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Train to Brighton question?

Moving from Brighton to Basildon Area - Any Thoughts/Suggestions?

  • My husband and I currently live and work in/around the Brighton area and we are happy here although we struggle a little financially at times. My husband has been offered a promotion with his company which will give him in excess of £10,000 more a year than he is getting now (before tax). The catch is that it is based in Basildon. I have never been to Essex and have no doubt that it is a fine place, but I am certain it is not Brighton. The only real option we have is to move to Basildon or close by as my husband does not drive and the train takes 2.5 hours each way. According to AA route planner the trip would take me 1.5 hours each way if driving - as I would still be working in Brighton (at least until I could find another job or get a transfer). I don't really have a specific question. I would just like some friendly views/comments on the situation. Perhaps some advice on where to look for housing and if my journey to work would be hampered by traffic (I work shifts and depending on which week would need to be in Brighton at 6:45, 7:45 and 10:45 so I assume I wold miss most of the worst traffic on the M25). Thanks in advance!

  • Answer:

    The commute between Basildon and Brighton would be horrific if either of you had to do it regularly - from experience I would suggest it will eat into any financial benefit from the promotion, wreck your work-life balance and most likely put a massive strain on your relationship too. Imo you have 3 choices: 1. he passes on the promotion, you both stay in Brighton and he looks for a different job. 2. he takes the job, you both move closer to Basildon and you start looking for another job. 3. he takes the promotion, you keep your job, and you both find somewhere to live in between the two. You need to consider which one of you has the best long term career and earning prospects, and make a choice about whether location or standard of living is more important to you. I would go for option 2 or 3 personally - Brighton is lovely, but there are plenty of other good places to live too.

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Rinoa I would suggest you don't move to Basildon - I don't want to offend but it's not the nicest place on the planet (lots of uncouth youths). There are some lovely places in Essex and lots of countryside and some not so lovely, same as anywhere on the planet. Your shift times would indeed mean you would miss most of the traffic, but what about coming home? Travel wise you would need to go M25 (paying the toll twice a day - get a dart tag - £1 each way as opposed to £1.50 if paying with cash - http://www.dart-tag.co.uk) then M23 as you probably already know. Traffic queueing for the toll booths is a nightmare in 'rush' hours (any time from 0700-1000hrs, 1600-1900hrs (from 1500 on Fridays). I'd suggest a weekend up here. Stay at a nice hotel and do some driving about. You can tell a lot of books by their covers. Go to Colchester zoo (about 1hr up A12 from M25) if you like your animals. Go to Epping forest for a walk. I attach a link to some pics around some of the nicer spots in Essex. Good luck!

chris

I'm from Westcliff-On-Sea, which is near Southend-On-Sea, which is in turn very close to Basildon. Essex in general is good place to live as there is a bit of everything here (close to London, close to beach and pier, lots of parks, close to airports, lots of shopping), and although we have a bad reputation, there nice areas! Admittedly, I only really know one part of Basildon, and I must say it was a bit dodgey and rough. But yet, I'm sure there are really nice areas there! Rayleigh, which is 15 mins away, is really nice I think, I would rather live there then Basildon. Don't be put off by what you hear about Essex, its a really nice place to live. Best of luck.

emrose709

I think the question you are asking IS CHANGE SCARY. The answer to that is yes, always. Presumably you are settled in Brighton, with the option of throwing it all away and moving to part of the country you know nothing about for £10000pa. Only you can answer the question, is it worth it, and you must come to a joint resolution to the question with your husband. Assume that you are settled in Basildon with a new job, now think really hard about what you would miss about being in Brighton. If its 10 min walk verse 2 hour drive to your Mums, is this a deal breaker. In terms of the drive to work you can put up with a lot if you know it is only temporary. On a day off drive to Essex, preferably when you may be travelling the other way, have a look round. Walk down Basildon High Street. Drive, preferably not on main roads, to Southend-on-Sea walk along the front, then up to Chelmsford. Would I do it I were you. No. But my position is different to yours. Only a year or so from retiring. Half an hour drive to work is long enough for me. I would miss the South Downs too much but not the sea.

PHIL D

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