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Original poster

Bracknell area and M3 commute

26 replies

nightowl2013 · 26/07/2013 15:05

Hi, I am looking at moving out a little of Greater London and can get much more house on my budget. I work in Hampton during school hours. What is the drive like on the M3 in the morning? Usually it takes just over 30 mins, how long does it take in peak hour? If I left at 7am would the traffic be already bad?

Thanks!

OP posts:
HarderToKidnap · 26/07/2013 15:50

Sunbury cross to Hampton is usually chocka by 730. M3 is awful in the mornings. Peak times you could be looking at hours, especially the direction you're coming from.

If you need to be withing striking distance of Hampton on a budget, have you looked at ashford, feltham, bedfont? Bracknell is really awful as well, you may get a big house there but it's dreadful.

Flicktheswitch · 26/07/2013 15:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Inclusionist · 26/07/2013 16:02

Bracknell isn't that bad, especially if you have small children. Loads to do with them, forest on the doorstep, good prep schools.

We have been told the M3 is really bad though.

What about Windsor/ Old Windsor?

HarderToKidnap · 26/07/2013 16:03

Stanwell and parts of sunbury are affordable too. Hounslow might be worth a look.

Original poster
nightowl2013 · 27/07/2013 11:10

Thanks for the replies, I will look at different areas around. A real estate agent did suggest stanwell to me as an affordable option.

OP posts:
helenfs71 · 02/01/2014 14:42

Hi I am interested in moving to bracknell or close by but worried about commute back for dp and me to feltham. He would travel at 630. I would travel at 730. Also worried about schools both primary and secondary. Are trains any good?

Cindy34 · 02/01/2014 15:07

In evening, road delays tend to be A322 from Bracknell to M3, so you would be going the other way to that, which most of the time will be fine. A30 can get delays, as can M3.

What would drive route be from Feltham to Bracknell?

Train on the Reading to Waterloo route is quite reliable, busy at times. Check timetables to see where trains stop.

helenfs71 · 02/01/2014 17:33

probably drive route straight back down m3 then across for DP. I am 50/50 getting train as I will leave at 0730 an be returning1615/1630, thinking I wouldn't get down the M3 in less than an hour. Do you have any advice on schools as well both primary and secondary as heard it can be very varied for schools. Reading past threads we will struggle to afford anywhere outside Easthamstead, Great Hollands, Hanworth

Cindy34 · 02/01/2014 17:39

M3 in the morning can be very busy London bound. Can often back up to J3, 7-8am.

No idea on schools, only go to Bracknell for swimming.

RandomMess · 02/01/2014 17:41

I know someone who commutes from Hampton Hill to Addlestone everyday and it takes an hour. Houses are much cheaper here and the commute in the reverse direction I should imagine is the same length in time.

helenfs71 · 02/01/2014 21:42

going to drive the commute with the kids slung in the back as I have noticed that Bracknell schools go back before Richmond( where my daughter currently goes) so once the schools go back maybe a good time to drive it to see what I am up against! Thanks for they advice.
We do like the look of Bracknell but very worried about different areas to move into. Currently my daughter is in a good Richmond primary (which I had to talk her into..as we were out of area) and will go to an ok secondary. Would hate to move somewhere where she is worse off. Bracknell is quite leafy but no good if the schools are poor. Also looking at Camberley and Sandhurst. Any advice on this would be great. Love to hear peoples views.

RandomMess · 02/01/2014 22:05

I honestly don't think it's worth moving if you need to do that commute every day, would relocating work wise be an option?

TalkinPeace · 02/01/2014 22:34

have a look at google maps with the 'traffic' set on at the time of day you'll be driving .....

DIddled · 02/01/2014 22:42

Bracknell- had to work there sometimes- I don't think it's that nice.

helenfs71 · 02/01/2014 22:53

going to drive the commute with the kids slung in the back as I have noticed that Bracknell schools go back before Richmond( where my daughter currently goes) so once the schools go back maybe a good time to drive it to see what I am up against! Thanks for they advice.
We do like the look of Bracknell but very worried about different areas to move into. Currently my daughter is in a good Richmond primary (which I had to talk her into..as we were out of area) and will go to an ok secondary. Would hate to move somewhere where she is worse off. Bracknell is quite leafy but no good if the schools are poor. Also looking at Camberley and Sandhurst. Any advice on this would be great. Love to hear peoples views.

helenfs71 · 03/01/2014 14:47

yes eventually I would be moving/relocating jobs. any other areas worth considering?

helenfs71 · 03/01/2014 14:50

trapped in a two bedroomed flat if we don't move

Dontletthemgetyoudown · 03/01/2014 14:51

Ascot is nice although more expensive. Binfield and twyford and hurst are all good areas too. A bit further (10 minutes) is Woodley. Fab school nice parks small shopping precinct. Good mix of housing.

