Moving to Oxfordshire - near Didcot

[abdabs]

Expecting to relocate to Oxfordshire - somewhere nearish to Didcot Parkway - but striking distance of schools near Abingdon (East side)

Any tips about the pros and cons of villages - Sutton Courtenay area appreciated.

We hear getting over the bridge in Abingdon is hell in the morning - but since we're relocating from London not sure how hellish that is. Any views thanks.

Suggest you come up and try out the traffic in term-time to see how hellish you find it. Traffic is pretty bad in the area because there aren't enough bridges over the Thames, and therefore few alternative routes from A to B, so there are some HUGE bottlenecks.

I'm still wibbling from the last time I did it. I wish you luck and an assertive attitude to lane changing

Don't do it

The Abingdon traffic is terrible (on a par with London, that bridge ), but if you can put up with that then Long Wittenham and Sutton Courtenay are lovely villages. Didcot is.. er, interesting. There are due to be a huge number of people moving there soon due to the new housing estate, that might sway things and it'll definitely bugger up commuter routes.

Apparently if you get over the bridge before 8am it isn't to bad (but I don't do the journey so can't say for sure). Are you looking at the independent schools? St Helen's, Abingdon and The Manor run a joint bus service and Our Ladys also has one which all seem to get the pupils there OK, depends how old your children are though as I haven't come across anyone below year 3 using the bus.
I know lots of people in Sutton Courtney and they all seem very happy there, Steventon also nice, not so sure about Drayton. Don't know Long Wittenham very well but there is a lot of traffic through there (alternative route to Oxford from the Ladygrove side of Didcot).
Hope this helps!