Commuting in the Hampshire area?

Hi,

Can anyone advise on how far one can reasonably commute, say in 60 minutes in the general Hampshire area?  My job will be based in Farnborough, however we'd prefer if at all possible to live out a bit in a more rural sleepy village (but with a school for 2 young ones and little store).  Obviously I'll have a car but I've heard the miles pass much more slowly in England than over here in most of Continental Europe.

Thanks for any advice. 

Hi,

A 'bit' vague!  will you walk? cycle? taxi? bus? own car? !

If you look to the south & South West of Farnborough there's more 'semi rural' and rural areas you could potentially look for and live. Some of the roads are fairly quiet and if you perhaps have a quicker or more performance orientated car, you 'might' enjoy your commutes into work and back! I semi regularly travel along a few roads in and around the area and they can be 'fun'

Related to the above, quieter roads means that you can potentially live a little further out as you might not be stuck in as much traffic for too long.

I don't think you'd have too much issue with finding a place that suits you say 5-20 miles out of Farnborough.

Cheers, DtM! West London & Slough UK!

Thanks for the reply Dennis.  I did mention I'd have a car so yes, I would be using that for commuting as I doubt there would be convenient public transport out in the rural areas. 

You mentioned 5-20 miles, so are saying the furthest away I could reasonably get in an hour is only 20 miles by car? 

Hi

It's kind of opposite to your first post! The UK is 'tiny' compared to the US and say 20 miles outside of any large town or city, and it'd be considered 'far away'. Most people wouldn't really expect you to live that 'far' away from your job - my commute to when I worked in Ealing which was 14.8 miles door to company car park, and almost everyone I worked with used to say 'wow, you come into work here from thattt far away?!'   

Of course, there's plenty of commutes that are longer and people doing them. Another factor is of course which roads you will or do take and the levels of traffic on them each day and evening for commuting. Many roads in/out of small and large towns are often gridlocked and takes an absolute age to filter through, which of course takes time. For me, on a clear run (school half term / easter/summer holidays!) that distance to Ealing would take me perhaps 20 minutes (promise it was below 70 mph along the A40!) and usually it was 45-55 minutes with normal non holiday time traffic. The area's I mention above do have some quieter roads, so depends really on how long of a commute you want etc. If you go say to the Four Marks and Medstead areas for instance, may I suggest a 'quicker' car as some roads are awesome to blast along! but of course, if you're not as much as a Petrol&Diesel head as I am, that won't matter, and you can most likely get into Farnborough with your suited timeframe - just be wary of any local roads within the town which could or do get snarled up depending on exactly where you'll be working.

Cheers, DtM! West London & Slough UK!

Thanks Dennis, I appreciate it's a relative question.  I wasn't making any comparison to the US (haven't lived there in better part of a decade), but Continental Europe per my original post.  I guess I've gotten spoiled being able to go out 50 miles easily in an hour with excellent highways and little congestion in the more rural areas this side of the Channel. 

I suppose there is just no substitute for getting over there and simply driving around myself, eh? 

I do enjoy some spirited driving, what is the primary method of speed enforcement over there?  Does a ticket effect your license and/or insurance or is it just a monetary penalty via a fine like most countries on the Continent? 

Sounds like you need to come over and have a look at the various villages around Farnborough.  Also have a look at the schools your children will be attending.  That may be more of a deciding factor as to where you live instead of driving distance.
Hants web has a listing of primary schools and there is always Ofsted. 
We lived in a village for 4 years and I did not enjoy it.  YMMV.

I can't help you in regards to 'spirited driving' as I tend to drive within the speed limit. 
All the best with your transfer.

Also have a look at the schools your children will be attending. 

Valid point and appreciate the reply and we will need to look into the school situation.  However we do live very, very rurally now on a 2 acre property and enjoy the lifestyle of growing our own veggies and the outdoorsy life, so it would be hard and unpleasant for us to live in a very urban setting for long. 

We do have some months left before we move, just starting the research early.  And I will of course make several visits in advance. 

