Southampton > Bracknell

Does anyone have any experience of travelling to Bracknell on a daily basis?

 

Am exploring a new job based in Brscknell and wondered what the commute is like up the M3.

You'll be in the London traffic all the way to junction 3. It's really crap past fleet services, always has been which is why they are upgrading to smart motorway along that stretch which should improve it since there'll be an extra lane to sit in at rush hour.

 

There's also currently major roadworks going in to Bracknell from Bagshot at Sainsburys which should help traffic flow once complete. But right now it's sh!t.

 

Your other choice (depending on which side of Bracknell you are working) is to go up past Sandhurst/Crowthorne - remember to wave at the loonies in Broadmoor as you go by.

 

Other than that, you could go a completely daft route like getting off at Junction 5 and going up through Hartnley Witney then Finchampstead and going along Nine Mile Ride

Can you vary hours? Start at 7? Finish at 4?

Thanks Napalm, appreciate the info.

 

I'm currently WFH so my commute is making it down the stairs safely

 

It sounds a right ballache but the job sounds cool, so may be worth the pain. The extra ££ will help too

Tbh, Bracknell is completely redeveloping its town centre right now and once complete it'll have a big impression on house prices so nows the time to buy up there. It's not that bad a place to live - quiet, lots of London commuters, good countryside. Far enough away from London that the w@nkers don't want to live that far out.

 

I lived there briefly before I got stitched up by the landlady selling the place I was living in. It was ok, getting to Southampton wasn't that much of an Ar$e ache.

 

I'm actually working back in Southampton now so I'm looking to move back

Daft route coming up. If it were me I'd be inclined to go as far as I could up the M3. Come off at Hook and go along the A30 through Hartley Wintney, past Blackbushe to Blackwater, then towards Sandhurst at The Meadows and straight into Bracknell via the A3095 as Napalm suggests. The alternative is indeed more convoluted. At the top of Star Hill out of Hartley Wintney is a one way slip road to Reading which brings you out onto the A327. If you go through Eversley and turn up through Finchampstead Village on the B3348 at the Tally Ho you can follow that through Crowthorne and into Bracknell. A work colleague who currently lives in Southampton and drives daily to Bracknell uses that route.

Daft route coming up. If it were me I'd be inclined to go as far as I could up the M3. Come off at Hook and go along the A30 through Hartley Wintney, past Blackbushe to Blackwater, then towards Sandhurst at The Meadows and straight into Bracknell via the A3095 as Napalm suggests. The alternative is indeed more convoluted. At the top of Star Hill out of Hartley Wintney is a one way slip road to Reading which brings you out onto the A327. If you go through Eversley and turn up through Finchampstead Village on the B3348 at the Tally Ho you can follow that through Crowthorne and into Bracknell. A work colleague who currently lives in Southampton and drives daily to Bracknell uses that route.

 

I lived in Wokingham for many years (next to Bracknell) and with in-laws and the football taking me to Southampton regularly, the advice above is exactly what I would have given !

Bestways it should take about 45 mins but as I never commuted in rush hour I could be well out on that calculation !

Good luck !

Used to commute there 4 or 5 days a week for quite a while.

 

Leave as early as you can in the morning (from both a work / sleep / sanity perspective) to avoid the traffic on the M3. If you do have to leave it late, the black spots are from Soton to the A34, and then from Fleet Services (or thereabouts) all the way to the M25.

 

I used to come off the M3 at either 4 (go past Camberley and then up through Forresters Way) or 4A (Yateley, past Sandhurst and then through Crowthorne). Never as far as junction 3 which is the "officially" signed route. And especially not now with the endless 50mph roadworks.

 

Best route might depend which part of Bracknell you are trying to get to. Try and avoid busy times around the Twin Bridges roundabout at the bottom of the A329(M).

 

On way back traffic can be more variable. Obviously it's worst at rush hour, but the journeys are a bit more staggered. Never really had much trouble getting out of the town, though sometimes pretty busy between Bracknell and Crowthorne. Back this end again, it is usually busy around the A34 junction, through Twyford Down and then on the stretch toward Eastleigh.

 

It can be done in less than an hour. On a clear run, 50 minutes is doable.

Other than that, you could go a completely daft route like getting off at Junction 5 and going up through Hartley Witney then Finchampstead and going along Nine Mile Ride

 

Not so daft. I used to make a lot of trips to Hewlett-Packard when they were at Pinewood just outside Bracknell.

 

Always used this route and never had any hold ups.

Tbh, Bracknell is completely redeveloping its town centre right now and once complete it'll have a big impression on house prices so nows the time to buy up there. It's not that bad a place to live - quiet, lots of London commuters, good countryside. Far enough away from London that the w@nkers don't want to live that far out.

