Hi group.
I might well have occasion to drive from the bottom of the M1 to
Brixton in the fairly near future, and at least one way will be during
charging hours, which means either a lengthy detour or the free route.

Has anyone on here driven the north-south free route yet? How well
signed is it? Any pitfalls for the unwary driver-ie how easy is it to
accidentally drive into the zone, especially after dark?

Or is it all very simple?

On 24 Feb 2007 12:41:20 -0800, wrote:

Hi group.
I might well have occasion to drive from the bottom of the M1 to
Brixton in the fairly near future, and at least one way will be during
charging hours, which means either a lengthy detour or the free route.

Has anyone on here driven the north-south free route yet? How well
signed is it? Any pitfalls for the unwary driver-ie how easy is it to
accidentally drive into the zone, especially after dark?

Or is it all very simple?

Edgware Road, Park Lane, Grosvenor Place, Victoria one way system,
Vauxhall Bridge Road. Also Chelsea Embankment since the extension came
in. See below.

http://www.cclondon.com/download/DetailMapECCZ.pdf
--
Paul C


Admits to working for London Underground!

wrote in news:1172349680.426707.202340
@m58g2000cwm.googlegroups.com:

Hi group.
I might well have occasion to drive from the bottom of the M1 to
Brixton in the fairly near future, and at least one way will be during
charging hours, which means either a lengthy detour or the free route.

Has anyone on here driven the north-south free route yet? How well
signed is it? Any pitfalls for the unwary driver-ie how easy is it to
accidentally drive into the zone, especially after dark?

Or is it all very simple?


The charge only applies between 07:00 and 18:00 so "after dark" won't be a
problem for the next few months...

On 24 Feb, 20:52, Paul Corfield wrote:
On 24 Feb 2007 12:41:20 -0800, wrote:

Hi group.
I might well have occasion to drive from the bottom of the M1 to
Brixton in the fairly near future, and at least one way will be during
charging hours, which means either a lengthy detour or the free route.

Has anyone on here driven the north-south free route yet? How well
signed is it? Any pitfalls for the unwary driver-ie how easy is it to
accidentally drive into the zone, especially after dark?

Or is it all very simple?

Edgware Road, Park Lane, Grosvenor Place, Victoria one way system,
Vauxhall Bridge Road. Also Chelsea Embankment since the extension came
in.

Thanks. Edgeware road is no problem, I know how to get there, and I
can get onto Park Lane at Marble Arch. Then what? The next bit looks a
little tricker. Is it just a question of following green signs to stay
on the free road.

(actually the trip the other way after dark will be after charging
finishes -doh(!)-going wrong northbound will just mean getting lost,
not a 8 quid bill for my troubles)

On 24 Feb 2007 13:29:27 -0800, wrote:

On 24 Feb, 20:52, Paul Corfield wrote:
On 24 Feb 2007 12:41:20 -0800, wrote:

Hi group.
I might well have occasion to drive from the bottom of the M1 to
Brixton in the fairly near future, and at least one way will be during
charging hours, which means either a lengthy detour or the free route.

Has anyone on here driven the north-south free route yet? How well
signed is it? Any pitfalls for the unwary driver-ie how easy is it to
accidentally drive into the zone, especially after dark?

Or is it all very simple?

Edgware Road, Park Lane, Grosvenor Place, Victoria one way system,
Vauxhall Bridge Road. Also Chelsea Embankment since the extension came
in.

Thanks. Edgeware road is no problem, I know how to get there, and I
can get onto Park Lane at Marble Arch. Then what? The next bit looks a
little tricker. Is it just a question of following green signs to stay
on the free road.

I don't drive so I don't know about any specific "free route signage". I
would just follow signs for Victoria or South London. At the end of Park
Lane you are at Hyde Park Corner which is really just a stonking big
roundabout - you want the third exit which is Grosvenor Place. First
exit at HPC is Piccadilly, second is Constitution Hil and you want the
next one. I'm pretty damn sure it is signed for Victoria. At the end of
Grosvenor Place you must go left, follow that road until the traffic
lights, straight across into Bressenden Place, at the second set of
lights it's a right filter then a left filter into Vauxhall Bridge Road
and just due south and across Vauxhall Bridge. The signage will be
pointing you to Victoria / Victoria Station / Vauxhall Bridge / South
London from Marble Arch I would imagine.

If you look at the link and the map I put on the earlier post you can
follow the route very easily. With a pdf you can rotate it so it would
be in the orientation as if you were driving so you can get the lefts
and rights correct IYSWIM.

--
Paul C


Admits to working for London Underground!

Paul Corfield wrote:
On 24 Feb 2007 13:29:27 -0800, wrote:

Is it just a question of following green signs to
stay on the free road.

That was pretty much word for word what my suggestion was going to be.

I don't drive so I don't know about any specific "free route
signage".

There is no free route signage as such, but every direction sign pointing
*away* from the free route will have the congestion charge symbol (white C
in a red circle, as found here http://www.cclondon.com/ ) under the
destination (such as Mayfair). Lanes leading you into the congestion charge
area bear a black C on a white circle in the centre of the lane, so if you
see one of them passing under the centre of your front bumper, you had
better change lane. You will often be in a lane which allows you to travel
forward or turn, and travelling forward will be okay, but turning will bring
you into the zone: these lanes have a black C on a white circle off-centre
in the lane - you are okay here so long as you travel forward and don't take
the turn. If you see a *white* C on a *red* circle passing under your
bumper, you have gone the wrong way and need to pay the congestion charge.

I would just follow signs for Victoria or South London.

Careful: Victoria Coach Station is in the charging zone. I don't think there
are any signs to South London anywhere.

At
the end of Park Lane you are at Hyde Park Corner which is really just
a stonking big roundabout - I'm pretty damn sure it
is signed for Victoria.

Not sure about the sign, but the lanes certainly have Victoria painted on
them.

The signage will be pointing you to Victoria
/ Victoria Station / Vauxhall Bridge / South London from Marble Arch
I would imagine.

The free route is mostly marked "Ring Road Southbound" or something similar.

On 25 Feb, 06:15, "John Rowland"
wrote:
Lanes leading you into the congestion charge
area bear a black C on a white circle in the centre of the lane, so if you
see one of them passing under the centre of your front bumper, you had
better change lane. You will often be in a lane which allows you to travel
forward or turn, and travelling forward will be okay, but turning will bring
you into the zone: these lanes have a black C on a white circle off-centre
in the lane - you are okay here so long as you travel forward and don't take
the turn. If you see a *white* C on a *red* circle passing under your
bumper, you have gone the wrong way and need to pay the congestion charge.

Thanks for that, John. V.helpful. Thanks also Paul Corfield for the
route . Between you you've made this much clearer.

I think thats everything......thanks again