Commuting into Oxford from Chipping Norton

[groveromy]

Does any one know how long this takes? My DH has work in Headington and we have found a cottage to rent in Chipping Norton. (We are moving over from Australia). The distance is only about 30 miles but we've heard the traffic is awful. Is it any better at 7am if he leaves that early or is it still slow? Driving Directions websites say it should take about an hour, but I dont think that's factoring in traffic. Any one know how bad it really is? Also, should I drive in with my two young children (3 and 6 months) and then do something nice with them on the way back - any one know any farms to visit, or play centres, or swimming pools?

Ha. My friend has a house in chippy and worked in Oxford until she moved to Melbourne. it's def better the earlier you go, and an hour is about right depending on where you are heading in town.

Why are you taking your children? I'm not sure I would bother if it's just child care - get some locally.

Loads of nice places to go and places to visit. The entire cotswolds. Blenheim. Burford wildlife park. Any number of farms and petting zoos. Some great family friendly festivals in the summer too.

Which way does it say to go? Through Woodstock?

How funny, we're from Melbourne, could've done a house swap!
Thanks for the info.
It's just a thought to take the children so I would have the car for the day, and can come back via supermarkets or something fun...then DH can bus back in the evenings. Even if it's only one day a week to do that, it's just an option. Another point is that he's only working 3 days a week, so it is worth it living that far out? Have been offered a place in Oxford itself but we are trying to work out the benefits of country vs. city.
Yes the link that shows the route to travel is thru Woodstock. Is that slow?
Cheers

Chipping Norton is great, so I well recommend it.

Traffic can be very slow, but an early start will help. Generally, the queues start near Yarnton and then getting through Oxford can be a real pain. When I did that commute I would use the park and ride, or the train from Charlbury. Then I got a nice scooter which really made the difference.

Honestly, I'd just buy a second car. There are also buses that run from chippy to Oxford, but I think they run to the town centre, not headington from memory. If you are just doing it to have the car I wouldn't bother! As amateurish says, there is a park and ride, but not sure about the route to headington or whether you would need to change in town... I've done it in both directions but not in one go!

Agree with the above - traffic will start nearer Oxford. I used to cycle from Woodstock. the road from chipping norton to Woodstock can be a bit dicey in the winter, but it's a lovely area!

Personally I would live there instead of Oxford, but I'm a country girl. It's horses for courses really.

That's great advice, thanks. How early is early? Would it still take an hour if he left at 7am? Or is 7.30 or 8am still considered early?
I've read on the net that the Park and Rides are filled by 9.30am...but I guess that is an option too.

Park and ride (a bus or a bike if DH is up for it) Headington from Chippy means coming right round the ring road. Urghh. There are direct buses to the Headington hospitals from Water Eaton park and ride, which is usually the least full and is at least the right side of town for Chippy. If he drives all the way to Headington (will he be able to park at work?) then getting home might be the worst bit. It can easily take 45 mins to get out to pear tree junction on ring road from cent Headington at end of day. If it were me, I'd get a bike with bus as back up for horrid weather and park at P and R. I wouldn;t recommend train from Chippy, you'd have to get to Charlbury and then right across Oxford the other end (Oxford station is about as far as possible from Headington)

honestly? 7. my friend used to go in between 6 and 6.30 so that she didn't have to sit in traffic. it's a case of the earlier you go, the shorter your journey, so it's swings and roundabouts really. can he be productive that early and leave earlier?

leaving at 7.30 would get you to the back of the traffic at 8.30 - probably the absolute busiest period with everyone trying to be into work before 9. especially to get to headington. but he'd have to suck it and see, really.

Thanks all for the info - the plan now looks like it will be to drive to Water Eaton park and ride, routeplanner says it takes 30 minutes, but I assume traffic will be slower than that...any one know how long? If he left at 7.30? And then the buses go directly to the hospital where he'll be, and again, it says it takes 20 minutes from the Park and Ride to Churchill hospital...are there specific bus lanes or do the buses get horribly stuck in traffic too?

30 min is probably about right for that journey early in the morning. You will miss most of the Oxford traffic that way (make sure to avoid drivig through Kidlington). A 7am departure may be advisable. I drive through Oxford every day and things start to get very busy after 7:30.

I don't know about the bus to the Churchill hospital.

Bus to the Churchill gets bus lanes down through Summertown, but then has to join the road up to Headington. Can get stuck, prob nearer 45 mins on average?

Do you live in the UK or Oxford yet? Does you DH? Have either or both of you lived in the UK before?

Personally I would suggest living much closer to Oxford for at least the first 6 months to a year, and get to know the place and what commuting is like first. There are nice villages around Oxford, much closer than Chipping. Or you could try to live somewhere in Oxford but close to Port meadow or even the Parks, Christ Church meadow area.
I wouldn't want to try that kind of commute daily, especially if we only had one car.
When we lived in Oxford DH had to commute for a while to the other side of Reading, but he arranged a lift share, which made things much easier. It was even better when he commuted into London for a while as that was by train.

