Bristol/ bath locals - good place to live with tweens/ teenagers please

[Movingonup84]

Looking for recommendations for where to live in Bristol area.

My family have a move to the Bristol area coming up because of dh’s work (SW Bristol city area). I need to be commutable to a hospital for work- approx 30 min drive would be fine for both of us.

We have 3 dc who will be late primary/ early secondary age when we move. We are not really city people, but like the convenience of a big supermarket locally, friendly neighbours/local community, and easy access (again, 30 mins drive is fine) to the city for occasional clothes shopping/ restaurant/ cinema trips etc. Thriving local community (local pub/ church/ village hall etc) and beautiful countryside is the priority, ideally walkable from the door, but with good transport links (bus/ train) for the teenagers. We currently live in suburbia and are fed up with all the concrete (although it has served us well for many years- just time for a change). Obviously a great secondary school is also key- we can’t afford to go private. Budget is approx £900k. Where would you be looking to live if you were us? Thanks 😊

If your DH is working in SW Bristol, I would look at Long Ashton, that's probably the nearest village that would give you a short commute to the BRI (hospital), and has good and regular bus links into town for the kids.Good Secondary school at Backwell, though not 100% on the chances of you getting in from there. Ashton Park school is also OK, and St Katherine's in Pill.
Blackwell is also nice, but a slightly longer commute (especially in rush hour)

Or, try somewhere like Westbuy on Trym which is in North West Bristol, but very green, and super easy access to lots of country side/woods (Blaise and the Downs). It's a good area for teenagers and an easy commute into town, plus you an easily access both Southmead hospital and the BRI. Bristol Free School a good secondary.

Look at Yate, Nailsea and Keynsham. All have rail and bus links to Bristol. Keynsham also has a bus to Southmead Hospital (although I believe it pootles around most of Bristol first) and a direct bus to the airport.
They do all come under different local authorities- South Gloucestershire, North Somerset and Bath and North East Somerset respectively- as Bristol is a county in its own right.

I'd say Henleaze, Westbury on Trym or Stoke Bishop would be good shouts if you want to be closer to the city; if you're happy to be in a proper suburb perhaps Backwell or Keynsham?

When you say you need to be within 30 minutes of a hospital, is that any hospital (BRI, Southmead, RUH) or a specific one? This may help narrow down locations a bit - for example, Backwell to Southmead in 30 mins is pretty doable, but it'd be a lot longer to get to RUH.

Thank you all for your detailed replies- they are so helpful. Just to answer the question above- any hospital would be fine. I would obviously need to find a job in that one, but generally there are opportunities available, so should be fine.

Can anyone advise if there are any hellish roads for traffic? Any serious bottle necks that if would be good to avoid?

Thanks 😊

The A4 can be a nightmare. It runs through Bath, Saltford, Bypasses Keynsham and heads East to west through Bristol. However there is a bus lane and Brislington Park and Ride is just as you enter Bristol from the Keynsham end.
Parts of the Avon Ring Road (A4174), especially the northern end (Filton-M32) during rush hour. Its a bit of a misnomer. It doesn't form an entire ring around the city (and is named after a county that no longer exists!).
The other consideration with driving and parking is the Clean Air Zone which means pre 2015 diesel cars are charged £9 a go to drive into the city. There's also Residents Only Parking Zones in large tranches of the city centre. Have a look at Bristol City Council website for locations.

Can anyone advise if there are any hellish roads for traffic?
I can tell that you've never attempted to drive in Bristol.

@senua Yes, 20mph signs are just an indication of an unachievable dream.

I don't think the place you want exists. If you want countryside on your doorstep, you won't have good public transport links. There just isn't good public transport in the more rural areas.
You'd be better off going for somewhere like Westbury on Trym, close to Southmead hospital. It's not rural though. Good buses into town. Schools are not great there.
Or you could go out towards North Somerset, Yatton, Nailsea, Backwell etc. They all have train stations. Not sure if there is enough going on in those areas. Backwell is a good school.
Portishead is nice and might be getting a train station.
I cannot stress how bad the traffic is. I live in East Bristol. I can cycle to town in half an hour but the bus takes 50 minutes in rush hour. Traffic is horrendous going in and out of town.
If I was moving again I would prioritise living in a place with a train station. The buses don't turn up. You can't just drive into town everyday, there's nowhere to park and it's expensive.
Try coming here for a week or so in an air bnb and see for yourself.

Thank you all. It is genuinely so helpful getting advice from people who know the area.

