experience using A205 eastbound

[Le_37]

Hello,

need to get to Brentwood Essex from ED via car, never driven this route. Any advice please, which is better;

drive south to the M25 and go round to Dartford to cross river,

OR... follow A205 then before Woolwich take the A207 towards Welling, again joining at Dartford to cross the drink.

Many thanks to all in advance!

[peckhamboy]

Probably depends when you're travelling, but I'd have thought heading to Blackheath then taking the A2 would be as quick as or quicker than any other route

[MelC]

I agree with peckhamboy, it really does depend on what time of day you are going. I usually go via Blackheath and M25 and othertimes Blackwall Tunnel and pick up the A12. But never south to M25.

[Le_37]

Sensible question. It is to collect an item, so time of day would be flexible, no set appointment. I was thinking either weekend daytime or evening night time.

Thanks all.

[Fuschia]

To get on the A12?

None of those. Go peckham, bermondesy, rotherhithe, rotherhithe tunnel, back route after the tunnel up to the A12 (go past St pauls way school, you can see on the map the route that goes parallel to the north of east india dock road. When you come out of the tunnel, cross commercial rd and go straight ahead, past the marine works under the railway arches on the left, then turn right, keep going straight till you hit the A12 just north of the Blackwall tunnel

This is my route to work, is by far the best, esp during the day

[Le_37]

yes, your route makes sense. Just to clarity, come out of Rotherhithe tunnel onto the Highway and follow onto A13, Commerical Road, by Limehouse DLR, drive down, it becomes East India Dock Road and then join the A12 at the east end?

thank you

[katgod]

Blackheath, Blackwall Tunnel, A13 eastwards towards Essex then cross country to Brentwood (is signposted off A13).A13 is 3 lanes pretty much like a motorway from Blackwall Tunnel. A12 through east/notheast London is a series of roundabouts and traffic lights (Redbridge/Gants Hill etc). Grim.

Or Rotherhithe/Blackwall as you prefer then A12 to Redbridge, then M11 north and one junction round on the M25. Never the A12 through east london tho!

[buggie]

Agree with Fuschia - rotherhithe tunnel is so much quicker, but would go onto A13 rather than looping round and back onto the A13. Just avoid the "services" at Brentwood - the garage is ok, but the McDonalds didn't even have milkshakes when we made a pitstop there the other week!

[Fuschia]

Le_37 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> yes, your route makes sense. Just to clarity, come

> out of Rotherhithe tunnel onto the Highway and

> follow onto A13, Commerical Road, by Limehouse

> DLR, drive down, it becomes East India Dock Road

> and then join the A12 at the east end?

>

> thank you

To get onto the A12, CROSS Commercial Rd where you meet it just as you come out of the tunnel, and then turn right at the t junction and drive parallel to the A13 to the north al;l the way to the a12

But if its the A13 you need ultimately, not the a12, then just go right after the tunnel, yes (at certain times of day there might be an advantage in looping round to the left and heading east via the limehouse link, but it's not my usual route except during roadworks, so i'm less confident about the clever stuff there)

To get to rotherhithe you want to hit the old kent road FROM PECKHAM PARK RD, straight over into rotherhithe new rd, hawkstone, lower rd but on return journey do southwark bridge rd, jamaica rd, st james road right down to the junction nr old kent road

[Fuschia]

Is about a 45 min journey even in the morning, to get to the blackwall tunnel northern approach.

[????]

Avoid Blackwell tunnell like the plague

Rotherhithe - first left that loops you onto Limehouse link, then follow this onto A13 - M25 or further out and cross country, most days your sgainst the traffic (except M25 bit)

[benmorg]

Rotherhithe tunnel and A12 definitely. A12 is fast. Fuscia's back st route to A12 sounds good but I haven't tried it myself.

[Fuschia]

yes, a12 is actually usually good (is my route to the m11/m25) but as long as you are not trying to turn off for hackney, often huge queues to turn off and if coming south if you turn off at mile end and go mile end rd/burdett rd then rejoin the route i described earlier.

I have had bad experiences on the a13, tbh, the bit close in to docklands, but i think that may be because of roadworks a few years back

Anyway, if you can get to that junction of the a12/a13 you have the choice, I guess, and the hard bit is actually getting there (without doing the awful a2 or greenwich)

[Fuschia]

Le_37 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Hello,

>

>

> OR... follow A205 then before Woolwich take the

> A207 towards Welling, again joining at Dartford to

> cross the drink.

Just for the record, A205 past Catford Bridge is the worst bit of road EVER and to be avoided at all costs. Slow at any time of night or day!

[Le_37]

I would like to thank everyone for your information! Most useful. I have decided on a route by all this.

Many thanks!

[paulsimon]

I agree Rotherhithe is best in my (limited) experience