Bristol/Taunton commutes - where to live?

[jimjamuk]

Move to some of the nicer areas in Bristol. I take it you have a life outside of work - whatever you do Bristol will cover it. Middle of nowhere might not

 

[tres]

I work in Taunton and drive from a village north of Bridgwater. I join the M5 on J23 and it takes about 30 minutes door-to-door, but traffic into Taunton can be bad in the morning and bad back out.

You could get a place in Taunton and get the train back to Bristol. There's a few non-stop trains from Taunton to Temple Meads which only take 20 minutes or so.

UKHO is right by the motorway junction (next to Asda) so only the Creech Castle crossing to deal with in the morning.

Most people slate Bridgwater for a reason and they're not wrong. It's not all crap, just mostly It is undergoing somewhat of a slight rejuvenation in terms of housing on the fringes though due to the new reactor at Hinckley going ahead.

North Petherton is a good shout as it's outside of Bridgwater and close to Taunton.
Motorway links are excellent seeing as there is one on the front door, and the new houses just off the motorway junction are fairly nice and cheap (I'm looking at moving there myself)

The vast majority unfortunately shades the minute amount of decent.
Also, the new development (Stockmoor etc) has a huge proportion of housing association & council/single mothers. It's a lovely new development, but property prices will suffer.

Really? I've never heard that of Bristol as a generalisation, and I've lived here for 25 years.

It used to have a dodgy name to it, but not for the last decade, lovely place.

 

[new boy]

Weston-super-Mare is a lot easier to get in and out of in the mornings/evening than it was since the redevelopment on the junction (actually just adding a filter lane on to the M5 would have had the same effect). As already mentioned West Wick (or St Georges) would be a good shout.

My god I cannot express how much I love this. It saves me 20 mins (best case) every morning on my daily commute to bridgwater (which I can confirm, is not a place you should choose to live). Its probably given me back as much of my life as stopping smoking would lol.

now, if they would just stop messing with the central reservation between j21 and j19, then life would be spot on.

 

[SilverTongue]

You say Bridgwater is a last resort but would consider Highbridge you realise that Highbridge is a bigger cesspit than Hamp/Syndenham in Bridgwater combined right? I'd be looking at Burnham-on-Sea if you don't mind a slow town or either that some of the villages round Bridgwater like North Petherton which has very easy access to M5 via J24 or even Stockmoor Village which is just off J24.

To those suggesting Nailsea, Portishead etc, if WSM is too far from Taunton for his GF then they certainly are

 

[new boy]

You say Bridgwater is a last resort but would consider Highbridge you realise that Highbridge is a bigger cesspit than Hamp/Syndenham in Bridgwater combined right? I'd be looking at Burnham-on-Sea if you don't mind a slow town or either that some of the villages round Bridgwater like North Petherton which has very easy access to M5 via J24 or even Stockmoor Village which is just off J24.

To those suggesting Nailsea, Portishead etc, if WSM is too far from Taunton for his GF then they certainly are

Burnham is pretty nice. There is NOTHING to do at all, its quite an old person town. But if the quiet life apeals to you then I would reconmend it.

 

[Jingo...]

I live on the outskirts of Weston-super-Mare and UKHO is less than 30 minutes drive for me. Furthermore, depending on where you want to go in Bristol, it is about the same travel time, just in the other direction

I enjoy living here because the area is pleasant with a friendly community feel, I have easy and swift routes anywhere I usually go and because you are that much further outside of Bristol, you can get that much more house for your money than Clevedon/Portishead etc.

I wouldn't choose to live any further down the M5 than Junction 21 (WSM) however, for there is little in terms of entertainment and the journey to Bristol moves from being a short jot to a notable journey in my opinion

 

[Lisapete]

I hear Pill is a nice place.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

NOT!

 

[Jingo...]

Where do you live Lisapete? Where would you say is a nice place in the area?