Transformation- I suspected as much! I had in mind the idea of a big town (maybe not Bristol itself, but close enough to commute) surrounded by nice countryside, so if you live right on the edge of one of those you would get the best of both worlds.

I think the answer is to come for a visit armed with the guidance you’ve all given me, and see for myself. Thanks everyone 😊

Keynsham and Saltford are nice communities surrounded by countryside (ie that you can be in quickly, walking) and near both Bath and Bristol. Trains from Keynsham and a regular bus through Saltford or the park and ride. Good secondary school.

Winterbourne also used to have a good secondary, not sure if it’s the same now. I also agree with Long Ashton, Portishead (or Clevedon) and Backwell.

Also depends on your budget. So e of the most expensive parts if the city mentioned here!!!

Try Ralph Allen School in Bath.

I was going to suggest Combe Down too @useitorlose but wasn’t sure how far from Bristol was acceptable. It’s absolutely lovely there but pricey!

Portishead is a good option, thriving pub scene if you're into live music. Your budget will get you a decent detached house. It's full of families and young people have the beach right here, popular as a hang out

Traffic in Bristol is hellish end of! We are supposedly getting a train line (delayed from opening next year) which will mean commuting to the Bristol royal infirmary is a doddle, currently it's quicker to drive to Southmead hospital, under 30 mins, though the bri is right by the bus station, my neighbour takes the bus to work which is 50 minutes but so convenient as bus stops a minute away

There's a 4 bed townhouse for sale a few doors down from me for £450k to give you an idea

Weston (the suburb of Bath, not Weston-super-mare). A village feeling suburb of a lovely town.

Walkable to a Oldfield school (great and locally known to be improving even more). Great primaries.

Bus/cycle to Bath city centre.

Literally countryside at your doorstep depending which road live on

Lovely community.

Bath RUH walkable. Bristol hospitals drivable in under 30.

Good buses to Bristol if required as on main route and the correct side of town.

Ashton park school just achieved really high results this year. I’ve heard very good things about Blackwell school I believe they also have a school transport system. There is Bristol Cathedral School independent obviously a certain criteria for admission.
I would suggest Long Ashton (surrounding area also lovely) as well, I live in South Bristol. I can drive to Ashton Park School really easily if I need to (teen with heavy bags lol). Bottlenecks are at certain times on the Long Ashton bypass especially the underground type thing to come off the A370 to go up Winterstoke but it’s less than 10 mins. Parking is pretty much nonexistent near the main hospitals in town, but regular buses from Long Ashton. Maybe Southmead hospital straight up the Portway although driving back into south Bristol after 3ish Portway can get to be a f**king nightmare. Normal journey time I can do it 20/30 mins.
Traffic is bad at the moment due to massive regeneration works in Bedminster. So lots of diversions.
Also no one’s mentioned the Clear Air Zone which is a bit shit as it encompasses a little bit of Portway which was idiotic IMO.
Happy hunting.

Yes I agree portishead would be a good fit and then you just need to hop on the M5 to get to Weston general. I work in North Somerset and live in Bristol and my commute is just over an hour as all the traffic is going the other way (people who live in Weston SM and commute to Bristol. No way would I sit in that traffic each day, I'd definitely get the train into town!

Due to the age of your children I would prioritise good transport links. I felt so lucky growing up that I could hop on a bus to town and see bands, go to a range of pubs etc. My friends who lived rurally had to get their parents to drive them so they wouldn't be out as much or stay out as late.

Agree with others that I’d definitely be looking near train stations, especially if your husband works within walking/cycling distance to Temple Meads or Parsons Street.

Keynsham and Saltford seem to have what you’re looking for, or the lovely villages nearby if you wanted something a little more rural. You would then be within 30mins of the BRI and RUH, Bath (Southmead Hospital would be a stretch). Wellsway a decent secondary and lots of primaries.

Some suggestions for your budget:
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/143129018#/?channel=RES_BUY

Right in Keynsham and could be fantastic:
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/139093271#/?channel=RES_BUY

Alternatively, you could look around Charfield for the long game. It is due to have a station opening in 2027 and you get a lot more for your money there. You would be (just) within 30mins of Southmead and Stroud Hospitals during rush hour times. Katherine Lady Berkeley secondary school and outstanding primaries.
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/139096592#/?channel=RESBUY

Thank you everybody! Your local knowledge is invaluable!

Hello @Movingonup84 .. reading this with interest as we are considering a similar move with similar interests/requirements. Did you end up making a move and if so, where did you decide? Hope you are happy with your decision either way?