Wanting some advice from any Leeds/West Yorkshire based Clarets.

Does anyone know what the best route is from experience of driving to night matches during rush hour?

Driving back for night games can be a nightmare. I set off from Leeds centre around 5pm and usually go on the M62 then M66 as although this is a longer route its usually quicker. However the 50mph speed restrictions in Manchester is making this route a real pain. Also when heading back to one of our night matches earlier on in the season the M62 was totally blocked. Took me about 40 mins to go a mile so I ended up getting off near Rochdale and I took some convoluted back route to get to Burnley.

Tomorrow I am thing of either going the Otley, Ilkley Silden route but traffic around Ilkley can be awful. My other option is M62 to Aimley(sp) top, then to Hebden Bridge.

Any advice would be appreciated

We usually go M621, M62 to Ainley Top then through Sowerby Bridge & up Tuel Lane to pick up the Halifax-Burnley route. We then usually go over the top from Hebden Bridge to Burnley. There tends to be a slow section between junctions 27 & 26 on the M62 as you are probably aware from your normal route. We normally leave Leeds on Woodhouse Lane by the University just before 6 for night matches and just about make it for a 7.45 kick-off. Occasionally if traffic is really heavy on the M62 we come off at J 26 and come through Halifax.

Note that, given the likely low temperature tomorrow night we will more than likely go via Todmorden rather than the top road from Hebden Bridge.

Sometimes I go Harrogate to Skipton to Colne. That’s a nice scenic drive but road often gets blocked with snow or crashes.

Otley, Ilkley, Silsden is always slow.

I sometimes go via M62 after matches but the junction at Manchester was closed for repairs last time. Might be ok now.

Cheers Leeds Dave

I tried the Ainley top route for the first time a couple of weeks ago. The steep road up to the moor about Hebden Bridge was probably the steepest I have driven on. I will probably go this route but avoid the Moor. What it like getting off at Ainley top? I imagine at around 5 its probably best to come off at Halifax

Shipley - Bingley - Crosshills - Colne is my usual route.

Having said that, I live that side of Leeds. Leaving from Leeds centre is a mare whichever way you go

We usually go m62 m66 m65. But we live in Morley so right om m62.

From experience its usually 1 hour. Not the shortest route but having done various ways its the most consistent. Any traffic on the roads affects journey time

If the motorway is blocked then providing youre pre hhalifax you can always nick off.

Anyone thinking of going over via Crosshills be aware there are road works with a three way split right in the middle of village opposite Co op Store.
Just got home from work in Burnley after sitting in traffic for 40 minutes.

I think you’ll struggle to beat the M62 for time to be honest. Obviously if there’s an accident or really bad weather then you’ll have a delay but I think it’s definitely better than the back roads, although the more scenic route can be nice in summer. The M62 is a pig for night matches though.

My family are in Waterfoot so I have a tendency to go down Burnley Road East and into Burnley via Todmorden Road rather than coming off the M66 early. Even when I’m not stopping off in Waterfoot I still take this slightly longer route though as I find that I can get close to the ground without any delays and you can also get away from the game really quickly.

I always go M62 for weekend matches. Although it’s longer I always find it quicker. However for evening matches it’s soul destroying. Early on in the season I set off at 4:45 and only just made it in time for it off. If there is a problem between the Hudds/Halifax junction and the Rochdale junction you have had it. Stuck for ages.

I might try the Ainley top/ Hebden bridge option but I imagine traffic around hebden bridge is bad because there is only one way through it.

Pick the fastest way over from Leeds and don’t go back.

Oh right well that’s sorted then

Top and bottom of ainleys are a ******* nightmare, it might take you half an hour to get thru the lights where it goes to 1 lane at the bottom at rush hour.

I work in Wakefield inchy, live in Trawden, I always come off the M62 at the bottom of the M606 and take the A58 to Denholme, turn left over to Oxenhope / hawarth, past scar top. Then as you get to lanashawbridge, turn left before the bridge, into trawden then over the tops to burnley. You avoid colne town centre and the north valley that way.

I'd say you need 90 minutes at that time of day.

There's no short cuts through towns anymore due to traffic volume, as long as you're moving stick to the motorways.

I presume you went over Owd Betts with the Rochdale turn off?

Shipley-Bingley-Harden-Oxenhope-Hebden Bridge then over the tops to Burnley; I usually manage it in 50 minutes from Wilsden

1fatclaret wrote:I work in Wakefield inchy, live in Trawden, I always come off the M62 at the bottom of the M606 and take the A58 to Denholme, turn left over to Oxenhope / hawarth, past scar top. Then as you get to lanashawbridge, turn left before the bridge, into trawden then over the tops to burnley. You avoid colne town centre and the north valley that way.

I'd say you need 90 minutes at that time of day.

