Best Route to Billing from the South West

[MicroBlueChip]

Hi All,

Travelling to Billing early tomorrow morning from Exeter.

Can anyone suggest a potential best route in terms of time and fuel.

I'm torn between staying on motorways or minor roads. Motorway as far as I can see is up M5 to birmingham, M42, M6 south and then M1. But this is a considerable extra distance.

We have a '93 Disco MPI doing 25-30 MPG so likes to drink petrol.

Regards
Phil.

[dew1911]

Shortest Route according to MICROSOFT AUTOROUTE

Time   Mile   Instruction   For   Toward
Summary:  191.1 miles (5 hours, 6 minutes)
09:00   0.0   Depart Exeter on B3183 [Heavitree Road] (East)   1.9 mi   
09:03   1.9   At roundabout, take the SECOND exit onto B3183 [Honiton Road]   0.8 mi   
09:05   2.7   Road name changes to A30 [Honiton Road]   19.2 mi   
09:34   21.9   Keep LEFT onto A303   25.0 mi   
10:12   47.0   At roundabout, take the SECOND exit onto A37   12.0 mi   
10:30   59.0   Bear LEFT (North) onto Church Lane   0.4 mi   
10:32   59.3   Bear LEFT (North) onto A37   0.2 mi   
10:32   59.5   At roundabout, take the THIRD exit onto A361 [Fosse Lane]   0.7 mi   
10:34   60.2   Turn RIGHT (East) onto A361 [Charlton Road]   7.4 mi   
10:45   67.6   At roundabout, take the THIRD exit onto A361   7.4 mi   
10:57   75.0   At roundabout, take the SECOND exit onto A36   0.7 mi   
10:59   75.7   At roundabout, take the THIRD exit onto A361   4.6 mi   
11:07   80.2   Turn RIGHT (South) onto A361 [Bradley Road]   109 yds   
11:07   80.3   Turn LEFT (East) onto A361 [County Way]   1.0 mi   
11:09   81.3   At roundabout, take the THIRD exit onto A361 [Hilperton Road]   0.8 mi   
11:11   82.1   At roundabout, take the SECOND exit onto A361   0.5 mi   
11:12   82.6   At roundabout, take the SECOND exit onto A361 [Hilperton Drive]   0.5 mi   
11:13   83.2   At roundabout, take the SECOND exit onto A361 [Devizes Road]   1.2 mi   
11:15   84.3   At roundabout, take the FIRST exit onto A350   1.0 mi   
11:17   85.4   At roundabout, take the FIRST exit onto A350 [Semington Road]   0.7 mi   
11:18   86.1   At roundabout, take the FIRST exit onto A350 [Western Way]   0.8 mi   
11:20   86.9   At roundabout, take the SECOND exit onto A350   0.7 mi   
11:21   87.6   At roundabout, take the SECOND exit onto A350 [Beanacre Road]   0.7 mi   
11:23   88.3   Keep LEFT onto Local road(s)   76 yds   
11:23   88.3   Keep STRAIGHT onto A350   7.0 mi   
11:36   95.3   At roundabout, take the FIRST exit onto A350 [Malmesbury Road]   2.5 mi   
11:39   97.8   At roundabout, take the THIRD exit onto Ramp   0.5 mi   M4 / London / Swindon
11:40   98.3   Merge onto M4   17.6 mi   
11:55   115.9   At Exit 15, keep LEFT onto Ramp   0.3 mi   A346 / A420 / Swindon E. / Oxford / Marlborough
11:56   116.2   At roundabout, take the FIRST exit onto A419 [Marlborough Road]   0.9 mi   
11:57   117.1   At roundabout, take the SECOND exit onto A419   2.3 mi   
12:02   119.4   Keep LEFT onto Ramp   0.2 mi   
12:02   119.6   At roundabout, take the SECOND exit onto A420 [Merlin Way]   0.3 mi   
12:03   119.8   At roundabout, take the THIRD exit onto A420   5.5 mi   
12:12   125.4   Bear LEFT (North-East) onto Local road(s)   76 yds   
12:12   125.4   Keep STRAIGHT onto A420   19.7 mi   
12:43   145.1   At roundabout, take the FIRST exit onto Ramp   0.2 mi   
12:44   145.3   Bear LEFT (North) onto A34 [Western By Pass Road]   9.2 mi   
12:58   154.5   At roundabout, take the FIRST exit onto Ramp   0.3 mi   M40 / The Midlands / Northampton / Banbury
12:58   154.9   Merge onto M40   5.0 mi   
13:02   159.8   At Exit 10, keep LEFT onto Ramp   0.3 mi   A43 / Northampton
13:03   160.1   At roundabout, take the SECOND exit onto B430   0.1 mi   
13:03   160.2   At roundabout, take the SECOND exit onto Local road(s)   0.1 mi   
13:03   160.3   At roundabout, take the FIRST exit onto A43   5.8 mi   
13:12   166.1   At roundabout, take the SECOND exit onto Oxford Road   0.2 mi   
13:13   166.4   Road name changes to Bridge Street   0.2 mi   
13:14   166.5   Keep STRAIGHT onto Market Place   174 yds   
13:15   166.6   Keep STRAIGHT onto High Street   0.7 mi   
13:17   167.3   Bear RIGHT (North) onto Burwell Hill   174 yds   
13:18   167.4   Road name changes to Northampton Road   0.4 mi   
13:18   167.8   At roundabout, take the SECOND exit onto A43   12.5 mi   
13:38   180.3   Keep RIGHT onto Local road(s)   32 yds   
13:38   180.3   Turn RIGHT (East) onto Local road(s)   65 yds   
13:38   180.3   Bear LEFT (North-East) onto Local road(s)   0.2 mi   
13:39   180.5   Road name changes to Towcester Road   0.8 mi   
13:41   181.3   Road name changes to High Street   0.3 mi   
13:42   181.6   Turn LEFT (North) onto Northampton Road   0.8 mi   
13:45   182.4   Road name changes to Towcester Road   1.6 mi   
13:51   184.0   Turn RIGHT (East) onto Rowtree Road   0.2 mi   
13:52   184.2   Turn LEFT (North) onto Hill Farm Rise   0.3 mi   
13:54   184.5   Turn LEFT (West) onto Clannell Road   0.2 mi   
13:55   184.7   Turn RIGHT (East) onto Towcester Road   0.2 mi   
13:55   184.8   At roundabout, take the THIRD exit onto A45 [Mere Way]   0.8 mi   
13:57   185.7   At roundabout, take the SECOND exit onto Ramp   0.3 mi   
13:57   186.0   Merge onto A45 [Nene Valley Way]   4.2 mi   
14:04   190.2   Keep LEFT onto Ramp   0.2 mi   
14:04   190.4   At roundabout, take the THIRD exit onto Local road(s)   0.2 mi   
14:04   190.6   Bear RIGHT (South) onto Local road(s)   0.1 mi   
14:05   190.7   Road name changes to Crow Lane   0.4 mi   
14:06   191.1   At roundabout, take the FIRST exit onto Local road(s)   76 yds   
14:06   191.1   Arrive Billing Aquadrome [Crow Lane Industrial Estate, Northampton, NN3 9, United Kingdom]      

