bikechad Posted June 27, 2016 Share Posted June 27, 2016 I am off to France this week using the Newhaven Dieppe ferry. We have used this route on three previous occasions and every time we have fallen foul of the dreaded M25 when coming down from the north west of England.This time I am thinking of going down the M6 then A34 to Portsmouth and then along the coast to Newhaven, is this a good, bad or just plain daft idea? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted June 27, 2016 Share Posted June 27, 2016 I regularly use the A34/M3/M27 route from the M4 near Newbury to Portsmouth and earlier this year I was stuck in a traffic jam for almost an hour due to an accident on a short piece of A34 dual carriageway at Swindon. It’s pot-luck, but in your case I’d risk the M25 route... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted June 27, 2016 Share Posted June 27, 2016 Timing on the M25 / M4 is critical. Travel in the known busy periods and there will more than likely be problems. Even in quiet periods the speed limits might well apply but at least it all keeps moving. Depends on the ferry time of course but my inclination would be to travel down early and park up for a kip ready to enjoy the crossing and hit the road refreshed t'other side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbo Posted June 27, 2016 Share Posted June 27, 2016 The A27/M27 route isn't ideal. Motorway standard highway only between Portsmouth to west of Chichester and then from Shoreham to Brighton and beyond to turn off to Newhaven. In between you have bottlenecks at Chichester, Arundel, Worthing and Lancing with reasonable dual carriageway sections in between. As Tracker suggests, probably best to choose your timing around the M25 / M23 and sleep over at the ferry terminal if you are booked on an early morning ferry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanedwin Posted June 27, 2016 Share Posted June 27, 2016 I have been doing that route for 40 odd years and always go back to M6/M5/A417/A419/M4/A34/M3/M27. I have tried other routes but find this one best. You can be unlucky with traffic on any route. The 417/419 is all dual carriageway apart from the trip up to the Air balloon roundabout which is about a mile and I have never known it to be busy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bikechad Posted June 27, 2016 Author Share Posted June 27, 2016 My ferry is at 17.30 which is a bad time I know, leaving Manchester around 5.00am. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJay Posted June 27, 2016 Share Posted June 27, 2016 bikechad - 2016-06-27 10:21 AM My ferry is at 17.30 which is a bad time I know, leaving Manchester around 5.00am. As Robbo saId, the M27, basicly finishes at Chichester, then the A 27, always hold ups and road works I would come down much earlier, say midnight , and get as near as possible to Newhaven, and have a sleep, until crossing time Also depends what day you are travelling PJay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the general Posted June 27, 2016 Share Posted June 27, 2016 Deffo leave plenty of time A27 a pig during summer, relax nearer newhaven pull into lewes before newhaven if plenty of time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will86 Posted June 27, 2016 Share Posted June 27, 2016 Another diversion is at Winchester going left onto the A272 and cross-country to the A23 then south to the A27 and east to Newhaven, a road I use a lot. The A27 can have some very slow sections particularly Worthing and Chichester. I prefer the earlier start around midnight, no hurry and less stressful, keep to the major roads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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