Genuine backroads that are quicker than the primary route

[jnty]

Bala to Shrewsbury (or vice versa) is usually quicker going cross country over the Berwyns (B4391 / B4396) rather than A494 / A5.

Not today though : the B4391 over the hills was no problem, but the B4396 was closed by an RTI and/or flooding (the warning signs said "ACCIDENT" but I saw no other evidence of an accident but could see that the road had water all the way across it, I don't know how deep) at the Afon Tanat bridge (Pedair-ffordd), necessitating a diversion along the B4391 and B4580 via Rhos-y-brithdir back to the B4396. Much of the remainder of the B4396 along the Tanat valley was more like a river than a road, the worst flooding I've ever negotiated by car, very slow going and I was seriously concerned I wouldn't get through.

Eeep! This is certainly the season for understanding why many backroads shortcuts are not the main signed route.

[owen b]

Bala to Shrewsbury (or vice versa) is usually quicker going cross country over the Berwyns (B4391 / B4396) rather than A494 / A5.

Not today though : the B4391 over the hills was no problem, but the B4396 was closed by an RTI and/or flooding (the warning signs said "ACCIDENT" but I saw no other evidence of an accident but could see that the road had water all the way across it, I don't know how deep) at the Afon Tanat bridge (Pedair-ffordd), necessitating a diversion along the B4391 and B4580 via Rhos-y-brithdir back to the B4396. Much of the remainder of the B4396 along the Tanat valley was more like a river than a road, the worst flooding I've ever negotiated by car, very slow going and I was seriously concerned I wouldn't get through.

Eeep! This is certainly the season for understanding why many backroads shortcuts are not the main signed route.

A further complication was that on the diversion as I was approaching the downhill hairpin on the B4580 at Rhos-y-Brithdir the whole width of the road was covered in water. I hadn't seen any vehicles for a while and I didn't want to take any serious risks, so I started reversing back up the hill (itself not easy in the dark, on a blind bend, uphill and with so much water) with a view to finding a place to turn round and divert again through Llanfyllin. Fortunately after a minute or two a couple of cars came uphill towards me through the water so I knew the way must be clear and I was able to proceed.

[ajuk]

A350 between Shaftesbury and Blandford is slower than the unclassified road running parallel to the east.

Isn't there a plan to bypass Melbury Abbas and make that the route of the A350, I think that's the only reason that isn't the main road.
It's odd how Wiltshire have put so much effort into upgrading the A350 to a high-standard S2 road with many passing lanes etc while it all goes crashing into Dorset at the only improvement is the Blanford bypass.

[RichardA35]

A350 between Shaftesbury and Blandford is slower than the unclassified road running parallel to the east.

Isn't there a plan to bypass Melbury Abbas and make that the route of the A350, I think that's the only reason that isn't the main road.
It's odd how Wiltshire have put so much effort into upgrading the A350 to a high-standard S2 road with many passing lanes etc while it all goes crashing into Dorset at the only improvement is the Blanford bypass.

Unfortunately Wiltshire did this unilaterally without a regional consensus that this was what was desired for the A350 corridor.
Dorset CC (as was) had no such ambitions and the DfT through (HA/HE/NH etc) have the A36 and the A34/M4 routes as broadly providing the long distance "strategic" function. (The post opening report on the Newbury bypass found that traffic had diverted from the A350 onto the A34 corridor)
Wiltshire were "slapped down" in the reasons for refusal of the permission for the Westbury Bypass some years ago that it was an overblown scheme for the local context.
It is really a combination of local and regionally important links for employment and travel but not a long distance strategic route for movement of people or goods.

[Thomas550]

Loads of them in or around Darlington due to the lack of a Northern Bypass and lack of access to the A1(M) from the A66(M)

A1(M) to A167 South - A68 / B6280 / A167
A68 to A66 East - A1150 / Burtree Lane or B6279 / Cleveland Street / Brinkburn Road
A1(M) to A66 East - A689 / Elstob Lane / Bishopton Lane / Hill House Lane
A167 (North) to A66 East - Ricknall Lane / Lodge Lane / Bishopton Lane / Hill House Lane
A167 (South) to A68 (West) in the centre - Stanhope Road

Also from Consett to Rowlands Gill, it's quicker to cut the corner via the B6308/B6310 rather than using the A691/A694

The B6308/B6310 is better until someone crashes on it or it's snowing and from my time living in the area, that happened quite frequnetly and then the really backway through High westwood was often quicker

[jabbaboy]

The B6308/B6310 is better until someone crashes on it or it's snowing and from my time living in the area, that happened quite frequnetly and then the really backway through High westwood was often quicker

Aye must admit I've never been over there on the snow and not sure I'd fancy it either. Mind Blackhill can be a nasty piece of work in the snow aswell, on the 'proper' route.

[Thomas550]

The B6308/B6310 is better until someone crashes on it or it's snowing and from my time living in the area, that happened quite frequnetly and then the really backway through High westwood was often quicker

Aye must admit I've never been over there on the snow and not sure I'd fancy it either. Mind Blackhill can be a nasty piece of work in the snow aswell, on the 'proper' route.

When you started going down it you were comitted ,no backing out

[Richard_Fairhurst]

Gloucester to Ross-on-Wye is generally quicker via Newent (B4215/B4221/M50) than via the A40. I'll leave it to you to decide whether the M50 is a genuine backroad...

[Truvelo]

Gloucester to Ross-on-Wye is generally quicker via Newent (B4215/B4221/M50) than via the A40. I'll leave it to you to decide whether the M50 is a genuine backroad...

The Newent route was going to become the A40 thirty years ago when a new route from the Gloucester Bypass to Newent was to be built. The Newent Bypass is the only part that was ever built.