south circular in rush hour...?

[Alabama]

Hi all,

I work in wimbledon and was hoping to commute by car as the trains aren't very regular... Does anyone know what the traffic is like between 8-9am on weekdays going via south circular/A24 to south wimbledon, please? I've had sharp intakes of breath at work when i've asked as they've heard it's a nightmare, but to be fair, none of them commute this way. Any advice welcome - particularly useful shortcuts!

Cheers.

[silverfox]

You'll be fine if you set off at 6am. Alternatively get a new job in the West end. If all else fails move.

[Applespider]

It can vary enormously - at the moment, it's not bad since the schools are finishing but after September, the time may double. I only stay on the South Circular until the P4 turns into Dulwich Village but just that bit from the Harvester to the Gallery Road can take anything from a minute to 10 minutes.

I have a friend who lives in Colliers Wood and occasionally does the commute if she's stayed over - it usually takes her 70-80mins at that time of day to make it from near the Harvester to home.

[ratty]

Whenever I have tried it, it has been awful. Sorry.

[indiepanda]

Likewise, I had a time when I was travelling to Dorking regularly and got the train to Wimbledon to connect with the Dorking train and decided one day to try driving it.... took me ages, and the driving route did take me most of the way to Wimbledon, was just painfully slow.

I found the Wimbledon train to be fairly reliable despite it's infrequency, just got to be a bit more organised to ensure don't miss one and have to wait another half hour. Fun part is getting home afterwards - they are pretty early in the evening from recollection, I was never off work early enough to get one.

[TJS]

South cic is a killer, better route for wimbledon is....through herne hill, then brixton upton too clapham then down nightinggale lane (starts at clapham south tube station)....quite a few speed humps....but quieter

[Jeremy]

Personally I would avoid Herne Hill too. I'd get to Brixton via Champion Hill and Loughborough Junction.

[Alabama]

i did it in 25 blissful traffic-free minutes this morning and arrived smugly at work to be told that the kids have broken up for summer and it is not normally like this!

thanks for the info everyone, I'll try some of those routes out.

Thanks, Jo

[woofmarkthedog]

Otherwise it's a kind of hell on 4 wheels

[Gubodge]

I had to do it in the other direction for a couple of weeks. It took around an hour, and that was on what is usually the quickest route of Alexandra Road/Gap Road/Burntwood lane/Nightingale Lane/South Circular. Most of the hold-ups were at the Clapham end though, so depending whereabouts you're aimin gfor you may be able to avoid the worst of it.

[absentminded]

I use the south circular twice a week, to get to High Wycombe. It is as many say a nightmare during rush hour, because of this I leave at 6am and get to Wycombe by 7am.

[LostThePlot]

JoJo09 Wrote:

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

> Hi all,

>

> I work in wimbledon and was hoping to commute by

> car as the trains aren't very regular...

Er...they are! There is one direct one (If not more), else take any train to Tulse hill and it's usually a 10 or so minute wait for the wimbledon train...then you're there in about 15 mins.

Read the paper, get a coffee,and relax.

OH, and if you MUST drive to Wimbledon best to go Via Streatham, back of Tooting, by the lido, then pick up the road from Colloers wood, then chuck a right at the first station before the tram line. Alternatively Brixton, Balham, Southfields, Plough Lane. But really, get a train...