Welcome to the up and coming areas of London ...

westernpromise

ukcarper wrote: »

Went to college in Morden in the 70s and the area was quite nice and the area around the tube station was pleasant enough, had cause to go there a couple of years ago (very good optics shop) to find it had deteriorated quite a bit.

Interesting that there's counter-gentrification going on (is that a word?).

chucknorris

Out,_Vile_Jelly wrote: »

I didn't buy my house because I thought the area would "up and come", it was the least worst option I could afford that had transport that suited work and leisure. And the decent sized garden was a big bonus. It certainly hasn't got gentrified since I've been there, and yet when I remortgaged after two years the value had allegedly gone up by over 30%.

I would buy somewhere you like and can afford rather than try and predict trends.

I live in Dorking now, and since moving there I've always thought that if there was somewhere safe to leave my bike in Morden then I would cycle there and get the tube into London, it is just about the right distance, about 15 miles. It is a pity no one runs such a business, even as a sideline. I did have a walk around, but I didn't fancy leaving it on the street there, not saying that Morden is bad, it's just that everywhere is bad for leaving bikes.

Out,_Vile_Jelly

chucknorris wrote: »

I live in Dorking now, and since moving there I've always thought that if there was somewhere safe to leave my bike in Morden then I would cycle there and get the tube into London, it is just about the right distance, about 15 miles. It is a pity no one runs such a business, even as a sideline. I did have a walk around, but I didn't fancy leaving it on the street there, not saying that Morden is bad, it's just that everywhere is bad for leaving bikes.

That's interesting; I wonder how many other stations around London would be useful for cyclists in this manner? I guess the value of the land means it's more profitable as retail. Obviously a forward-thinking authority could take the cut in income by reasoning that encouraging cycling is better for the health of residents long term, but it's probably just easiest to rent it to a newsagent selling sweets and fags.

Just looked up what the regeneration plans are for Morden town centre: https://www.merton.gov.uk/150331_item_4_appendix_1_-_morden_newsletter.pdf A lot of expensive road redevelopment that would dramatically change the layout and hopefully the tone. Interesting idea to have trams from Morden to Sutton via the hospital.

mwpt

Out,_Vile_Jelly wrote: »

That's interesting; I wonder how many other stations around London would be useful for cyclists in this manner?

My local station has built a big wire cage with layered bike racks and CCTV. Of course if I lived in a posh area, we wouldn't need this but it is nice to have.

cells

is the night tube that big a difference.

Dont the night buses go quite fast

One of the bus routes into liverpool street station from mid hackney is about 80 mins during the day but <40 mins during the night.

chucknorris

mwpt wrote: »

My local station has built a big wire cage with layered bike racks and CCTV. Of course if I lived in a posh area, we wouldn't need this but it is nice to have.

Wimbledon has a room allocated for bikes, but it tends to get full, when I went to have a look, a Transport policeman walked in and asked what I was doing, which was very encouraging. But when I said that the room looked quite secure, he said that bikes get stolen from there quite regularly.

padington

Was on a tube today that had been uniquely wrapped in a Star Wars esque marketing wrapper with the words 'night tube' on every other carriage and 'free the night' on every other one.

Tubes are useful, more so at 4am than 4pm sometimes I would imagine.

More info here ...

https://tfl.gov.uk/campaign/tube-improvements/the-future-of-the-tube/night-tube

chewmylegoff

Out,_Vile_Jelly wrote: »

Although I describe Morden as where you end up if you fall asleep drunk on the Northern Line, it’s actually not that bad. I have a decent garden, nice neighbours in a quiet road, loads of green space, walkable to a Tube, 9 mins on the train to Wimbledon with its shops, good library and two cinemas (one a Curzon showing unusual films), a bus ride to Carshalton which has some lovely pubs, and Morden Hall Park is a unique gem unknown to non-locals. Also easy access to the Wandle Trail, where you can see herons and kingfishers. No trendy hipster cafes or that sort of thing though.

The downsides are that the main drag as you exit the Tube is typical low-rent South London; loads of Asian grocers, traffic-choked, generally scruffy and unloved. Also the massive council building is one of London's worst eyesores. If you make the effort to look, you can see some glimpses of lovely 30s architecture on the buildings though. Supposed to be some sort big revamp brewing; they really need to get rid of a load of skanky shops and enlarge the bus station waiting area as it's quite a big hub now.

On the plus side at least it's not Wood Green.

padington

chewmylegoff wrote: »

On the plus side at least it's not Wood Green.

Plus 9.43% in the last 12 months in N22 for terraced houses I'll have you know.

Right, it looks like it's game on ...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-35484773

Samsonite1

As someone working in Central London, I realised that living on a tube line was really pointless. Living by a mainline station that gets you to Central London in 15 minutes seems much better - nicer trains and quicker to get to work. I looked at moving to all sorts of places in London but you are bound by the one tube line generally. If you live near a fast mainline service, you can get direct to several London stations.