House prices were always cheaper than most parts of Berkshire I would say, but I'm not sure that's going to last much longer and the price differentials have never been that huge. £237000 for a modern 2 bed flat in Easthampstead and £300000 for three bed terraced house in Great Hollands for example. I've worked in the town for the best part of a quarter of a century so it's a place that is oddly close to my heart. A sizeable number of the population under the age 40 may well have been taught by me, and I'm well into the second generation kids now. I've seen it change over the years. When I first started work there it was still very much a New Town with a new town population. A lot of people moved out of south west London and as ever in Berkshire a shed loads of settled travellers. A lot of the kids support Chelsea (inevitably but always been a strong core of Chelsea fans in the same way Stevenage has strong links to Tottenham and Arsenal), QPR and Brentford. Being a bit cheaper has attracted more professional people getting on the housing ladder and socio-economically it is much more 'grown-up' and diverse place than it was 25 years ago, when I encountered very few children from any ethnic minority or from what might be termed 'middle class' backgrounds.

Personally, I wouldn't go anywhere near Great Hollands. I know it's improved but it's still not the best place to be. I lived on Birch Hill and I loved it there, quiet, fantastic neighbours.

 

As for the route, I think the consensus is to get off at Junction 5 and use the back roads. You still have options going that way if there are hold ups.

I live in Bracknell - Personally I'd leave about 1 hour 30 mins before you're due to start if you leave anytime after 7:00am.

 

Getting out of Bracknell between 17:00-18:00 is usually a nightmare as well but anytime before that is alright.

Plenty of options for getting there: M3 or A33/M4 or even via Alton and across that way. Pretty much guaranteed to be in a big jam once a week on M3 though.

Not something I would consider doing now but did Southampton > Reading daily for 5 years. You get used to the rat runs and knowing when to leave (even a few minutes can make a difference).

I think you have to just accept you will be in traffic and relax otherwise the stress will kill you. Get a comfy car that's enjoyable to drive and as others have said use the rural roads north of Basingstoke/Hook. Hopefully the smart motorway upgrade will help.

I live in Bracknell - Personally I'd leave about 1 hour 30 mins before you're due to start if you leave anytime after 7:00am.

 

Getting out of Bracknell between 17:00-18:00 is usually a nightmare as well but anytime before that is alright.

 

I live in Bracknell too and agree with you but work is happening to speed up traffic at the Coral Reef junction and the M3 is currently being enhanced which is positive

 

Bracknell is a great place to bring up kids plenty of things for them to do schools are great improving all the time good road links but slow railway to Waterloo

 

North Bracknell is probably the best place to live but the other areas including Great Hollands which now includes Jennetts Park have good areas too

 

Getting Back to Southampton is sometimes troublesome around Winchester as I found out attending evening games

Daft route coming up. If it were me I'd be inclined to go as far as I could up the M3. Come off at Hook and go along the A30 through Hartley Wintney, past Blackbushe to Blackwater, then towards Sandhurst at The Meadows and straight into Bracknell via the A3095 as Napalm suggests. The alternative is indeed more convoluted. At the top of Star Hill out of Hartley Wintney is a one way slip road to Reading which brings you out onto the A327. If you go through Eversley and turn up through Finchampstead Village on the B3348 at the Tally Ho you can follow that through Crowthorne and into Bracknell. A work colleague who currently lives in Southampton and drives daily to Bracknell uses that route.

 

Message to OP : either of these routes is recommended. I used to work in Bracknell and have tried all routes. Right now with the 50mph limit after Hook, come off at Hook, go through Eversley (lovely village green cricket and pubs) and then through Finchie. Try to get through there before 8pm as Nine Mile Ride into Bracknell can get clogged.

You'll be in the London traffic all the way to junction 3. It's really crap past fleet services

 

Totally agree here, generally flows fairly well until you get to fleet though (apart from the stretch between Twyford and Winchester which is slow every day).

Expect 90-120 minutes each way and you won't be disappointed.

You need to be on the M3 from Southampton end by 06:00 at the absolute latest if you want to avoid the worst of the traffic at Winchester and then past Fleet Services and come off at Junction 3. Earlier if you can. I did 6 months to West Ealing last year and I'm currently doing a commute to Knightsbridge most days. I make sure I'm on the M3 by 05:00 so I know I'll miss all the traffic.

Mondays and Tuesdays are the busiest days and Fridays are 'relatively' quiet(er) - so much so that I used to leave for Ealing 07:00 Mon/Tues, 07:15 Wed/Thurs, and 07:30-07:45 Fris. The reverse is the case for the return journey in rush hour, with Monday's being fairly easy and gradually getting worse by the hell of Fridays.

Originally Posted by Mase

I live in Bracknell - Personally I'd leave about 1 hour 30 mins before you're due to start if you leave anytime after 7:00am.

 

Getting out of Bracknell between 17:00-18:00 is usually a nightmare as well but anytime before that is alright.

I live in Bracknell too and agree with you but work is happening to speed up traffic at the Coral Reef junction and the M3 is currently being enhanced which is positive

 

Bracknell is a great place to bring up kids plenty of things for them to do schools are great improving all the time good road links but slow railway to Waterloo

 

North Bracknell is probably the best place to live but the other areas including Great Hollands which now includes Jennetts Park have good areas too

 

Getting Back to Southampton is sometimes troublesome around Winchester as I found out attending evening games

 

Living in Bracknell also does this constitute a Bracknell Saints Supporters Association?