Live in London and work at Silverstone?
Live in London and work at Silverstone?
Author
Discussion

VML

Original Poster:

569 posts

204 months

Thursday 17th November 2011
quotequote all
Hi,

not sure where I should post this, but I think I would reach the right people to answer my question here.

I live in London (west, near A4/M4) and can be on the M4 by heathrow in 20 mins in the mornings. I am looking to get back into paid employment rather than work self employed, and am looking at my options in and around Silverstone.

Is this a viable commute each morning? I do not want to waste potential employers time by not doing this research, and sure, I've been to Silverstone for various races and trackdays, but its the peak rush hours that worry me.

Does anybody do this journey?

Any advice would be appreciated.




Regards
VML

eybic

9,212 posts

203 months

Thursday 17th November 2011
quotequote all
You're talking at least a couple of hours each way during rush hours.

Frik

13,677 posts

272 months

Thursday 17th November 2011
quotequote all
You do have a few routes to choose from. A satnav with decent traffic information would be a godsend but as eybic says, it's going to be a couple of hours a lot of the time. Are you happy with doing that every day?

Robatr0n

12,362 posts

245 months

Thursday 17th November 2011
quotequote all
What time would you be leaving? Assuming that you live extremely close to me, getting to the M4 can sometimes take 30 - 40 minutes in the morning depending on when you leave. Traffic is fairly light at 6am - 6:30am but just gets busier from this point onwards.

As the others have said, it'd take you the best part of 2 hours and that'd be twice a day.

VML

Original Poster:

569 posts

204 months

Thursday 17th November 2011
quotequote all
Thanks for the replies.

Yes it can sometimes take a while to get onto the M4, but if I were to have an average start time of 8am-8:30am, I would be getting on to the elevated section of the M4 at approx 6am. I live v. close to there.

I suppose for the right job and money, I would happily travel for 2h each way, but I suppose its one thing knowing that myself, but another convincing a potential employer...


Regards
VML

Nick3point2

3,920 posts

209 months

Thursday 17th November 2011
quotequote all
Granted it wasn't the exact same area but I used to commute from Potters Bar to Silverstone, took about 1h 20m each way with good/normal traffic.

Colleagues who live in Oxford take around 50 min to 1h to get to work so I'd take that into consideration.

nonuts

15,855 posts

258 months

Thursday 17th November 2011
quotequote all
VML said:
I suppose for the right job and money, I would happily travel for 2h each way, but I suppose its one thing knowing that myself, but another convincing a potential employer...
They can't legally ask, the only thing they're allowed to actually ask if following the letter of the law is 'do you have an issue with the working hours at this location blah blah?'

If it's no issue for you then it shouldn't matter, I personally can't stand the thought of that kind of commute daily but I know others that don't care.

MrReg

1,939 posts

251 months

Thursday 17th November 2011
quotequote all
VML said:
Thanks for the replies.

Yes it can sometimes take a while to get onto the M4, but if I were to have an average start time of 8am-8:30am, I would be getting on to the elevated section of the M4 at approx 6am. I live v. close to there.

I suppose for the right job and money, I would happily travel for 2h each way, but I suppose its one thing knowing that myself, but another convincing a potential employer...


Regards
VML
Don't do it!
What may sound easy now...it's only two hours etc....will become a complete nightmare after a short time. When you just want to get home and have a drink you'll hate it...when you realise that you're spending half your working day commuting to and from work you'll hate it....when you get up in the morning and think you've got that nightmare drive in the rain yet again you'll hate it.....
I used to do a 2.5hrs journey to and from work and it not only gets you down but it does wreck your home/personal life.

VML

Original Poster:

569 posts

204 months

Thursday 17th November 2011
quotequote all
nonuts said:
They can't legally ask, the only thing they're allowed to actually ask if following the letter of the law is 'do you have an issue with the working hours at this location blah blah?'

If it's no issue for you then it shouldn't matter, I personally can't stand the thought of that kind of commute daily but I know others that don't care.
I didnt know that! thank you.

Sods Law

3,280 posts

254 months

Thursday 17th November 2011
quotequote all
I do Oxford to Egham every day so simmilar if the opposite, you could do this in 90mins.

The trick will be traveling before and after rush hour.

It is do able, you are at the border of what I would class as commutable daily, and to be honest you could probably rent a small flat/cottage for less than the fuel cost.....

Be clear with any employer you will regularly be screwed by the motorways....

Dave

ETA this commute will cost over £500 in Diesel, plus maintenance
A quick rightmove and there are 5 flats under £500pcm in Brackley

D

Edited by Sods Law on Thursday 17th November 21:48

CarbonBlackM5

3,087 posts

247 months

Friday 18th November 2011
quotequote all
Not quite the same but I spent over 3 years going from Bicester to Reading.

If I left at 7am it would take an hour, sometimes a little more. At least you would be going against the traffic but I think a 2 hr trip is about right. At least there are a few different routes and some decent roads to use.

Hate to think how much my fuel bills would be now, what with business use and the 100 mile daily commute I was doing over 35K a year.


Junglehop

363 posts

217 months

Monday 21st November 2011
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I do Ealing to Warwick two days a week, that takes around 1hr 20 or so. Worst ive had is nearly 4 hours... the m40 is generally not too bad apart from the A40 stretch at the bottom which can be hell. its all in teh timing though...