The A14 is a long road as is the M25, WHERE on the A14 and the M25 are you measuring from and to ?trickstat wrote: ↑Mon Dec 03, 2018 10:59
The route for the final option will need some pretty serious improvements to be a truly viable alternative. Google suggests that taking the current A14 and M11 to the junction with the M25 takes 20 minutes longer than using the M1 and M25. While the current works on the A1 will be slowing things down what must be borne in mind is that from Catthorpe to Brampton the route travels almost due east.
Note that the M25 from J20 to J27 also travels due east !
If you measure from the same start points (M25 J27) to Catthorpe this is what you get
M1/M25 to M25 J27 1 hr 25 minutes - 85 miles
A14/M11 to M25 J27 1 hr 41 minutes - 118 miles
But that is comparing Apples and Oranges
The A14 is the road from Felixstowe to the West Midlands
The M1 is the road from West London to South Yorkshire
The M6 is the road from the M1 to Birmingham, Manchester and the NW
The M11 is the road from East London to Cambridge and the A1 at Alconbury
The M11 and A14 intersect at Cambridge and currently share the A14 between Cambridge and Huntingdon
Going the long way round may be expected to take longer and while I would not consider driving from Watford to the M6 via the M11 I would not travel from Felixstowe to Birmingham via the M25 either.