The thing to remember with the modular route is that you have 18 months from your first exam to complete the ATPLs, then once you have completed them you have 3 years to get the CPL/IR. It gives you a lot of flexibility to speed up and slow down in response to the jobs market. That said, it is very tricky to time the market so you want to be in a financial position where you can remain current fairly easily once you have qualified.