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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Making sense of commute

35 replies

ReneeRosie · 05/08/2021 15:16

I live in the outskirts of a big city, but work in a rural area in the North West.

Travel to work is becoming more and complex, hoping for some advice.

The journey is usually 15 minutes Metrolink to City Centre, train to rural town, and then a thirty minute walk, all in all, maybe an hour and ten/and hour twenty. The same on the way home.

Car failed MOT, fixing it not an option for probably a month, maybe two.

The issue on the way home is that there are only about 4 trains an hour, and this means I can't often leave the town until 40 minutes after work. The long walk can be a pain after work, but a taxi is about a fiver, and also it can be annoying to book and wait, often making me miss the first train.

There are some buses from work, every hour or hour and a half. One bus is at 6pm and the next one is 7.30pm, so if I work until 6pm, the bus is out. If I finish at 5.30, I have to wait at work for half an hour before I can get the bus. The bus is 45 mins and I still need to get a met.

It is taking up to 2 hour some days.

It costs around 15 GBP a day ish.

I work two and half days a week, and earn a wage between 10 and 15 GBP per hour. The job is a means to an end in all honesty, building up experience in this industry, and aiming to move up.

Can anyone think of a better commute or way of travelling that I can't think of? Or any tips on how to make the most of the travel time?

Thanks

OP posts:

Original poster

ReneeRosie · 05/08/2021 15:18

Sorry, should add - Metrolink is being revamped, so sometimes I need to walk to a different Metrolink station, adding on twenty minutes or so.

OP posts:

icedcoffees · 05/08/2021 15:22

Is there any way to (temporarily) change your working hours so that they fit in with public transport?

Or can you get a loan/credit card to pay for the car repairs?

I wouldn't be commuting 2 hours each way to work if I could help it - it sounds utterly hellish!

ghostyslovesheets · 05/08/2021 15:25

seems like false economy to me - £300 a month commute? Can you take a loan out for the car repair - it will probably be cheaper than paying for the train/bus

ghostyslovesheets · 05/08/2021 15:25

okay 2.5 days so less that £300 but still a lot!

purpledagger · 05/08/2021 15:26

Could you change your start/finish times to enable you to catch your train? So rather than finishing work at 6pm, could you finish at 5:45pm, in order to allow you to catch the bus.

Alternative, what about an adult scooter/bike to get you to the station quicker.

sillysmiles · 05/08/2021 15:27

^ How flexible are your working hours? Is it in an office or company where you can leave at a time to suit your commute, or is it public facing and therefore you have to stay til x time?
Does anyone drive part of the way or past by the train/bus route?

That said - 2 hrs a day - an hour each way is a normal commute for a lot of people - yours is just messy and unpredictable.

LuxOlente · 05/08/2021 15:29

That sounds awful. It's a shame your company isn't based in, or you can't work in the city centre - is there a reason they have to be out in the sticks? A train to a rural town plus 30 minutes... I live outside Manc, so it strikes me this is a really, really far way to travel somewhere unusual!

BikeRunSki · 05/08/2021 15:31

Huw far actually is it? Is carshsre a possibility? Can you tweak your start and finish times to suit the public transport better? Could you cycle at all? Could you get a salary advance ? Can you get discounted prepaid tickets ? Any chance or working at home on your half day?

LordEmsworth · 05/08/2021 15:33

4 trains an hour is quite a lot isn't it? Every 15 minutes sounds like a lot to me, anyway.

Initial thought - would a bike help? Even if it's a cheap bike that basically lives at the station and you use it to replace the walk after the train to get to work. But ideally you could cycle to the station, take on the train & then cycle other end.

Second idea - could you condense your hours to work 2.5 days over 2 longer days?

user1493494961 · 05/08/2021 15:40

Four trains an hour sounds pretty good.

Original poster

ReneeRosie · 05/08/2021 15:44

Great ideas thanks for all replies

The job isn't office based, I work in a caring role, we need a certain number of people in for each shift so I am in the location needed most. Got job offer before car troubles unfortunately!

Tweaking hours could work, I doubt a few minutes would be a problem, so I might ask about this.

It is 12 miles.

Realistically, the car is probably the best option, I need to look into this properly. The car share/part way car journey would also work.

Thanks again, I will read replies and answer the rest of the questions shortly.

OP posts:

BuffySummersReportingforSanity · 05/08/2021 15:47

How about a folding bike? You can take it on the train, and it'll make you a lot quicker.

