(08 Oct 2013, 7:53 am)nk55 wrote As you say its a flexible route but under normal circumstances drivers are advised to operate via birtley,could be birtley is busy today so control have given the call to operate via picktree. 2 options from picktree village are through portobello and onto A1 after arnold clarke or onto washington highway and wrekenton via X25 route or heworth and past gateshead depot
Birtley wasn't that bad.
The A1 was parked up at Vigo Bridge (not sure how far South the queues went) - so it may have been busy around Chester (Park Road North etc).
I was going in the opposite direction to the bus hence not knowing which way it went on getting to the top of Vigo.
To be honest, there would probably be more options it going via Picktree than if it went through Birtley.