Drivers who know the Bexleyheath / Erith / Bluewater area UPDATE

Definitely the University Way (or Bob Dunn Way as it's been renamed) route - you'll hit (not literally I hope!) quite a bit of traffic, but if you just keep calm and stay in the slow lane all the way and you'll be fine. Getting over the M25 flyover is easy - keep in the left hand lane all the way and there's a feeder road taking you the way you want to go.

If you're worried about getting round the roundabout onto the flyover on the way back, then you can always go through Dartford instead.

Hope that helps

From Erith, you've got Thames Road which is not very nice during the rush hour. You could go along the dual carriageway to the roundabout for Bexleyheath/Crayford and then go through Crayford, down the Princes Road down the hill, up the other side to the Stone roundabout (over the M25) and then carry on down past the Darent Hospital and then further on and do a right at the roundabout to take you into Bluewat er. It dodges the A2, the M25, Thames Road etc. which are all nerve racking when you're an experienced driver, let alone only having passed your test 6 weeks ago.....

Thanks Lin, it's was that exact roundabout that made me practically shite my pants on the way back yesterday when i did a practice run OFF PEAK. There weren't many cars around which was good as i was weaving around all the millions of lanes as i didn't know where i was going!! And the ones before / after it weren't much fun on the way back either. Oh, and i had a VERY near miss with a lorry on the horrid roundabout that somes onto northend road ?

How would i go through Darford?! Would that be a totally different route??

Which is precisely why I avoid that route like the plague!?

I'd avoid Crayford & Dartford at all costs. There is traffic galore at all times of the day. It drives me insane.

From Erith do Northend Road, Thames Road, Univeristy Way then Crossways. Or you could go straight over the M25 roundabout and up the back lane to London Road so you cut out Crossways.

No matter what journey you take leave in plenty of time. It takes MrKB 40minutes to drive from Dartford to Longfield on some days.

I wouldn't go through Dartford either....

God no dont go through Dartford...

I used to work on Central Road in Dartford and it was sometimes a nightmare getting to the M25 / A2 junction, if I hit Central Road at 4.45 it could take me up to 20 mins to get out of Central Road and then when I hit the Princess Road / Park road roundabout I just crawled (espcially if theres been an accident near the tunnel)

Id definitely go the University way / Crossways way, its the way I used to go if I was going to Bluewater after work...

I live right near here - just off Green St Green Rd on the opposite side. It is an absolute nightmare and one of the main reasons why we can't wait to move! If there is any traffic on either the A2 or the M25 we are affected, and that's pretty often.

I would also use the University Way route.

Thanks everyone. I really am nervous to the extent that I don't physically think I'll be able to do it! I thought i was going to cry even driving there off peak yesterday.

I'm actually scared of roads even as a pedestrian and will walk a long way round to avoid crossing busy roads / get to a crossing ? This is why I got to 28 before learning to drive - never really wanted to!

I would second this one and I am a chicken too ?

DayDreamer have you thought about taking an advanced driving test? It's meant to help with confidence on the road. IMO there is nothing worse than a nervous driver. Some hitchers have said this course really helped them.

I'm a new-ish driver too. Only been on the road 18months myself and I'm 28 this year. The best thing my husband made me do was drive to Basingstoke the week I passed my test. I had to do the M25 and everything. It was scary but helped me loads. I say the more you drive the better you feel.

Where did you sit your test, Bexleyheath or Belvedere?

Yeah i think i will do the pass plus thing actually. I really need it! I took my test at the new Bexleyheath centre.

Forgot to add that i think i'm going to try the princes road rout and actually avoid the northend road too by trying something like erith road, barnehurst road, mayplace road east, crayford high street etc. Do you think that sounds like a good idea?!

You can try but personally I'd go Northend road then Thames road. Since they finished the extension on Thames Road it's sooo much better. There is a little congestion on Northend road atm due to works but once past that it's easy. Worst way, if there is a uild up of traffice on University way you can take Burnham road up Temple hill and through the back of Dartford.

Entirely up to you of course, but judging by what Crayford High Street is like on a Saturday, I'd want to avoid it.

You can try different ways and see what suits though.

BTW, Hi ? Not sure we've ever spoken before. It's nice to see new faces that are local.

Oooh I've just remembered. They have traffic works on Princes Road, Crayford side. The lights there are so long at the best of times but they are even worse now! Not sure how long they are there for. Can find out though, I pass there every night.

? KB3. Thanks that would be good. I wish there was only one possible route as the fact that there are soooo many to choose from is making it harder in a way as i'm trying to weight up pros and cons of the different options!

Have updated my original post. Thanks again for replying the other day

DD glad to hear the practice run went OK but I agree with your H, the roads were unusually quiet this morning. So much so I wondered if we'd lost a week and the easter holidays had started already! ?

Maybe everyone else forgot to put their clocks forward!

Glad that you were OK! The thought of that M25 junction just scares me witless and I've been driving for (pressed send too quick!)

nearly 30 years and I'm driven abroad too - but that junction ..... ?

Which junction do you mean?

The one at the end of University Way - near the Stakis (or whatever it's called now) - I just have a blind spot about it - I hate it....?

Oh, I see. It's not the best, especially if there is traffice queuing at the roundabout to join the M25 to the tunnel. Coming back the other way is a nightmare to. Nobody can seem to get into the correct lane and they end up blocking the righthand lane to join the M25 traffic again. grrr!