GreenLeafTurnip · 05/08/2021 15:49

12 miles is taking you an hour and a half sometimes 2 hours?? Is that a typo? If not, our public transport is appalling! I second the suggestions of either a loan for the car or a bike of some description.

Original poster

ReneeRosie · 05/08/2021 15:50

Re: trains, the they are at 17.30, 17.40, 17.50 and 17.15

Repeated every hour.

The 17.40 takes 40 mins as it is the slow train, and I try to avoid it.

If I finish at 5 for example, I cant make the 17.15, and if I get unlucky and miss the 17.30 (problem at work for example) I have to wait until the 17.50.

The train times, combined with the walk are the main issue.

OP posts:

Jangle33 · 05/08/2021 15:51

I’d definitely try to tweak hours. Could you get a fold up bike/scooter?

To be fair I live on edge of London and I don’t blink at 1.15 commute each way and I’d just enjoy the walk and see as exercise. Why do you have to wait at work for half an hour if there’s no bus? I’d just use productively for errands/exercise time! Especially if only 2.5 days per week - not unusual for 2+ hour each way around here and that’s on a packed tube/train with no seat

Original poster

ReneeRosie · 05/08/2021 15:53

I can't believe the bike idea hadn't occurred to me, really like that idea

OP posts:

ChazsBrilliantAttitude · 05/08/2021 15:55

It would almost be worth staying 2 nights in work location if you could find a cheap b&b. Your savings on travel would offset some of the cost.
Obviously if you have commitments at home this may not be possible.

Original poster

ReneeRosie · 05/08/2021 15:56

@Jangle33 The walk is actually quite nice, and it is a very quiet area, so easy to get a seat when on train.

Incorporating exercise/enjoyment in journey is something I need to focus on, rather than rushing to get home, I can try to see it as leisure time in a way

OP posts:

Wheresmrpenguin · 05/08/2021 15:57

Sounds just like my DPs journey. Started a new job in the middle of nowhere and is in the queue of people trying to pass his test. (9+
Finishes at 5, 1 bus every hour at 5.30 (used to be 5.45), takes 15 mins and just misses the next connecting bus which are every 20 mins, if they turn up. Gets home at 6.45. If he misses the 5.30 or it doesn't turn up, he has to spend £6 on an uber. Public transport in the North is shocking. He's nearly taken a pay cut for this job, but long term when he finally drives its a 20 minute straight drive down the motorway.

Bubbles1st · 05/08/2021 16:00

I would definitely cycling the whole thing, even if it still takes longer than you'd like at least it's a consistent time and you can leave as and when you need to. Not ideal in the rain but I guess the walk isn't either

Jangle33 · 05/08/2021 16:01

I’d love that (I have to get 4 different bits of public transport) and it takes me 1.15 to go 8ish miles. Stick a podcast on and chalk down to exercise.

Original poster

ReneeRosie · 05/08/2021 16:01

@Wheresmrpenguin That sounds annoying, the bit about the connecting bus is so frustrating!

I am shocked about the public transport to be honest, I thought there would be better options

OP posts:

Pythonesque · 05/08/2021 16:03

I agree about investigating a car share. At the least it might be possible to get a lift to the station at the end of a shift if it meant you could make an earlier train? And yes to the folding bicycle option if at all possible, too. (Though, I encouraged DH to do that for several years when he was cycling to station, fast train, local train and reverse. The local train especially in the evenings was often delayed cancelled which would automatically make him another half hour later. Would he consider cycling that end? Never said no just excuses...)

someonelockthefridgealready · 05/08/2021 16:05

I agree folding bike or scooter, or if you have an ancient bike that you wouldn't mind losing, you could take it to the station in the rural town one weekend and park it at the station ready. I'm saying an old bike as obviously there's a chance it might get nicked!

Wheresmrpenguin · 05/08/2021 16:24

[quote ReneeRosie]@Wheresmrpenguin That sounds annoying, the bit about the connecting bus is so frustrating!

I am shocked about the public transport to be honest, I thought there would be better options[/quote]
I know what you mean. He did have 2 buses an hour but the non-arriver bus company cancelled one of them and had the cheek to send a leaflet out saying theyre Improving services to the area.
I'm sorry I have nothing else to suggest that hasn't already. Seeing if there's a bus route another way maybe?

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