short lived because as soon as you get to team valley it’s back to 3.

The M6 is never the answer.

as someone who lives in the north east and is from Birmingham I always do A1 - M18 route

I forgot about Leeds Festival. I once took DD back to her house share on the Friday of that weekend, and it took forever to go past Bramham.

I agree that the A1, M18 route sounds like a far better idea.