Twickenham Green --> High Street Ken: best route option?

KnightOfTheLongTights

Am relatively new to this commute but have tried out a few different routes. Just trying to figure out best balance of safety and speed.
Options, so far, are:
1. FAST: A316 all the way, over Twickenham and Chiswick Bridges, bit of the A4 just before Hammersmith, then off at Broadway and Hammersmith Rd etc to HSK. This only takes me 30 mins, so is tempting when late, but it's obviously like riding on a motorway. But I don't find it as hairy as perhaps I should: traffic gives you a wide berth as there is generally plenty of room across the carriageway. Is this still daft?
2. MEDIUM FAST: A316 until Chalker's Corner, getting off on to Lower Richmond Road, through Mortlake and Barnes by the river and over Hammersmith Bridge. Drawbacks: crossing three lanes to get off A316 and having to negotiate most of the Hammersmith gyratory.
3. MEDIUM (recommended by TFL as 'fast' option): A316 to Richmond Circus, up Kew Rd, over Kew Bridge and along A315 Chiswick High Rd. TFL also recommends a bit of noodling around Brook Green rather than getting involved in H'smith gyratory. Drawbacks: a LOT of bloody traffic lights and buses.
4. SLOW: No A316 - through Twickenham and St Margarets, over Richmond Bridge, Sheen Rd, Upper Richmond Rd, left onto White Hart lane to Barnes Terrace and along river as before to H’smith Bridge. Least stressful option but nearly 10 mins slower than 1.

Anyone been doing this for years with a firm opinion?

keyser__soze

You can avoid the A4 bit by taking Edensor Rd/Chiswick Mall, past the Old Ship, through Furnival Gardens and out on Rutland Grove. Can be a few dozy peds and you're technically meant to walk the 20 yards past the Dove pub. If you take the A316 to the A4 do you go round the roundabout or do the flyover?

KnightOfTheLongTights

Thanks K-S. Roundabout, at the moment.

iPete

Been doing these routes nearly 4 years now and they've evolved from the fast option down to the slow, it just isn't worth it in my experience.

I'll draw up the two options I'd do later...

roger_merriman

Other option is over the railway bridge though Syon Park and follow the A315.

I personally tend to keep clear of dual carriage ways for most part, the A316 is a busy road, gets a lot of shunts etc.

iPete

Don't know if these will work..

via Richmond Park [by all means use Sheen Rd but RP is much nicer in the morning and a better workout]
http://app.strava.com/routes/139099

via A315 [never ridden the first bit, A310, street view shows cycle lanes, I do the A315 onward section daily]
http://app.strava.com/routes/139105

Have been there done that in my inexperienced days, ridden the A4 daily, done the flyover but I wouldn't go back.

KnightOfTheLongTights

Pete, very useful that, thanks a lot.

asprilla

iPete wrote:

Don't know if these will work..

via Richmond Park [by all means use Sheen Rd but RP is much nicer in the morning and a better workout]
http://app.strava.com/routes/139099

via A315 [never ridden the first bit, A310, street view shows cycle lanes, I do the A315 onward section daily]
http://app.strava.com/routes/139105

Have been there done that in my inexperienced days, ridden the A4 daily, done the flyover but I wouldn't go back.

For the first one of those, you'd be better off going up Rocks Lane, Castlenau, over Hammersmith Bridge and round the Hammersmith G. The Gyratory is fine as traffic is mainly stationary.

KnightOfTheLongTights

mmm yeah, but thinking about it, Sheen Rd I don't find too bad at 7.20ish which is when I'm passing down it.
I think that route I posted as SLOW is a safe route in London terms, and fairly direct, and therefore probably as good a compromise as one gets ...