Hi All

Just got a job in Nottingham and was wondering if anyone had any advice about getting there every day. Work starts at 10.00am. I was considering using the park and ride just off the M1.
Does anyone know what the traffic is like during morning rush hour?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Dunno about park and ride, if I ever do jobs down there I go through Chesterfield , Clay Cross,and down A38 think it is nicer than M1 and doesnt come to a complete standstill in the mornings

A few years ago I worked in Nottingham. Traffic was generally pretty bad on the M1 and getting in to Nottingham in the morning, so driving was never a particularly pleasurable experience.

I worked near the station, so I used the train mostly which is far better than fighting through traffic. I found the trains in the morning reasonably ok, but in the evening very often packed and not on time. Also, by the time I added on time for the bus journey to the station there wasn't much time advantage over driving.

It's always nice to see queues of traffic on the M1 though when you sail past them on a train!

The thought of driving on the M1 at peak time always fills me dread. There seems to be about 2 crashes a day on any given 100 mile stretch and you can't normally go as far as Nottingham to Sheffield without encountering stationary traffic at some point. You'll be taking pot luck, basically, and the only way to make sure you get to work on time is to get there early.

Just my opinion.

People make a big fuss about M1 but we used to travel up and down it to London 5 days a week for 2 years and rarely had much of a problem. There's far worse roads to be honest, M6 anybody!

But what time did you set off? And what time did you get there?

I'm doing Sheffield to Ashby-de-la-Zouch daily at the moment (not out of choice), 63 miles each way (no train station in Ashby so have to drive). Motorway diving isnt difficult, just frustrating sometimes, takes between 1hr and 1hr30 unless theres a huge smash. My boss is pretty flexible so it doesnt really matter what time I get there, I like to be in by 8.30 though to avoid the rush hour around Notts.

The main reason for the crashes I see on the M1 is idiots/poor drivers/tired drivers taking their eye off the road and going into the back of the car infront (on either carriageway... the rubbernecking on the opposite lane can be just as bad a hold up).

People who do these sort of early morning pressurised drives should a) have the experience to deal with high speed driving and b) be in a fit state to do it, ie not shattered, half cut from last nights beers etc. (BTW I've got the day off tomorrow YAY... hence the late post).

Stupid crashes that bring the whole road to a standstill are even more irritating than rubbish drivers sitting in the fast lane doing 65 with an empty middle lane and faster traffic approaching; I digress.

I know everyone thinks their great drivers but there are some awful ones out there. I think having lots of driving experience and having done over 5000 motorway miles in the last 2months I have some grounds to comment on this....

Driving tests don't prepare people for long distance/high speed motorway driving, and the poor drivers make life very difficult for everyone else. We need a specialised extra test for motorway driving in my opinion. What do you think?

Originally posted by Ow-Zone

I know everyone thinks their great drivers but there are some awful ones out there. I think having lots of driving experience and having done over 5000 motorway miles in the last 2months I have some grounds to comment on this....

Driving tests don't prepare people for long distance/high speed motorway driving, and the poor drivers make life very difficult for everyone else. We need a specialised extra test for motorway driving in my opinion. What do you think?


I agree that motorway driving should be tested on driving examinations. It seems absurd to exclude a type of road from the driving test. If one is to drive in the UK one should learn how to drive on all types of road within the UK.

I disagree with the experience though. As a 22 year old I have been driving for 5 years and consider myself to be a good driver. However I see many 50 year olds driving around like maniacs, tailgating, not signalling correctly, etc. The fact that my test was (relatively) recent means that I've not yet forgotten anything and bad habits are not yet really creeping in. While experience can play a part, I think after the first couple of years it is largely irrelevant. The main thing about driving is awareness, IMO.

I've been driving for 8 years now. The first 2 or 3 years after passing your test you are still learning lots.
Even now i am still learning and getting better through experience.

Ow-Zone, I've been commuting to Birmingham 3 or 4 times a week for the past year, i'm sure we'll have passed each other a few times on the M1 or M42 in that time.

I find that the M1 is very predictable. If I'm out of Sheffield for 7 I can expect to slow down at around junction 28, (queing to get onto the A38 slows the whole motorway down). Then generally get a good run to the M42. That then slows down around Junction 10, but normally still moving at around 50. The M6 is always slow, but I only go 2 junctions, probably averaging 40.

Coming back on the M1 there are specific spots that slow down as well, as long as you know where they are you can even avoid the lanes that slow down the most!

Originally posted by tslogf74
But what time did you set off? And what time did you get there?

All day every day - used to vary but in the space of a week I'd cover just about every possible time. Used to travel over 2000 miles a week so I know which roads I'd rather be on and which I wouldn't - M1 ain't nearly as bad as many.

Originally posted by Cyclone
I've been driving for 8 years now. The first 2 or 3 years after passing your test you are still learning lots.
Even now i am still learning and getting better through experience.

Ow-Zone, I've been commuting to Birmingham 3 or 4 times a week for the past year, i'm sure we'll have passed each other a few times on the M1 or M42 in that time.

I find that the M1 is very predictable. If I'm out of Sheffield for 7 I can expect to slow down at around junction 28, (queing to get onto the A38 slows the whole motorway down). Then generally get a good run to the M42. That then slows down around Junction 10, but normally still moving at around 50. The M6 is always slow, but I only go 2 junctions, probably averaging 40.

Coming back on the M1 there are specific spots that slow down as well, as long as you know where they are you can even avoid the lanes that slow down the most!

That's very true with regards to the M1 - it is very predictable and once you've done the same trip a few times you know where you want to be and when.

Thanks all.

I drove down there today at 8.00am. No problems at all. I used the excellent new park and ride that they have in Nottingham, just off the M1 at Phoenix Park. They have a supertram system that is brand new. Reached the city center by 9.10am.

I used to travel to Leeds every day for four years up until last October, and the traffic in that direction was worse. Always easier on a Friday though, hope today wasn't a fluke!

isn't it school holidays this week and next. I noticed that the traffic was better than usual this week on the Brum run.

50 mins on the train and its brings you right into the middle of the city.

Cheap as well.

M1, Schmen 1

Originally posted by Mags 23
50 mins on the train and its brings you right into the middle of the city.

Cheap as well.

M1, Schmen 1


Delays? Getting to/from the train station at both ends? Waiting around at the station for your train? Having to stand up when all seats are taken? Add up these factors and you have a similar/ longer commute, as well as being less comfortable.

I agree T020, on the face of it the train to Birmingham is much quicker than driving.
But by the time you've added in the tram, 5 mins buffer to be safe for getting the tram, 15 mins wait for the train, taxi to the office at the other end. It's really not any quicker.
And then it has the added disadvantage of not being flexible if I decide to detour on the way home!

Regarding the seats though, you simply book in advance.

I'd go by train if I could, just due to the inherent dangers of the motorway; I've seen far too many serious early morning crashes involving multiple cars. Crashing my own car and killing myself is one thing, but being taken out by some other idiot's stupidity is a scary thought.

Unfotunatley there are no stations near enough to my work for it to be feasible; I'm in the process of sorting out a job that doesnt require this commute though.