Traveling to Old St

Yaz wrote:
> I have to pick-up a person from Heathrow who is coming to an
> conference at OLD ST (Post Code: EC1V 9BW). I have to pick him up
> with a car as his luggage will remain in the car. Can anyone advise
> where is the BEST, SECURE, CONVENIENT, and CHEAPEST car park to park
> at and then make our way to EC1V 9BW either by Tube or SHORT walk. I
> am travellling to London for the first time by car and also would
> like to avoid Congestion Zone.

It would be easier to answer this if we knew (a) what time of day and what
day of the week you expect to pick up the traveller, and (b) when, where (or
in what direction) you intend to take him and his luggage afterwards.

The postcode you gave is inside the congestion charge zone, and as you've
not previously driven in central London, parking outside the zone and
continuing by Tube is probably best. It looks as though your destination ia
around 200 metres from Old Street tube station.

"Secure" and "cheapest" are mutually exclusive, but Hounslow West station
car park was not too expensive when I last parked there (some years ago),
and is in a reasonably open and public area. But it's a long trip by
Piccadilly Line (to King's Cross St Pancras, then Northern Line to Old
Street). On the other hand, if the journey is in the morning peak, that
would avoid a probably tedious car journey to somewhere closer.

Alternatively, come in on the M4 and immediately after the end of the
elevated section, follow signs for Grove Park (left, right and right again
into Sutton Court Road). That road leads to Chiswick station (South West
Trains). The station car park is small but seems fairly empty these days,
costs £3.80 a day. Trains every 15 minutes towards Waterloo. Change at
Vauxhall, then Victoria line to Kings Cross St Pancras, Northern Line to Old
Street.

--
Richard J.
(to email me, swap 'uk' and 'yon' in address)

Yaz wrote:
> Is it not better to head towards a Northern Line served station and
> park there?

Not really, since that would entail a slow and congested rush-hour journey
to somewhere in the south or north London suburbs from your starting point
to the west. The minor convenience of a direct Tube journey on one train
would be well outweighed by the inconvenience of the car journey that
preceded it.

By the way, I think you misunderstood my query about your subsequent
journey. You said that the other person's luggage would remain in the car,
so presumably you'll be going back to the car with him later and then on to
somewhere else. If that somewhere else was near the Northern Line, for
example, it might make a difference to the recommendations.
--
Richard J.
(to email me, swap 'uk' and 'yon' in address)

Yaz wrote:
> "Richard J." <rjnews0811@blueukder.co.yon> wrote in message
> news:inH3j.55263$c_1.20804@text.news.blueyonder.co .uk...
>> Yaz wrote:
>>> Is it not better to head towards a Northern Line served station and
>>> park there?
>>
>> Not really, since that would entail a slow and congested rush-hour
>> journey to somewhere in the south or north London suburbs from your
>> starting point to the west. The minor convenience of a direct Tube
>> journey on one train would be well outweighed by the inconvenience
>> of the car journey that preceded it.
>>
>> By the way, I think you misunderstood my query about your subsequent
>> journey. You said that the other person's luggage would remain in
>> the car, so presumably you'll be going back to the car with him
>> later and then on to somewhere else. If that somewhere else was
>> near the Northern Line, for example, it might make a difference to
>> the recommendations. --
> Going back to the car later that afternoon (+-4pm) and then heading
> for M1 North to Leicester.

Friday afternoon/evening is not a good time to be heading from West London
up the North Circular Road or the M25 to join the M1, especially if it turns
out to be later than 4pm. Hillingdon, as suggested elsewhere in this
thread, might be a better bet, as you would avoid the M4/M25 junction, and
could even go via M40 (to j.9), A43 and M1.

Best of luck!

--
Richard J.
(to email me, swap 'uk' and 'yon' in address)