Is it safe to walk in London alone as a woman in the early hours of the morning?

[PinkCardigan93]

I may have to walk 3 miles alone next week in the Ascot area, to get to work for 5.30am for a contract. My car is at the garage and there are no trains running that early.

Is it safe? I'm not from London so thought I'd ask here!

Just book a taxi. You don't know the area.

Where are you walking from that makes you think Ascot is in London - it can’t be your home.

I'd be happy in Central London, less so in my suburb.

Is it safe for a woman to walk anywhere alone especially at that time?

Ascot or Acton? It’ll be daylight so it wouldn’t worry me.

In London it'd be fine. Or get an Uber/bus.

In Ascot, I don't know.

I would expect to be able to expense the cost of taxi at that time of day frankly.

I live in Ascot, where are you walking from and to?

That's quite a long walk no matter where you are.

As others said Ascot isn't quite in London. It doesn't sound like you're from the area so where are you walking from and to?

You may struggle to get an Uber at that time in that area, best to pre book something if you're going to get a taxi.

Ascot is a nice area but could be quite isolated depending where you're going. I'd suck up a taxi fare or try and expense it.

Where are you walking from/to? I can't think of anywhere which is 3.5 miles from Ascot which doesn't involve rural back grounds which are twisty and have the national speed limit. Your risk of being hit by a car or cyclist far outweigh the risk of being attacked.

I agree. Ascot's tiny.

The risk that there's a random murderer lurking on deserted streets at dawn waiting for a lone woman to walk past is minimal, but the risk of a sleep deprived driver who isn't expecting a pedestrian on a road with no pavement striking you as he speeds round a corner is somewhat higher - though still very low.

This sounds pretty random op.

Why is your work expecting you to sign a contact at 5:30am miles away from where you live?? Where are you staying/coming from? Is 5:30 a usual working time for you? Work should be providing the travel.

I walk alone in London in the early hours of the morning on a weekly basis (early morning exercise classes) and have done for years. No issues whatsoever.

Never done it in Ascot though.

Yes, exactly. Is this a legit situation, OP?

I don’t think OP is going to Ascot in order to sign a contract at 5:30am. She’s going to work a contract.

Ascot is safe, it is nothing like London. There will be very few people around then on foot though. 5.30 am in the Spring on main roads would be fine but 5.30 am anywhere isn’t ideal with hardly anyone around.

So are you getting a hotel in Ascot and walking to your contract ? If so
is it along a main road? There are lots of parklands around there.

could you cycle? borrow a bike? quicker, safer and free

Placemarking to see if this really is Ascot as in the racecourse town, or some other similarly named location that is actually in London.

Also, @PinkCardigan93, you don't get many Ubers in that area, particularly at that time of morning. You'll need a minicab and I'd recommend pre-booking it.

Where are you walking from?

I assume you'll be staying in a hotel. 3 miles in Ascot could mean walking into country roads with not many pavements. Have you checked on Google maps what it looks like.

I would ask the hotel to get you a cab. I don't think you'd get mugged, but you could get run over

Ascot isn't in London. Are you travelling to London from there?
It really depends on the area. I live central and would feel safe. In a suburb or a town outside London like Ascot I'd be unfamiliar so more worried. There is a big traveller community round there I think. But it's a really small town, not like London at all.

I'm very curious at what you'll be doing at work at 5.30am.
So I'm place marking in case you tell us!

Where are you coming from?

I am guessing if it is Ascot, the workplace would be either the Racecourse or the hospital?

Or maybe one of the hotels that says it is in Ascot but really isn’t, Coworth maybe?

But then where is the starting point!?

Maybe OP is staying in a hotel in Bracknell and working at the racecourse - centre of Bracknell to Ascot Racecourse is about 3.5miles.

If that is the case, then it is all main roads with pavements.