SUMMARY
Driving distance:  191.1 miles
Trip duration:  5 hours, 6 minutes
Driving time:  5 hours, 6 minutes
Cost:  Ã‚£24.20

Quickest Route:

Time   Mile   Instruction   For   Toward
Summary:  218.9 miles (3 hours, 19 minutes)
09:00   0.0   Depart Exeter on B3183 [Heavitree Road] (East)   1.9 mi   
09:03   1.9   At roundabout, take the SECOND exit onto B3183 [Honiton Road]   0.7 mi   
09:05   2.6   Take Ramp (LEFT) onto M5   140.9 mi   
11:05   143.5   At Exit 4A, keep LEFT onto Ramp   0.9 mi   M42 / M1 / M40 / The North East / London / B'ham (S and E) / Redditch / N.E.C. and Airport
11:07   144.4   Road name changes to M42   10.8 mi   
11:16   155.2   At Exit 3A, take Ramp (LEFT) onto M42   10.8 mi   M42 / The North / Solihull / B'ham (E) / N.E.C. and Airport
11:26   166.0   At Exit 7A, take Ramp (LEFT) onto M6   24.3 mi   M6 / M1 / London / Coventry
11:47   190.3   Take Ramp (RIGHT) onto M1   21.0 mi   M1 / London / Northampton
12:06   211.3   At Exit 15, keep LEFT onto Ramp   0.2 mi   A508 / Northampton (East)
12:06   211.5   At roundabout, take the FIRST exit onto A508   2.2 mi   
12:09   213.7   Road name changes to A45 [Nene Valley Way]   4.2 mi   
12:16   217.9   Keep LEFT onto Ramp   0.2 mi   
12:16   218.1   At roundabout, take the THIRD exit onto Local road(s)   0.2 mi   
12:17   218.3   Bear RIGHT (South) onto Local road(s)   0.1 mi   
12:17   218.4   Road name changes to Crow Lane   0.4 mi   
12:18   218.8   At roundabout, take the FIRST exit onto Local road(s)   76 yds   
12:19   218.9   Arrive Billing Aquadrome [Crow Lane Industrial Estate, Northampton, NN3 9, United Kingdom]      

SUMMARY
Driving distance:  218.9 miles
Trip duration:  3 hours, 19 minutes
Driving time:  3 hours, 19 minutes
Cost:  Ã‚£26.69

[ChrisW]

I would have thought something along the lines of
M5 to M4 at Bristol
M4 to A34 at Newbury
A34 to M40 at Oxford
M40 1 junction up to A43
A43 to Northampton

You could go A30 - A303 to A34 by Andover to stay more on A roads

[MicroBlueChip]

Thanks,

That confirms my own findings but did not consider the A303.

Many thanks for that.

Phil.

[Hightower]

If it were me, I'd go M5, M4 (to Swindon/Marlborough), A420, A34, M40, A43.
Not much differnt to Chris's route but cuts off the big corner before Oxford.