Office relocated and now commuting is a nightmare - anything I can do?

surreysaver

socks_uk wrote: »

Please feel free to tell me I know nothing but is it not possible to go direct on the Circle Line from Victoria to Farringdon?

Looking at the underground plan the yellow line on the tube map goes all the way there.

But the Underground plan is not geographically accurate. It would be quicker to get off at Blackfriars and walk up Farringdon Street than to stay on the Circle Line! Blackfriars and Farringdon are at opposite ends of the same street.

pickled_cabbage

Thanks for your replies - they have all been helpful. Just wanted to respond to a few of them.

Firstly, circle line sadly won't work: Farringdon is on the north side of the line so is about as far away from Victoria as possible if using that line: you'd need to stay on it all the way round for about 10 stops (maybe more) and it's just as busy in the mornings.

The buses could definitely be an option, though I'll try the walking from cannon street option first.

Without giving out all the details of my home address, I do live just outside the M25. But I can't get to West Croydon on my line.

All very frustrating but I'll try and test some different options this week.

Also, FYI, as others have pointed out, I don't use a London Terminals travelcard because I'm currently going across London to Farringdon, but it's actually the same price as a London Terminals travelcard anyway, so I'm not losing out financially. However, the problem is that I HAVE to go to Farringdon - it won't let me use Victoria or Waterloo as it stands. So, whichever route I take, either I need to go via Blackfriars to avoid paying extra, or else terminate at London terminals to avoid the extra too. Any other options means paying which is fine, but obviously preferable not to pay.

One quick final question: I know others have said that it's 'only 2 miles' and 'still in zone 1', but given the journey has dramatically increased, is there not an argument that I should be offered redundancy? E.g. My current role at THIS LOCATION no longer exists, so they're effectively removed my role. Quite a long shot I know, but many others in the office are also quite angry about it.

To give you some background, there really was no consultation. All that happened was one day we were told that the office is moving in a month's time and that was that. The company moved in with another company (office share) because the two owners are friends and quite conveniently our MD's commute is now half of what it used to be!

Tankrizzo_2

I wouldn't think you have any shot at redundancy as such because your role is still in existence, regardless of whether it's a couple of miles further north or not.

Savvy_Sue

Agreed, NO chance of redundancy, the job is still available and it hasn't moved far enough to make travel impossible or even unreasonable.

In an ideal world, you and your unhappy colleagues would have been working together as soon as the move was announced to get SOMETHING out of this, whether that's increased flexibility in working hours, payment of the increased travel costs for the first x months, or some other SMALL concession.

That month between being told the office was moving and the actual move was your consultation period, IMO, whether the company called it that or not. That kind of 'consultation' doesn't usually take place on a "what do you think, chaps, shall we do this or not?" basis.

So, working WITH your unhappy colleagues you may yet be able to improve the situation, but exploring all the ways of getting to and from work is probably the best way forward.

harz99

surreysaver wrote: »

As for getting there - stay on your train to London Bridge arriving at 08:17, there's a train from there to Cannon Street every few minutes - you'll be there by 08:30. Then its about a 500 yard walk to Farringdon.

It's a lot more than 500 yards from Cannon Street Station to Exmouth Market where the Op works (almost Roseberry Avenue), I reckon your thinking of from CS to the nearest point on Farringdon St, not Rd.

Either walk from CS to work, walk from CS to Blackfriars and a 63 bus, or still change at London Bridge to Waterloo East, walk through The Cut to Blackfriars Road and a 63 bus from there.

Youdontseeme

Again haven't seen it being suggested, but how about the overground from West Croydon to Whitechapel and change for Hammersmith & City line.

Thats around 35mins, then Whitechapel to Farringdon (or Kings Cross) is no more than 15mins (on a good day of course, on a bad day you can add a zero to that!) but its not too bad I get it everyday and am usually here on time.

YDSM

inmypocketnottheirs

In mileage terms, how far is the new office from the old office?

pickled_cabbage

inmypocketnottheirs wrote: »

In mileage terms, how far is the new office from the old office?

It's 2.9 miles from the old office to the new one. We were at Oxford Circus (1 min from tube) and now we're by Farringdon. It's quite a walk really.

pickled_cabbage

Youdontseeme wrote: »

Again haven't seen it being suggested, but how about the overground from West Croydon to Whitechapel and change for Hammersmith & City line.

Thats around 35mins, then Whitechapel to Farringdon (or Kings Cross) is no more than 15mins (on a good day of course, on a bad day you can add a zero to that!) but its not too bad I get it everyday and am usually here on time.

YDSM

I'm not on the West Croydon line sadly, otherwise this would have been a good option

surreysaver

pickled_cabbage wrote: »

Also, FYI, as others have pointed out, I don't use a London Terminals travelcard because I'm currently going across London to Farringdon, but it's actually the same price as a London Terminals travelcard anyway, so I'm not losing out financially. However, the problem is that I HAVE to go to Farringdon - it won't let me use Victoria or Waterloo as it stands. So, whichever route I take, either I need to go via Blackfriars to avoid paying extra, or else terminate at London terminals to avoid the extra too. Any other options means paying which is fine, but obviously preferable not to pay

I presume you mean you have a Farringdon season ticket rather than a Travelcard? When it next expires, why not get a weekly or monthly Travelcard just to spend some time trying different options?