Do you live near Colchester or Chelmsford Train Station? Are they safe places at night to park??

[Twinkie1]

Right - have applied for a job working nights - well Wed - Fri nights 5pm to midnight in the city and am trying to work out if worth doing - it is worth doing financially but just worried about getting back after midnight - is Colchester or Chelmsford Train Stations safe? I go from Kelvedon at the moment but no trains back to there after midnight so would mean driving to Cherlmsford or Colchester and then training in from there!

Fingers crossed I get this job would make such a huge difference to how much time DD and DS have to spend in childcare and the actual amoutn I have to pay for childcare would be cut by such a huge amount I would go from earning the pittance of £250 a month for 3 days to £1200 a month for 3 days!

Just need your local girl knowledge!

Hi Twinkie - I don't use it at night but I would say that Colchester seems very safe as a carpark - as long as you park in the under cover area as you are in full view of a rank of taxis and also there will probably be other people in your position there too.

Good Luck x

Yes - Colchester is pretty safe - I've often walked through the car park late at night. If you were leaving Colchester at about 3.30pm lots of the early finishers will be back and there will be spaces in the top carpark near the steps opposite the entrance (does that make sense?)

Are you sure there aren't any trains that stop at kelveden, the timetable shows that the 0018 stops at Kelvden on weeknights...

Good luck on the job!

Thanks guys - I would be working at London Bridge so wouldn't get the 18 minutes past - think that would be cutting it extremely fine - think the next train is the 00.55.

Sat up half the night last night trying to think if this is the right move to make but as far as finances go I am sick of working for next to nothing because childcare etc costs so much for me to work daytime hours!

It is really just what I do at half past one when the train gets in to ensure that I am safe that worries me but looks like I need not worry about it and I suppose lots of people will be going out and about and getting the late night train home!

Thanks - fingers crossed now that the interview goes ok today and I get the job!

Txx

Yes, the last train is always packed isn't it!

Good luck for today!

Hi Twinkie,
Hope you got the job! I noticed the other day at Colchester station that they have an "escort to car" facility. If you phone ahead and tell them what train you are on then somebody will meet you on arrival and walk you to your car.
As somebody else suggested, if you can get a parking spot at the top of the steps then it will be even more convenient.
I commuted to London for 10 years and always found Colchester car park safe. I hope the trains are as safe... Best of luck with whatever you decide anyway.