# Bank Holiday Traffic



## Clarkey (Feb 14, 2006)

Hi all, not travelled on a bank holiday Friday evening in years, only just thought about traffic.

I know its how long is a piece of string daft question, but should I forsake my Friday start for a sat am start, trip is Hereford to minehead way and been suggested that I should double the journey time.

Thing is I can't leave earlier than 5:30 and this will be. M4 / M5 intersection and needto be there by 8!

Ta.

C


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## colpot (Jun 9, 2008)

Leave Now!


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## steco1958 (Mar 5, 2009)

Probably should have started yesterday !!

Personally, I would go Friday night, if in the MH, its not an issue, cold drinks in the fridge, can stop over night at one of the transport cafes, on way down.

www.transportcafe.co.uk


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## 96299 (Sep 15, 2005)

We have got to travel tomorrow evening in the rush hour up the A12 from Essex to Southwold in Suffolk. I am dreading it :x Normally we leave very early in the mornings for trips like this (4 or 5am) because I hate traffic so much. :evil: 

If I were you I would take the very early option that you have.

Steve


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

I avoid bank holiday weekends like the plague, Irate drivers, travel queues, overpriced everything.

I will stay the weekend in our beautifull garden, letting Lady p wait on me hand and foot. :lol: 

Dave p


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## bellabee (May 16, 2010)

Dave, that sounds sensible.
We're not so sensible. Travelling up the M1 from W Mids to Knaresborough. Planning to set off around 9am - after the work traffic has gone.
Anyone got any predictions about the M1 tomorrow? - Silly question - yes, I know!


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

I am supposed to be going to Sunderland tomorrow and then all the way down to Wantage south of Oxford for two nights. Im wondering if I would be better going down on Saturday afternoon and back monday now.


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## peribro (Sep 6, 2009)

The TomTom route planner application reckons that leaving Hereford at 5.30pm tomorrow will result in an arrival time in Minehead of 8.07pm. However I am pretty sure that will be based on normal Friday traffic volumes at that time of day and will not have factored in the Bank Holiday. Unless you are going by motorbike I think you will be lucky to get there by 8.00pm!


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Friday evenings around Bristol are usually busy, Friday evenings in the summer are busy, Friday evenings before Bank Holidays are busy........

if you put all three together you are potentially looking at a slow crawl past Bristol, BUT yoiu could well sail through without any delays - that is the unpredictable thing about the journey.

Fuel is usually very reasonably priced at Cribb's Causeway at Walmart - they are often the cheapest round so if you do need a break it makes sense to fill up if you need to.

Good luck, if you are not there by Tuesday where do you want us to send the search party ? :lol: 

(Bet you sail through now with all these predictions of gloom, doom and despondency........... :lol: )

Dave


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## TR5 (Jun 6, 2007)

The fact that the weather is predicted to be s**t on Sunday, much colder and very heavy rain, may help! One or two may stay at home.


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## Clarkey (Feb 14, 2006)

Sat it is, the boss adjusted booking.

Chance to pick up sat nav from Halfords, and set it up for the fuel stop, mind if wifey gets out at cribbs I may not see her or the credit card for a while.

Main reason is with kids at 3 and 5 that kind of evening excitement, makes it hard to settle them in, they still can't get over the toilets in the van and have been known to stop a lot!!

After a tough day at work and then 2 hours scrubbing mites off the pushchair, appears the idea of doing the bins the night before and cleaning hens out, then keeping the bin in the garage to stop the cats wrecking it was not so well founded. Mites all over the place, sadly not noticed until kid got in it!!

Since 9 pm 5 yr old fell out bed, 3 yr old managed to wet hers, so quick change,me still in dog house about mites, I think a night off might be earned. But oh yes need to get van ready tomorrow (still new to us)

Weather wise, not bothered. Last trip eldest picked up bug, threw up all through the euro finals, slept in with us and threw up at 04:30 on me. So on paper it only gets better from here in!!

Calling it a day

C.


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## JockandRita (Jun 1, 2005)

Clarkey said:


> Sat it is, the boss adjusted booking.
> 
> Chance to pick up sat nav from Halfords, and set it up for the fuel stop, mind if wifey gets out at cribbs I may not see her or the credit card for a while.
> 
> ...


A good choice not to travel on Friday evening, but it sounds like you definitely need a break. :lol:

Have a good weekend. :thumbright:

Cheers,

Jock & Rita.

P.S. We've been stuck in traffic queues on the M5 at [email protected] 07.00 on a Saturday morning. 8O It was peak holiday time though.


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## Bubblehead (Mar 5, 2007)

Why are you going via bristol? 

Go from home onto the M5, off at Cheltenham south up the hill to the balloon rounderbout and follow the A417 to swindon, join the M4.

It has the hill to get up but its OK just slow and a single carraige way section about 5 miles long which can back up a bit, but once past this its duel all the way to Swindon.

We often come back home (Forest of Dean) this way to save the bridge toll as there is only 3 miles / 15 minutes diffrence from Swindon / M4.

Andy


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