A2 London to Dover

[DiddlyDodds]

Currently planing a route for the London to Paris and i see a lot use the A2 to get to Dover.
Looking on Google Earth the A2 looks more like a Motorway than an A road.

Are you allowed to use it where there are three lanes and a hard shoulder or are cycles banned .
Are the alternative main roads a good idea as they seem to wander off the desired direction and seem very busy (like a 30mile High Street) with heavy traffic

 

[TheDoctor]

For some of the way the M2 runs near the A2, but bypassing Rochester, Chatham etc. After Canturbyry IIRC the M2 stops and the A2 is indeed a rather busy dual carriageway. I wouldn't cycle on it myself.

 

[dellzeqq]

you can use it.

It depends on your tolerance of fast traffic on the one hand and endless roundabouts and traffic lights on the other. I rode it just before Christmas a couple of years ago (although I took a deviation through Gravesend) and it was, frankly, horrible. And, thanks to the traffic lights and roundabouts, not at all quick.

If you look out the FNRttC route to Whitstable on bikely or something like you'll see a far nicer ride down as far as Faversham. You might PM User10571 or Flying Dodo for their suggestions - they know the land east of Faversham far better than I.

If you're a fast cyclist and not worried about fast traffic then taking the A20 as far as Maidstone gets you off to a flying start - but I can't advise east of Maidstone.

The other option is to go via Newhaven and Dieppe. The roads to Newhaven are far nicer than the roads to Dover, and there are people here who could advise you on the Dieppe to Paris stretch, which we're planning to do in July

 

[Flying Dodo]

I would not use the A2 at all. I've crossed over it lots of times and the traffic is heavy and fast going. There's no wide edge so you would be in one of the lanes (and towards Dover it stops being a dual carriageway for a bit).

For my ride to Dover at the end of the month, I'm doing a slight diversion towards Folkstone, but if you look at the planned route here, at Street End, south of Canterbury, carry on to Bridge, then go parallel to the A2 through Kingston to Barham, then go over the A2 to Womenswold, Shepherdswell, Whitfield, then drop down into Dover. That's the route we took in 2009, and it's a delight.



Edit: I've found a link to the route used, which is here which was tucked away in the thread from 2009 shown here.

 

[elduderino]

Been there, done that. Never again. There were parts with a 'cycle path' but they were often all too brief. If you don't mind trucks screaming past your right elbow every 60 seconds then go for it.

There are some nice and quiet country lanes around it though.

 

[DiddlyDodds]

Thanks for the advise, will go with your route Flying Dodo

Cheers

 

[Flying Dodo]

No problem. I forgot to menion that the short strip of the A2 on my route is when it goes through the edge of Faversham, and there it's quite nice due to the reduced speed limit.

 

[Salad Dodger]

As a local (living very near Gravesend and within earshot of the A2) I would suggest not to ride it. The "new" A2 is to all intents a motorway but without the restrictions on cycles, whilst the "old" A2 i.e. the old single carriageway road through Rochester, Sittingbourne, Faversham to Canterbury is used by lots of traffic including lots of lorries. Not at all nice.

I would strongly suggest following the recommendations of others and finding an alternative route.

 

[borislucy]

Flying Dodo. Thanks for the route looks a far safer alternate. I am planning a London to Paris ride in July and will use this route.
Thanks again

 

[andym]

DiddlyDodds

You may find that the Avenue Verte via Newhaven and Dieppe

http://avenuevertelondonparis.co.uk

is altogether a better route.

 

[jonny jeez]

I followed the A2 as far as Canterbury from which point it becomes a full on motorway (although not classified as such). You can hop off through some lovely villages but ultimately end up running the gauntlet for a mile or two.

My blog raised this issue and has a map of the route.
http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/london-to-brussels.155837/

 

[ColinJ]

DiddlyDodds

You may find that the Avenue Verte via Newhaven and Dieppe

http://avenuevertelondonparis.co.uk

is altogether a better route.

He posted nearly 4 YEARS ago!

 

[andym]

Holy zombie threads Batman!

Anyway - don't blame me, I wasn't the one who exhumed it.