AIBU?
Work in Camridge and London. Where to live?
Geoks · 16/10/2018 09:54
Hi mommies, I need your advice. My hb got good job in Cambridge and we decided to move closer to his work whilst I am on maternity leave. BUT soon I need to be back to my work which is based in London, Stratford. Please suggest any nearest cities or areas where we could move that commuting to work will not take longer than an hour for both of us. Somewhere in between Camridge and Stratford with a good schools and environment for bringing up children. (eldest son just started Reception class and youngest will go to nursery when I am back to work) thanks!
Geoks · 16/10/2018 17:11
thanks, however it shows 1.5h to Stratford which is quite long
Usernumbers1234 · 16/10/2018 17:12
Chelmsford? Hour up the M11 for him, 40 mins on the train for you?
whiteroseredrose · 16/10/2018 17:15
Saffron Walden. Friends live there. He works in Cambridge and she works in London. It's a lovely town and the High School is great.
AnotherEmma · 16/10/2018 17:16
It’s only 50 minutes by car from Bishops Stortford to Stratford. Doable if you don’t mind the drive and if you’re lucky you might be able to find someone doing a similar commute that you could share the driving and petrol costs with.
AnotherEmma · 16/10/2018 17:20
Btw, which part of Cambridge is your husband’s office? If central or north (eg science park / business park) you ideally need somewhere with direct trains to Cambridge.
OrcinusOrca · 16/10/2018 17:23
Saffron Walden. I wouldn't do Chelmsford to Cambridge every day.
DitheringBlidiot · 16/10/2018 17:25
Another vote for saffron Walden or that way, stansted perhaps, Chelmsford to Cambridge probably too far
serialnamechangerme · 16/10/2018 17:28
It depends where you want to be! Cambridge is an hours drive from Bury St Edmunds, a beautiful town. There's a train too but I don't know about timings. How often are you in London? A nearby town, Sudbury, has a train that goes to London via Marks Tey. Alternatively you could move further towards Colchester for quick trains to London if you're there more often. There are some lovely village settings around.
serialnamechangerme · 16/10/2018 17:29
Oops I've re read. I think Saffron Waldron is a lovely place too.
foggetyfog · 16/10/2018 17:38
HItchin, Letchworth, Stevenage? On the Cambridge line and fast trains to London. If you can afford Cambridge prices could you look for a job there?
anniehm · 16/10/2018 17:38
Saffron Warden is nice, but does depends upon where your dp works - station is on south side of Cambs and traffic is terrible. The commute into kings x is very doable but it's a slower train to Liverpool st via Stratford,
Cherries101 · 16/10/2018 17:55
Stay in Cambridge and commute to Stratford. It’s a lovely town and nothing else around there will have a better commute to London unless you go to Milton Keynes.
mackerella · 16/10/2018 17:55
Cambridge is quite small and most workplaces will be cycleable within 20 minutes (I get the train to Cambridge and then cycle to work - I keep a "Cambridge bike" in the new multi-storey bike park at the station for that purpose). Driving into Cambridge is a nightmare and many big employers (the Uni, NHS, Cambridge Assessment, etc) are actively cutting staff parking spaces to deter people from coming in by car. So train or park and ride are your best bets for Cambridge.
Cherries101 · 16/10/2018 17:57
Kings cross to Stratford via the Jubilee line (London Bridge) is very doable. Can do it from Cambridge in under 1hr 30.
AnotherEmma · 16/10/2018 17:59
I love living in Cambridge but I would hate to commute from here to Stratford! Ugh.
DeborahDowner · 16/10/2018 18:00
BS is about 12 miles closer than Saffron Walden to Stratford.
There is a direct train from BS to Stratford but I’ve never taken it. I can’t imagine it would be a 1.5 hour drive!
If you want even closer, (Old)Harlow, Epping, Theydon Bois or thereabouts would be much closer to Stratford & your DH has access to the M11 for Cambs, but it adds an additional 20 mins of motorway for him. I don’t know about the schools there though. BS has some of the top schools in the UK and many people move to the area for that.
2minutespeace · 16/10/2018 18:02
Also think stevenage/letchworth/hitchin for easy train access.
Cherries101 · 16/10/2018 18:05
Milton keynes is also an option. There will shortly be a fast train to both Cambridge and Oxford, but currently 45mins away be car, and the train to Euston takes 30mins.
FinallyATea · 16/10/2018 18:08
Stay in Cambridge and commute to London by train? (50mins)?
TheLastNigel · 16/10/2018 18:09
Stevenage for the train. Bishops Stortford , Broxbourne, or Stansted mountfitchet for the car and/or train option. I live near there and can be at Westfield within 45 minutes on a good day (obvs if you are driving at rush hour it will take longer), it's about an hour on the train. I also used to work in cambridge-an hours drive-and similar on the train.
AnotherEmma · 16/10/2018 18:15
“Stay in Cambridge and commute to London by train? (50mins)?”
Don’t be silly. It’s 50 minutes to Kings Cross. Much longer to Stratford.
To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.