90mins! That seems very decent. I reckon i will need to study that route as it seems there are a lot of back roads but I prefer that as long as I’m moving

Westyorkclaret wrote:Shipley - Bingley - Crosshills - Colne is my usual route.

Having said that, I live that side of Leeds. Leaving from Leeds centre is a mare whichever way you go

Never had a problem with this route

There's a couple of pinch points on the route, but as soon as you get to the white horse at Hipperholme, turn right onto syke Lane, then North Edge Lane, cuts out the right turn at the lights. Then, once you get past the tesco lights at Queensbury, you shouldn't be in any traffic.

I would recommend the Ilkley route, Crosshills - Colne.
Ainley top is always bad the bottom at Salter Hebble is ridiculous and you won't get over the tops Hebden Bridge - Burnley via Widdop as it is unpassable to only a well set up 4x4 due to ice down towards Thursden Valley, it's seriously dangerous at the moment. You might have more luck through Blackshawhead, but personally would go Ilkley way.

Another who works in Wakefield albeit on the far side and I usually leave about 5. I have tried the back home to Keighley and across way, the oxenhope way, the M62 to Manchester and also the route ainley top -sowerby bridge - Hebden Bridge. The latter is my usual route but as someone else says tomorrow night it could be fun up the steep winding road out of HB.

I have tended to just put it google maps last two trips and let it guide me with its regular traffic updates of the quickest route.

Sorry Inchy. Only just come back on here since leaving work at 6. There's sometimes a bit of a queue up the last part of the long hill up to Ainley Top in the left lane to leave the motorway but at least it keeps moving. I still think it's better that way than going through Halifax.

Dave.

Live in on the outskirts of Huddersfield. Always travel via M62 on at Jn 23. Straight on M62 to M66 straight to Burnley. Both mid week and weekend games. A tad busier mid week, but always make Burnley in a hour or so. With the weather the way it is I will be using the motorway.. UTC

Don't do it .........oops read it back to front

I ended up setting off at 4:20 and went a totally different way. Someone at work recommended it. I came off the M62 Just after that farm in the middle of it. I ended up going on some back roads to littleborough then bacup. Got to Burnley for 6.

I would have got to burnley about 20 mins sooner but the Sat Nav went tits up and I ended up doing a detour up the top of the Moor which is above the turn pike pub. Not ideal when the roads were steep and there was still a lot of snow knocking about. I then got stuck behind a slow car towing a horse box and it was unsafe to overtake for about 5 miles.

Minus the delays its a decent route because it cuts out the heaviest bit of the M62 and I didn’t see much traffic on the back roads

I live in Guiseley and stepped through the front door at 10:24 on Tuesday night, about two minutes before my parents, who live in Trawden!

I work in Leeds City centre, by the bus station and my route to Burnley would normally be the motorway route, but on Tuesday I went via my folks in Trawden, so:

Meanwood Road,
Lawnswood Roundabout
Tinshill
Otley Chevin
Menston
Bingley Road (Dick Hudsons)
Micklethwaite
Keighley
Bypass to Steeton
Crosshills
Left at the speedcamera (Emmot Arms) onto Carrier's Row
Trawden Rec (stop at parents)
Right at Trawden Church
Coldwell Reservoir
Haggate
Turf!

Left work after 3:40 on Tuesday and was at my Parent's house (bottom of Bouldsworth Hill) at 4:58

Just a tip for anyone going Keighley to Crosshills.

We always go past Airedsle hospital now to avoid the train stops or the queues when turning right on the main road at Crosshills.

With the traffic lights in place turn left after the hospital and go past Sutton cricket club through Eastburn I think and it brings you out on Crosshills main Rd past the traffic lights.

During rush hour it was manic getting through them lights.

I would say 80% of the time I get stopped by a train there. Must be the busiest crossing in Yorkshire

Inchy wrote:I would say 80% of the time I get stopped by a train there. Must be the busiest crossing in Yorkshire

It will be even busier when the line to Colne re-opens.

Inchy wrote:I ended up setting off at 4:20 and went a totally different way. Someone at work recommended it. I came off the M62 Just after that farm in the middle of it. I ended up going on some back roads to littleborough then bacup. Got to Burnley for 6.

I would have got to burnley about 20 mins sooner but the Sat Nav went tits up and I ended up doing a detour up the top of the Moor which is above the turn pike pub. Not ideal when the roads were steep and there was still a lot of snow knocking about. I then got stuck behind a slow car towing a horse box and it was unsafe to overtake for about 5 miles.

Minus the delays its a decent route because it cuts out the heaviest bit of the M62 and I didn’t see much traffic on the back roads

Sounds like you left the M62 at Saddleworth. You should have kept on the Motorway and if you hit traffic come off at Birch Hill services and go over the motorway past Heywood ind Park. You would have been in Burnley by 5.35pm

I have done that before however its taken me a good half an hour to get to the services from leaving saddleworth due to traffic