I would really suggest you get to know the UK, and UK roads before committing to such a commute. Your kids are young and it won't be too difficult to move them.

Hi, we live near Chippy and I commute daily to Headington (we moved here from Australia too!).

I used to take the train from Charlbury to Oxford then get the bus up to Headington. It was doable, the train was fine, the bus could be tiresome and I quite often walked back to the station in the evening (it?s downhill). A lot of people have an old bike they leave at the station then cycle to Headington from the station. That seems to work quite well.

At the moment I drive to work, dropping the rest of the family off on route (we are a one car family). It takes about 40-50 minutes, but most of that is the travelling within Oxford, the journey from Chippy to the edge of Oxford is not a problem at all, and if I lived in Oxford I would still have to cross the city. Park and ride to Headington is not brilliant, the bus from Water Eaton park and ride via the hospitals is very slow and unreliable. Thornton park and ride is better, but fills up. Pear Tree park and ride is good for the city centre but you have to catch a second bus to Headington and that makes it a long journey.

I?ld still rather live near Chippy though, apart from house prices (which are ridiculous in the city centre), the quality of life is better, there is a better community feel, you have Oxford on your doorstep for the cultural side of life, but things are just calmer out of the city. Many people commute from that area so you might be able to share a lift with someone.

Good luck!

Thanks so much for your help everyone! It's really making our decisions easier. Yes, we have lived in the UK before, in London. Secondly, we are only going to be there for 7 months, and DH is only working 3 days a week. So even if it's a nightmare, he can probably handle it when it's only 3 days! I agree with nearChippy - community feel of Chippy yet doorstep to Oxford. What time do you leave for work nearChippy? 50 minutes is great timing. How long did it take to walk from the hospitals (he'll be at Churchill) to the station when you took the train from Charlbury? How long does it take to drive from Chippy to Charlbury? Cheers.

Seven months and three days a week makes a world of difference!

mummytime - yes it does doesn't it! :)
My friends here are telling me that I'll get lonely out in the 'sticks' - but I really like my own company, love spending the days with my 2 chn, and will find heaps to do within walking distance im sure!! And if not, I'll just commute in with DH and spend a day shopping in Oxford with DS and DD! I just feel DH is making a big sacrifice in commuting so far, but he says he feels happy with it...especially since we'll have extra time to spend with him 2 days a week as well as weekends. So thank you all for your posts!

There are routes you can take that avoid the particularly bad bit of the A44 at the end. You have to go a couple of miles out of the way, but it makes a difference.

The train is probably a better bet though.

Why don't you rent in charlbury? It's a really great town. And your dh can walk to the station.

Chippy to cby station takes 10 min.

Hi groveromy,
to answer your questions ? currently leave for work around 7.30, used to leave around 8.30 ? if your driving there is a period if you leave after 7.30 and before 8.30 when the traffic is worse so I avoid that period. At the moment I?m comfortably getting in for 8.30 even after dropping everyone off. I allowed 50 minutes to walk to the station from the Churchill via Morrell Avenue, St Clements, High Street ? it?s quite a long walk but I enjoyed the exercise and time to unwind after work (and its downhill, and you can catch a bus at any point if it starts raining ? I never walked up the hill in the morning). It?s around a 10 minute drive from Chippy to Charlbury.

Hi Amateurish - we've been offered a great place in Chippy, so we're taking that...most places aren't happy with a less than 12 month lease, as well as then finding furnished places....so we're very happy with what we have.
Thanks nearChippy and everyone else, for all the great answers. It's really helped!!

Well I'm sure you'll be happy in Chippy it's a great place.

Lonely 'out in the sticks?' I can practically guarantee you won't get lonely in Chippy - bet you wont want to leave after 7 months!! If you want to know what groups are active at the moment - lots of craft type of groups/book clubs etc go to the library, the librararian - Judith - will point you in the right direction.

Thanks Mothergrimm, Im not worried at all about getting lonely out there! :) My friends/family think I might, but I always find things to do to occupy my time. Am also looking out for playgroups if any one knows a good one. Thanks all for your great comments, you've helped us decide what to do!

Do you mean a toddler group sort of thing where the mums stay for a chat/coffee?? If so there is one in St Mary's parish rooms that runs on a wednesday morning. Or if you wanted something where you leave them for a couple of hours there is Chipping Norton playgroup based up at the comprehensive ( called Top School locally) and there is nursery based at The Ace Centre ( lots of pre-schooler things operate from here).

Thanks Mothergrimm...yes I mean the sort of thing where I stay...my DD will never let me leave!! :) Thanks, will look into the one at St Mary's. Cheers.