Does anyone live outside London but commute in for work?

Madam Butterfly · (#1 (**permalink**))

Am thinking about leaving London in the next couple of years (3, tops) but commuting in for work. My plan was to get a little flat in London local to my job and stay there Sunday night through Friday morning, then commute home for the weekends and school holidays (planning on moving to Wolverhampton. OK place, affordable property and lots of family, plus close to birmingham and more family).

Working up there is not an option as wages are low and there is nothing in my field anyway.

So what i want to know is, is there anyone who lives outside london, but commutes in for work, maybe staying for the week then returning home at weekends, and if so how do you find it?

Judge J · (#2 (**permalink**))

I don't personally but some of my mums frineds do.

Ther is one family we know who use to live in Archway, then started moving further and further out of London due to the ridiculous house prices.
They now live in Surrey, somewhere near West Byfleet/Guildford, and they travel by train (fast train to London Bridge)

This is becoming quite popular. Where I do my mnetoring I met a few people who work for that financial firm Lehman Brothers in Canary Wharf. They wre telling me that many people who work in the City area live outside London and commute into London. (the guy I was talking to himself travels to Canary Wharf from Purley)

Maat · (#3 (**permalink**))

Hey Madam Butterfly,

I don't but just like Judge J, know quite a few people who do. Luton seems to be a common place seeing as it's only about half hour away. The cost of living in London seems to be the main factor and people would either prefer to drive or take public transport. It can actually take less time commuting from outside of London than being in London sometimes!!

Madam Butterfly · (#4 (**permalink**))

finally, responses!!!!! Maat, i know what you mean, my aunt recently moved to corby (northhampton) and she says it takes her the same amount of time to drive from there to london as it does to drive across london!!

My plan is a lil different to the folks that you guys know though because my plan was to live in london mon-thurs then commute back home (wolverhampton) at weekends and holidays. Some places on the outskirts of london (surrey etc) are almost as same, price wise, as london.

It does seem as though more an more people are taking this option. kinda makes you wonder how the population of london will end up. On the one hand you will have the ridiculously rich who can afford to live here then on the other you will have folks stuck here because they are too poor to move.

Judge J · (#5 (**permalink**))

wow your from Wolverhampton, I went uni there

Your right about it being a growing trend. Sadly it will get worse.

In my opinion what happens is that as soon as the government carry out their Urban Generation programmes in certain deprived areas, they local council increase the rents, and various rates, therefore the people living in the area find themselves being priced out.

From what I was told by a friedn this is why you hear about people leaving Brixton, and moving to areas like Thornton Heath.

Madam Butterfly · (#6 (**permalink**))

I'm from london, not wolverhampton, but i will be moving there in a coupe of years. Know what you mean about the regeneration thing, if my mum hadn;t bought her house fifteen years ago she certainly wouldn't be able to afford it now.