Moving out of town when I don't drive?

[6784F]

I am a first time buyer, and have found a lovely flat in a housing development built 5 minutes drive from the town centre. It's surrounded by lots of countryside with the town just 5 minutes drive away. There are no local shops (like a Co Op) in walking distance.

I don't drive, so to get into town or to the nearest supermarket I would have a 10 minute walk to the bus station, and then a 5 minute bus ride. Does that sound feasible or too impractical? I would order my food shop online.

Is walking or biking feasible then, what's the route actually like?

Sounds very isolating.

Is driving and owning a car likely to happen?

How often would you need to go into town? And for what?

I think that sounds fine to me.

How much do you use town facilities? It's not just grocery shopping. Hairdressers, gym, cinema, pub, meeting friends, vet. In winter and when it's raining. Would you get a bike? How available are taxis, at peak times?

It's totally doable but think beyond food shopping.

It would be a no from me - too inconvenient. I would much rather compromise on a not so “dream” flat closer to shops etc than be so far away if I couldn’t drive.

Electric bike?

I don’t drive either & my criteria when looking for homes has always been easy access to public transport at any time of day or night - which is why I’ve lived all my adult life in various bits of London.

What are the bus times like? Could you get back after a night out with friends? What if you have an annoying substitution on your shopping order & need to pick something up? What’s your backup plan in case of bus strikes?

It sounds fine if the buses are frequent. Lots of people don’t have cars and live more than 15 min away from where they want to go. Not great if there’s 2 buses a day or something.

Is it easy to get a taxi/uber if you need to. That would make a big difference for me. And is it likely more amenities will be built in this area?

Sounds like a bad decision

I remember having a bit of a shock when I was pet sitting for a friend, planned to pop into town & realised the buses were once an hour.

What about work? As someone who lives pretty rurally with v sporadic public transport, I'd say don't do it. I couldn't manage without a car as it would mean a complete loss of independence

Is there somewhere safe to store a bike? Do you have children you need to regularly get to nursery or school? Do you work from home? Lots of the decision will be based around how often you'll need to go to the town and how reliable the bus service is. It's one thing do wait for buses on a bright summers evening but very different in dark rainy January.

Local gov finances are under strain everywhere, and bus services have a way of being scaled back or cancelled when money is short. Is biking an option? Are you able to learn to drive?

10 min to a bus stop and 5 min ride is nothing. Do it and enjoy the peace at the weekends

Sounds feasible to me, as long as the buses are frequent. Getting a bike (could be an e-bike) would be helpful. Certainly keep doing your grocery shopping online.

That will be a very fast journey on an e bike and if not then you will just get used to being organised and having what you need in.

Sounds similar to where i grew up and it was awful. Online shopping was the only way but that means you miss the last minute yellow ticket items (i was on a budget). Using transport is fine but look at how frequent it is. My buses were every half an hour which meant i ran everything by the bus times. Also it turns a quick trip into town to pick something up into a half day. Its fine once you get used to it but it wasnt for me

Frequency/timetable has to be considered. No good having a short bus journey if it only runs every 2 hours and doesn't run on Sundays or after 6pm!

No good if it gets you to the supermarket in 5 minutes, but then you either have only 10 minutes to do your shopping before the first return journey or have to wait 2 hours for the next bus back!

DONT DO IT!!

Do you have or are you planning on having DC? How would they get to school/activities
What about work?

I live in a village, 10 min drive to nearest shops/small high street and 20 min drive to nearest town. When I moved here I could drive (and buses were more regular). I can no longer drive (disability). Buses are hourly, twice a day longer gap between them. Dc manage by walking lots and I think it will limit their job search when they look next year.
We have an online shop but always have extras in because if subs are wrong I need a backup meal.
We find need to organise taxis well in advance and the price is much more expensive.
Takeaways are hit and miss, the independents usually deliver but the users etc don't.
In 3 years when dc finish school I'll be moving and my criteria will be a good bus service with at least 2 an hour (including Sundays as presently I can't go out on a Sunday).
I'd say don't discount it but do your research, check if buses are regular (ours aren't), check what happens in winter (our bus service will do a shorter route and not come into the village). What about other things like gp? What if you wanted to change jobs?

How frequent are the buses? Where is your nearest doctors surgery? Or chemist. Can you afford a taxi for the rare times you feel like death warmed up?

She will consider this and look at the timetables. I am sure. I live in a town but the centre is 25 min walk. The nearest shop is 10 min walk but that would kill me if I had to carry many bags. So when not driven by husband, I still catch the buses and just time myself.

One person does not need massive shopping and things like clothes can be bought in bulk, coffee shops meet ups can be pre-aranged. It is very doable

I wouldn’t.
Isn’t the obvious thing to open ones horizons to get a drivers license and a car??