Bedford v Cambridge commute

[Chris Wallis]

Lots of really nice Real Ale pubs close to Cambridge station as well!

 

[Bletchleyite]

To drag it back on topic i think commute wise I would look at the price differential between each option but can quite see how Cambridge ( despite what i assume is a price premium housing wise) would be a nice place to live. Apart from the students.

Yes, I can see the attraction of Cambridge (I'd love to live there if it suited the rest of my life, which it wouldn't so I don't ), and did suspect that the OP wanted a smaller[1] city (small MK is not, despite being low density it covers an area about the same as the city of Liverpool, though not the related boroughs like Knowsley). It's also likely to grow substantially in the next 20-30 years.

I just don't like the traditional myths being trotted out. Many people won't like MK because it's different, and that's fine (it'd be boring if we all liked the same things - think of the seat debate) - just be realistic and truthful about why it actually is you don't like it, and don't make that judgement just based on going to the shopping centre, which even I will admit is a bit grim - but I barely ever go there.

[1] For example MK provides for walking and cycling *very* well (as I said I'd be lost without my bike), but if your house to CMK is say 30 minutes on a bike it can be a faff (for me it's about 25 to the station, 30 to the shopping centre bottom end or 35 to Xscape), vs. a smaller city where despite the need to go on much less safe-feeling roads it might be 10-15 minutes.

 

[Bald Rick]

I know you said you dislike St Albans, but...

It is a compact city, plenty to do, lovely parks, some great pubs (home of Camra), and pretty much the whole city is within a 30 minute walk of the station. I live next to fields - 28 mins from the station, 15 mins from the market in the city centre.

Oh and in peak time there's 7-8 trains an hour that take 18 minutes to St Pancras. And another 7-8 that take between 26-35 minutes that you can guarantee a seat on. And direct trains to go see your family and friends back in Bedford.

There's a lot of new flats about to complete in 3 separate developments within 10 minutes walk of the station, and many will be available to rent.

 

[stephy]

i just don't like it, i find it smug and busy and i'm just over the thameslink line.the attraction for cambridge for me is also the beautiful riverside.
i'm looking to buy not rent
i don't have friends in bedford - lol - that's why i'm looking to move! only parents.

 

[Bletchleyite]

i just don't like it, i find it smug and busy and i'm just over the thameslink line.the attraction for cambridge for me is also the beautiful riverside.
i'm looking to buy not rent

Crikey, you must be well-off!

 

[Bald Rick]

i just don't like it, i find it smug and busy and i'm just over the thameslink line.the attraction for cambridge for me is also the beautiful riverside.

Well I must say I don't find it smug. And in my experience, the city itself is no busier than Cambridge, and the traffic is definitely better.

 

[causton]

Well I must say I don't find it smug. And in my experience, the city itself is no busier than Cambridge, and the traffic is definitely better.

Crikey! The traffic in Cambridge must be really bad then!

As someone who used to commute from Hatfield to London Colney on the 602 bus, it was about 10-20 minutes from Hatfield to Fleetville, and London Road to the Savacentre (or whatever it should be called ) in London Colney was another 10-20, but just getting through St Albans could take up to 90 minutes!

It is the one thing I associate St Albans with - bad traffic!

 

[Ianno87]

Yes, traffic in Cambridge can indeed be horrendous. Several occasions per year can see the city effectively gridlocked if one part of the road network goes down. And very, very high parking charges in the city centre.

Bus network is OK in the city, but not so much into the surrounding countryside.

 

[Hadders]

Traffic in Cambridge city centre can be horrific. Car parking charges in the centre are extortionate too.

A couple of years ago my job involved regular visits to shops in Cambridge City Centre. Despite having a company car I always drive as it was far cheaper and often quicker when the cost of parking was factored in.