 

[knip]

Sorry but Weston Super Mare IS a dump

Clevedon, Portishead, (both easy to get on the motorway) Bedminster, lots of nicer places than WSMud

(And yes I have lived in the area all my life)

 

[SilverTongue]

Burnham is pretty nice. There is NOTHING to do at all, its quite an old person town. But if the quiet life apeals to you then I would reconmend it.

? I'd be looking at Burnham-on-Sea if you don't mind a slow town

Sorry should have mentioned if you look around Burnham, avoid Berrow/Brean like the plague as during holiday season traffic is a complete nightmare. Burnham also gets very busy during the summer, though mainly from Tesco to the Edithmead roundabout, the seafront and Berrow Road

 

[Hxc]

How on earth are people recommending WSM? It's a horrible tacky place. It's okay for a beach day now and again but other than that christ no.

Portishead is lovely. Cleveton is nice... otherwise central bristol.

 

[jamesg]

I live in Bridgwater, sure it has some dodgy areas (like most towns/cities) but if you find the right area it's fine and property prices are more than reasonable.

I guess it depends what environment you want to live in - if youre not interested in the town centre for shopping then it's fine as taunton is a 20 minute drive and cribs is probably 40 mins. As has been said there is a lot of investment in the area from EDF so many improvements going on around the town, both infrastructure wise and I think a town centre rejuvenation project in the near future.

I also work at the UKHO and its around 20 mins door to door for me from junction 23. Unfortunately trains to temple meads take around 50 mins as they stop at every station and think it works out around £13/day return if you buy a monthly ticket thing.

 

[new boy]

I caught the train for 3 weeks while my car went to the scrap yard and I had to try and find a new car even though I had no money.

In the 3 weeks my train was over 15 minutes late 3 times (which meant I was late for work as there were no earlier trains)

I also had to catch somthing insane like the 6:20 from worle to WSM (less than 10 min travel time), then the 7:20 from WSM to bridgwater ariving at 7:50, so I had to run to work in the hope I could get to work by 8. there were no earlier alternatives.

I would never catch the train again, would rather just get my shift covered and suffer the wrath from my area manager...

 

[Lisapete]

Where do you live Lisapete? Where would you say is a nice place in the area?

Portishead. Every town has it's good and bad. I live in the village quarter which is the latest and last build phase here. Great for my kids and me. I love it. I even moved back here

I'm 10 mins from the motorway J19 M5 and can be in London within 2 hours, Bristol city center within 15 mins, Cribs 15 mins

 

[bainbridge]

Oh thankyou GD for my evening titter

This thread reads like a list of South West dumps:

Bridgewater
Trowbridge
Wellington

These 3 by far are simply the worst places around!

 

[new boy]

Oh thankyou GD for my evening titter

This thread reads like a list of South West dumps:

Bridgewater
Trowbridge
Wellington

These 3 by far are simply the worst places around!

*bridgwater. Though your point still stands

 

[Nitefly]

But seriously, Clifton, there are plenty of modestly priced properties to buy / rent. For example:

http://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/de...00bfa452befaee57a11c2e767#yH7ttYF6o55yAUM5.97

 

[James J]

But seriously, Clifton, there are plenty of modestly priced properties to buy / rent. For example:

http://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/de...00bfa452befaee57a11c2e767#yH7ttYF6o55yAUM5.97

The decorating is beautiful....

As for the OP, both get trains and live in either bristol or stay in bath. If your girlfriend insists on living closer to her work and you don't want to travel that far each day (understandable), find a new girlfriend.

 

[xxalxx]

Oh thankyou GD for my evening titter

This thread reads like a list of South West dumps:

Bridgewater
Trowbridge
Wellington

These 3 by far are simply the worst places around!

Out of interest whats wrong with Wellington?

 

[Buckeyed]

How on earth are people recommending WSM? It's a horrible tacky place. It's okay for a beach day now and again but other than that christ no.

They are putting a lot of money into making it better the sea front developments, Dolphin Square (although delays are causing issues) etc.

I live in WSM but on the outskirts and like it - I live opposite a nice park and there are plenty of shops in close proximity. Portishead is very nice, however it adds 20 minutes to a commute to Taunton and the rent is higher.