Today, we spent a few hours in Brighton. It was a bit foggy, but the fog lifted within an hour or so.
We’ve lived in Haywards Heath for just over 3 years. It’s a 15-20 minute train journey from Brighton. In early January, we’re moving to London.
The ongoing problems with Southern Rail have made commuting a nightmare. It seems that poor service is the norm, but the last eight months have been particularly painful. I can’t see an end in sight. It’s a shame, as we like living here, and we stood a chance of being able to afford to buy a house – the reason we moved here in the first place. I guess it’s just as well that hasn’t happened yet, as it’s a lot easier to move when you’re renting.
While I’m looking forward to the move, not least because my commute will be shorter, it feels like we’ve been forced into it somewhat. I’ve been fortunate to work for companies who are very accepting of the travel issues – but it’s down to me to determine if living here is worth the commuting woes. Sadly, it just doesn’t stack up anymore.
At this stage, I can’t see how any commute into London on a Southern-operated train is reliable. So, we’re moving.
As the house move is imminent, today seemed like a good opportunity to visit Brighton while it’s still practically on our doorstep.
Maybe someday, we’ll be back. For now, it’s farewell to Haywards Heath, and hello to Richmond (again).
Happy 2017!
It’s sad that as big a decision as that of buying a house has to pivot around the service of the trains into the city. I stayed in Dartford in July and August and took Southern into London every day without any major issues, but the times we traveled were off peak hours. Hope you enjoy Richmond. While it might not be your number one choice, it is a nice area.
Thanks Tony, we’ve lived in Richmond before so we don’t have to worry about moving to a completely new area. That’s a definite plus.