Valid point and appreciate the reply and we will need to look into the school situation.  However we do live very, very rurally now on a 2 acre property and enjoy the lifestyle of growing our own veggies and the outdoorsy life, so it would be hard and unpleasant for us to live in a very urban setting for long.  

One good thing about the UK is that you don't have to go very far to get between the countryside and the cities.

My hometown is in the 'countryside' - there are about 15,000 people in the town, but I only have to walk for 10 minutes from my parents' house and I'm in the middle of the countryside, surrounded by fields and cows and farms.

On the other hand, it's only a 15-minute drive (8 miles) to the largest shopping mall in southwest England (which has 150 shops, multiplex cinema, bowling alley, gym, restaurants, ASDA-Walmart supercentre), and it's only a 30-minute drive (15 miles) into the centre of Bristol, which has almost half a million people. Plus, there are 6 international airports within a 3-hour drive, and it's only 2 hours to London by car (or 90 minutes by train).

I do enjoy some spirited driving, what is the primary method of speed enforcement over there?  Does a ticket effect your license and/or insurance or is it just a monetary penalty via a fine like most countries on the Continent?  

It's usually speed cameras, either mounted along the side of the road, or mobile speed vans parked along the road. If you get caught speeding you will get a fine of £60 and 3 penalty points on a UK licence (not sure about a foreign licence). The points will remain valid for 3 years. If you are excessively over the speed limit, the consequences may be greater.

Once you move to the UK, you will be allowed to drive on your US licence for 12 months, but if you wish to continue driving after that, you will need to pass the UK driving tests and get a UK licence (it's best to get one before the 12 months is up). You can't exchange a US licence for a UK one, so, you will have to go through all the UK driving tests and start over as a 'new driver'.

Currently, if you get 6 points (two speeding tickets) in the first 2 years of getting a new UK licence, you will lose the licence and will have to take all the tests again to get a new licence.

After those two years, if you get 12 points (4 speeding tickets) within 3 years, you will lose your licence and be banned from driving for 6 months.

One good thing about the UK is that you don't have to go very far to get between the countryside and the cities.

That's great and will make life quite pleasant for us.

My hometown is in the 'countryside' - there are about 15,000 people in the town, but I only have to walk for 10 minutes from my parents' house and I'm in the middle of the countryside, surrounded by fields and cows and farms.

Sounds almost perfect

It's usually speed cameras, either mounted along the side of the road, or mobile speed vans parked along the road.

That's what I'm used to, no problem.

Once you move to the UK, you will be allowed to drive on your US licence for 12 months, but if you wish to continue driving after that, you will need to pass the UK driving tests and get a UK licence (it's best to get one before the 12 months is up). You can't exchange a US licence for a UK one, so, you will have to go through all the UK driving tests and start over as a 'new driver'.

Luckily doesn't apply to me.  I'm a dual US/EU citizen and have an EU license which is perfectly legal in the UK with no need to switch, although I can if I want to in which case it's just a straight swap.

Appreciate the detailed reply

I am relatively near Farborough in a typical village called Wokingham.  I can ride my bike less than 2 miles and be in serious countryside with properties on acreage.  Definitely take a trip to the area and start driving and see where you like.  I'm certain within a few miles from your job you will be able to feel very rural.

You won't need to go more than 20 miles outside of Farnborough for really lovely villages. You don't give any indication of a housing budget, but I'd suggest looking at places like Lower Froyle, Bentley, Seale, Tilford and Elstead. You'll be 20-30 minutes from Farnborough on a day like today since it's half term, and still under an hour on a usual busy Monday morning.

You won't need to go more than 20 miles outside of Farnborough for really lovely villages.

Good news

You don't give any indication of a housing budget, but I'd suggest looking at places like Lower Froyle, Bentley, Seale, Tilford and Elstead.

Thanks for the village suggestions.    We'll just rent at first to get a feel for the area and make sure we like living there and my employer is suitable.  Since my wife will be a stay-at-home mom for the first year we probably wouldn't want to spend more than £1500 per month on rent.  Ideally a small 3 bedroom house of some type with garden would be ideal.  I think it's doable if I find the right area.  Happy to commute up to an hour for the right place.