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I'm off up to Liverpool this weekend for a mates stag do, just wondering what the best route would be, I work on the edge of Abingdon and was thinking about the route, the A34 north is going to be a bit of a cunt, is it better to come back towards Swindon and go up the 419 to the M5 or just take the A34?

419, m5, m6 was my choice last week. traffic is an arse with lots of speed restricted roadworks on the m5 however. if you can drive late or early do it

Go via the m6 toll. It's worth the money

M6 is a bitch even very late, especially Fridays, becasue of the roadworks. M6 Toll helps but only a bit.

sweet cheers for the tips :) will go on the m6 toll

Train via Brum is quite a smooth run and it gives you the opportunity to get cunted

You have to mix with the British public though

*shudder*

That's the least of his problems, didn't you see where he's going?

Go via Wales then take the ferry across the mersey.

That's better sense

Fly to Belfast and get the ferry back....I've done it the other way around; pricey but fun.

Sometimes I think you're stuck with the obvious route...and this is probably one of those.  You could try avoiding Birmingham taking the dual carriageway/motorway route via Northampton, Derby and Stoke, but that would add too much to the journey to make it worth your while.  I'd probably go early or late as iiiffy suggests.

I spent a week in France last week and their network puts ours to shame in my view.  They built a proper network that allows you to divert on to alternatives when one route is out...instead of our approach of putting all your eggs in to one basket.  If you're heading to the NW and the M6 is out, for example, you're screwed.  And don't get me started on the M6Toll.  Biggest waste of money ever.  The deliberate lack of info given to drivers on the approaches about congestion (or lack of) on the M6 proper is disgraceful.

Lack of proper information on motorways in general is poor.

Good knows how much they invested in matrix sign installation but it's been nearly a total waste of money. In my experience they are accurate about 20% of the time.

This is the route I'd use....pootle east out of Abingdon on the A415, then pick up the B4015 to pick up the A329 at Stadhampton, then head for junction 7 M40. at 3A with M42, follow this north to junction 10 Tamworth. This picks up the old Roman road of Watling Street.....travel west until junction 12 M6.  I did this back in the autumn, when Brum was gridlocked and it was reasonably trouble free.

Probably the worst place and routes to travel on a friday. Whatever way is taken will have congestion- problems.
Pick the shortest-quickest route and hope for the best. A34-M40-M42-M6
If that is fucked then you could go across the A40 towards the M5 from Poxford then up that way. Likewise going up the M1 then across via the A50 or further up if needbe is an option.
Rather you than me.