I have a business meeting near to Broadmead centre in the centre of Bristol tomorrow at 9am. I’m coming from Cardiff by car. Roughly how long is it going to take me to get from M4 (J19) to Broadmead at about 8.30am. Half an hour or is it gridlock hell? Satnav and Google reckon I’ll do Cardiff to Broadmead in 90 minutes flat…..at rush hour?
Bit of a long shot but any advice gratefully received. Thanks.

Get the train.

It’s pretty bad at that time of the morning. I’ve had it take just over an hour from my house at J30 to central Bristol. It’s not just the M32 you need to worry about either.

You live in Cardiff then?

EDIT: +1 for the train tho.

Traffic will be pretty awful towards the end of the M32 at that time, and particularly if it’s raining – might be better to park somewhere and walk the last bit.

+1 for the train – pretty easy taxi ride from Temple Meads to Broadmead then.

yeah sounds about right,
factor in all the costs bridge/petrol/parking if it were me I’d get a train 🙂

Yeah, get the train if you can and walk over from TM. If you must drive, down M32 and park in Cabot Circus car park and walk through CS and BM. Navigating the M32 is generally not too bad, but can be extremely hit-and-miss. Not much help, eh 😉

I’d avoid the very end of the M32 at all costs – cut off at Jct 3 (Easton Way A4320) if necessary and detour via Easton.

Yeah, diving into the first car park you see is a good idea – which is Cabot Circus.

i’d also say – get the train
alternatively I’ll rent you my driveway for the day & you can bus in in 10 mins

Alternatively come into Bristol from the new severn crossing and down the A4. Seems to me to be a more direct route?!

I hate the A4 personally for going into Bristol. Convoluted and awkward to navigate, and I bet it’s busy as hell in the mornings. You have to go down the M5 a bit don’t you too? That is always choked.

M49 he means so no M5 but you do get off at Avonmouth and then follow the portway in. Trouble is that the portway is busy then. After that though, you could park up and get the ferry to broadmead.

I’d definitely go by train though.

Second the train advice. But, M32 traffic not as bad since they reorganised the lanes. The really frustrating bit is getting off the M4. If it were me, and I had to drive I’d be hitting the M32 at 7.30. Parked in CS car park by 8.15, stress free cup of coffee somewhere in CS (Chandos Deli is nice for a cuppa) and fresh for your meeting. 8)

I also like DD’s idea.

Ditto that too 🙂

Carluccio’s for coffee though (and maybe a breakfast tin)

A4 is actually a reasonable shout right now. Bridge Valley road is closed (Hmmm, but the A4 was shut last w/e so it may be open again now – best check if you plan this) which meant you could sail right through to the flyover traffic lights, park at @Bristol and ferry to Broadmead.

Bristol is just about the most awkward city for driving that I’ve ever been to. Busy, and a nightmare to navigate. Nowhere’s easy from anywhere and traffic’s always bad.

A4 portway to the Nova Scotia pub, free parking around there, and ferry to castle park and a 2-3 minute walk into the middle of broadmead.

or

A4 portway park and ride.

M32 is a PITA

I tell you what’s a PITA – Bristolers coming up the M32 then down the M4 for one measly junction just to sod off down the M5 to west country land, thereby clogging everything up sometimes for miles. Sod off our good Welsh motorway you buggers!

Wow – so many replies. Thanks very much indeed. Looks like I’ll opt for the “hit J19 early”, park at Cabot circus and stress free coffee option. Bed early tonight, I think!
Thanks again, folks 🙂

Yay! I love it when a plan comes together.

Early is a good option.

I’d get onto the M5 (via M4), come off at J19 (of the M5, not M4) and head into Bristol bit avoid the Clifton Suspension Bridge – drop straight down onto the Portway then head through town.

Lived there 7 years and the M32 has always been minging.

I do this commute every day. M49, then avonmouth park and ride car park. Bike from there along the portway, but bus might be better if you have a meeting? About an hour and ten, but I get onto Brizzle by 7:30…

So how’d you get on Tinners?

Cycle past the M32 and I understand there was a car / motorbike collision and it was solid 😉

Got on fine, thanks AnalogueAndy. No hold ups at all when I was there. I left Cardiff at 6.30am, hit J19 on M4 at around 7.30 as advised, and was parked up in Broadmead car park at 7.50. However, shock of the day for me was £16 parking at Broadmead. Crikey. If you ever come to Cardiff, I’d recommend the car park at the old Cardiff Arms Park (next to Millennium stadium). It’s £5 all day there and right in the centre too.
I suspect with rush hour commute there’s a window before the masses arrive where the journey is relatively clear, but 30 mins later and you’ll be held up and crawling an hour late.

Where’d you stop for a coffee? 🙂

If you ever come to Cardiff, I’d recommend the car park at the old Cardiff Arms Park (next to Millennium stadium). It’s £5 all day there and right in the centre too.

Depending on where you come from you have to fight your way through town first though.

Best place to park is on the Parade – £3.50 all day.

Where’d you stop for a coffee?

Well, I was a bit disorientated coming out of the Broadmead car park, having seen the tariff and with it being so early I wasn’t sure what would be open. I could see Harvey Nics across the road but opted for the Marriot, on the grounds that they’d be “open” and would probably serve a nice slap up breakfast.
*imagines the STW massive tuning in an mouthing “why is he telling us this?”*
PS What’s the big orange castle-type building on the left of the M32 as you head back to the M4?

flats, used to be a mental home

molgrips – Member

I tell you what’s a PITA – Bristolers coming up the M32 then down the M4 for one measly junction just to sod off down the M5 to west country land, thereby clogging everything up sometimes for miles. Sod off our good Welsh motorway you buggers!

Bristolers??????? It’s Bristolians you Welsh heathen!!!!!! 😉

Yah, they want to call themselves Bristolians just cos it sounds better…

Get of at Avonmouth and along Portway. Should be OK.

It’s been brillinat with Bridge Valley Road closed.

Park n Ride form Avonmouth is worth considering.

Why has Harvey’s Bristol Cream got the “Bristol” bit in the middle, by the way. I presume that that the “Bristol” bit relates to the place not the other word for boobs? Where does it come from? Is/was it a traditional Bristol drink at some point?

PLUS, Cabot Circus – Why “Cabot” and why “circus”?

was to be merchants quarter but the rightheous ones said it reminded them of the slave trade.