Bracknell is mainly newish house 30 years old or so. The town centre is being redeveloped and has a smallish shopping estate on outskirts of town but the schools aren't great.

Kitttty · 03/01/2014 16:43

Can you rent your flat out for a while and rent down there so that you don't make an expensive mistake? Look for the best school - then rent in the catchment for a year - and once dd is in, sell your flat and buy a house where you want to once you know the nuances of the area.

helenfs71 · 04/01/2014 12:09

decided to rent and apply for jobs locally given all your advice. Worrying time. I Wanted to drop a day a week so I don't have to work full time anymore however not sure how we will do this without mortgage agreed and move completed as the amount of money we can borrow is based on my income. Which ever way you look at it I have difficult decisions to make ahead. However I think renting my place out and renting somewhere else seems a good idea to get a feel for where is nice to live. Also moving jobs would be a good idea.

thegreenheartofmanyroundabouts · 04/01/2014 12:46

Check out the schools and catchment areas as the schools were very variable when we lived near there. There is a lot of new housing in Warfield which is just outside Bracknell which might be worth looking at.

Bracknell itself is quite mixed as it was London overspill in the 1960s so lots of property from that era. The centre of town is going through redevelopment so difficult to say how that will affect things. Wokingham is more expensive to rent. Reading is about the same. Definitely worth having a good look around.

Costacoffeeplease · 04/01/2014 13:02

Just next to Bracknell is crowthorne, nice village with a high street, several primaries and a secondary school, I lived there for nearly 20 years until we moved abroad and was very happy there

lekkerslaap · 04/01/2014 13:55

Bracknell's okay but it has a new and estate-ish feel about it. Hundreds of roundabouts too!

Lots of companies in that area and along the M4 corridor so roads get very busy with people travelling to work locally.

I wouldn't do that commute personally...

helenfs71 · 04/01/2014 19:33

This is great advice. I will look at Crowthorne too. My DP will need to do commute but he may be able to work 7 till 330 therefore leaving at 6 and hopefully skipping all the traffic there and back from Bracknell to Feltham. I will just adapt my job to where I live and find something suitable locally or freelance. It is frustrating I moved to Feltham area when I was in my early 20's because of work and can't seem to escape now, a bit like hotel California, will never afford a three bedroom house here even in a bad area! Everything is rapidly becoming too expensive and may be stuck in a 2 bedroomed flat with two kids, two cats and the DP! lol! It is suffocating living in Feltham area itself and scruffy in places. I was had that dream of bringing my children up in a more countrified area with links to London (I have enjoyed being on London's doorstep.) I was brought up in Kingsclere, Berkshire a much slower pace.....anybody who can throw anymore advice my way will be gratefully excepted.

helenfs71 · 07/01/2014 12:07

the 630 run from Bracknell to Feltham took 27 minutes, I am going to attempt the 730 as 630 run went so well. It seems the times have been exaggerated by people when talking about the commute but I guess they may be talking about that there could always be additional problems with the m3 making it clog up i.e. accidents.In which case you would have to take the A30 still only 25 minutes I am told by a reliable source in the morning. Making both Camberley (only a bit further along and was clear at 630 looking down the motorway) and Bracknell perfect commutes and really good areas to live for those working in Twickenham, Sunbury, Feltham and all close surround areas, not sure if you would want to drive into London further, better taking train, A316 can get clogged up. Bracknell and Camberley tick all the boxes and are in fact really much better areas to live in comparison. It's not perfect but what is!

Feltham and Hounslow etc have been recommended as viable places as alternatives to commuting down M3 to people working in Hampton and nearby on here.Traffic locally here is terrible and the driving times would be much more than commuting in.Property is far and away more expensive in all areas here to Bracknell and it's local areas.

My last problem now is working out how to get into good school catchment areas, which will be quite a challenge as I can see the schools are quite varied as they are here. (A lot of our schools are over subscribed locally in Feltham.)