Newport, Wales

Does anyone live here or have any good knowledge of the area.  I wonder as WIKI and other places make the town sound pretty good, yet home prices are very reasonable (compared to just across the water in England). 

Are the prices low because Newport has particular problems or is Wales just cheaper in general for whatever reason?  Seems unemployment wouldn't be too bad as Cardiff and Bristol are commuting distance.

Can anyone clue me in?

Thanks.

I live in the South Wales valleys and work in Newport. I don't much like the town centre - not much going for it at all and very much overshadowed, imo, by Cardiff which is a lot nicer and has far more facilities. But there are some really nice areas to live in the surrounding parts of Newport. Actually Newport and Cardiff are only a few miles apart and almost run into each other. Hope that helps. Feel free to PM me for more information.

Thanks for the reply!

I was born in southwest Wales and just moved to Cornwall from Pembrokeshire last summer. Though I've never lived or worked in Newport, I am a bit familiar with it and I agree with mhs. I'm not a big fan, but the surrounding villages and towns can be really nice. Having said that, I don't really like Cardiff either - though if you're far enough out from the city, it can be lovely. I think I just don't like cities. What about you, Alistair? Do you prefer cities, 'burbs or villages?

What about you, Alistair? Do you prefer cities, 'burbs or villages?

Well, if I had my way, I'd live in the middle of nowhere, 50 km from the nearest small village.  But it's not about me, but what's practical for my family.  So we have to juggle what we want with what's practical.

One of our main criteria is good public transportation for my wife since she doesn't drive.  We think we'd like the Southwest of England and Bristol seems to be a good city to be near. 

The reason I wondered about Newport in Wales, is that I was researching home prices in areas near Bristol with good rail links into the city.  Newport seems to have a much larger selection of detached or link-detached homes in a more affordable price point that most other areas of a similar size.  I was really wondering why Newport was so cheap in comparison to just across the water in England.

We're coming over to the UK in January to rent for a year and check the area out to see how we like it so I'm trying to get some first hand info from some of the surrounding cities and towns.  So I'm appreciative of everyone's input and viewpoints. 

The reason I wondered about Newport in Wales, is that I was researching home prices in areas near Bristol with good rail links into the city.

It doesn't matter so much for public transport (buses and trains), but if you were to drive between Wales and England for work, you would need to factor in the cost of crossing one of the bridges over the river Severn to get there and back (either the Severn Bridge or the Second Severn Crossing) - you have to pay £5.40 every time you cross from England into Wales - so driving to and from work in Bristol, for example, would mean paying £5.40 each day on top of the cost of petrol. I believe that the bridge cost is already incorporated into bus fares (and it is not relevant for the trains), so it would only be an issue if you were driving.

you have to pay £5.40 every time you cross from England into Wales - so driving to and from work in Bristol, for example, would mean paying £5.40 each day on top of the cost of petrol.

Ouch!  Thanks for that, I had no idea.  That would add up fast now wouldn't it.  Around 2000 GBP per year if you only cross once per day.  Forget it.    You're a wealth of info, much appreciated.

Ouch!  Thanks for that, I had no idea.  That would add up fast now wouldn't it.  Around 2000 GBP per year if you only cross once per day.  Forget it.    You're a wealth of info, much appreciated.

No problem .

Quite a few of the people I work with commute from Chepstow or Newport and do cross the bridge every day - I think it's possible to get a monthly/annual pass though if you cross regularly though (unlimited crossing for a fixed price). I only live 6 miles from the first bridge, but I have only been over to Wales twice in the last 5 years (once by train, once by car)!