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!
Shamoo · 18/10/2018 00:05
If he is that close to Cambridge Station, the focus needs to be your commute. Is living near Kings Cross an option? The trains to Cambridge are regular and don't take very long - his commute would be under an hour, although the season ticket would not be cheap! Then you only have to worry about getting across London, which is very possible.
jcyclops · 18/10/2018 02:38
Trains from Bishops Stortford to Stratford in morning peak = 49mins (change at Tottenham Hale). Trains from Bishops Stortford to Cambridge in morning peak = 38 mins. Both services run every 30 minutes.
The same trains call at Harlow Town which is 10 minutes less to Stratford and 10 minutes longer to Cambridge.
Henrysmycat · 18/10/2018 04:40
As someone who’s done this short of work commute with a very young DD, I wouldn’t chose an invetween place but make sure one or the other is less that 20-30 mins away from your kids school/nursery etc, especially if you have no support network around you.
I’ve lost count of “suspected stomach bug/flu/unwell” calls to pick up DD and with both of us working an hour away was not ideal.
Geoks · 18/10/2018 12:18
Thank you all! Based on your comments I made a short list of options which we will be looking at to move in the future. The final decision will depend on the rent price, schools rating and childcare options. :)
Hitchin cam-40m str-1h
Stevenage - cam 45min str 56min
bishops Stortford - cam 50min - str 55min
Broxbourne - cam 58min str 28min
Harlow (town) cam 50min str35min
Xenia · 18/10/2018 13:45
Cheshunt and Hitchin probably the best of those you have mentioned.
Cheshunt might be better than Hitchin as is a bit closer to London.
I don't know a lot about Cheshunt but I think it is quite nice and is just North of Enfield. It sounds like a good compromise and not so much utterly divorced from London as some of the further away places are.
BeaTrewts · 18/10/2018 14:14
Hitchin, Letchworth, Baldock, Royston and surrounding villages. Rail line from Cambridge to London goes through those stations, and you will also be near the A1M & the A10, and the M11 a little further east. Also easy to get to either Luton or Stansted airports.
Xenia · 18/10/2018 14:35
Hen above may be right - perhaps better once of you lives right near work. We chose to live near where my husband worked (houses were cheaper) and commuted to London. It meant if we suddenly had to collect a child he could do it in about 5 minutes which was helpful at times.
Alfie19 · 20/10/2018 11:55
Definitely recommend Bishops Stortford, it would be a much shorter commute than Saffron Walden for you. It is a good train line with plenty of trains as Stansted Express goes through as well as the Cambridge trains.
Most of the London trains go to Liverpool Street and that journey is 35 to 45 minutes depending on stops. The Stratford trains are not as regular, you would have to time that rather than turn up at any old time like I do. On the positive, they are not very busy whereas Liverpool St trains are very busy at peak hours.
Loads of new houses being built here at the moment.
TheLastNigel · 29/10/2018 06:45
Cheshunt isn't all that nice really...not awful although the older town by can be a bit rough at night-the rest of it is just a bit no mark really-though there is a decent ish little shopping centre with a big M and S, Tesco, Outfit and a Boots Which is handy.
Ware and Hertford are up the line a bit, two trains an hour to Liverpool st, both lovely little towns with good schools. Fine for commute (if driving) to Cambridge But the trains are slow to London.
Bishops Stortford is your best bet I reckon.
PumpkinKitty82 · 29/10/2018 08:57
I live in Stevenage, yes some parts are not very nice ,like any area really but old town, great ashby and Walkern are all lovely and can get in to kingscross in 25 minutes and Cambridge in about 40/45. Funny I can get in to central London quicker living here than I could living next to a tube station in west London ..
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