Best Brighton to Eastbourne commute route

Jellybelly890

Hi all,
I'm already living in Brighton but my job is moving to eastbourne next year. I understand its not the best commute however hubby doesn't drive and will be working in Brighton/might possibly even have to work in London. (it's only for one year...)
Does anyone know which route is the easiest and less stress inducing route between Brighton and Eastbourne by car? Should we start renting in say rottingdean/saltdean or more preston park/Hollingbury area?

theartfullodger

Gissa clue:

Post codes at both ends? (Depending on where you start & top, different routes will be better...).

And if he doesn;t drive, is he looking for walking (bit long...), cycling, public transport?

JoJo1978

Put the two postcodes into Google maps and it'll give you alternative options, also showing walking times from house to station and station to office at each end of the journey. I've just moved to a new area outside London and I'm using this method extensively to get around. It's pretty bang on with its estimates.

Jellybelly890

To eastbourne would be the hospital (EDGH), I can do the Google route thing but just not sure about how accurate the traffic predictor is in rush hour!
And yeah he could definitely cycle to Brighton (not a professional cyclist by any means though) and a short cycle to a station if he did have to go to London.
My main question is, is the route along the sea front as busy as the A27 in the morning/afternoon?
EDGH: BN21 2UD

theartfullodger

You need to check with google maps at the likely time he's be travelling.

So, e.g. 08:30 Monday am (Sunday am would get a very different answer), and I'd check again @ 08:45 & 09:00 (or whatever you think likely). Problem is it reports actual, there & then, slow-downs & blockages, will get different answer tuesday, wednesday, another week that ain't half-term

Does he not have a smart-'phone with google maps to tell him as he cycles?? (Other suppliers or 'phones & maps are available)

Jellybelly890

Okay I was just worried that I would underestimate the traffic on one or both of the main routes (it's for me driving not for him cycling) if Google wasn't that accurate, as the times don't differ that much on the route it gives me at different times of day, and was hoping for some local knowledge!

Jellybelly890

(and this was to aid me in choosing my new renting location if that wasn't clear already)

rhino_horn

I live in Patcham very close to getting on to the A23.

I have to drive from Preston Park (after school run) northbound to get out of Brighton at 8.45 am. Traffic is awful all the way to the roundabout.

Much quicker to get out of Brighton from my house as I'm extremely close to the A23. So Patcham would be a good choice... Plus it's still more than OK to cycle into town.

However I know there can be queues on the A23 leading up to the two Lewes roundabouts. You need to look at Google Maps in rush Hour with the traffic layer on to give you an idea of how bad the traffic is at the time you will be travelling.

Patcham has a lovely community feel. I have friends in Saltdean and say its pretty dull plus much more expensive to get into/out of town on a night out.

I don't know what the coast road is like to travel on in rush hour. Again Google Maps will be your friend. You definitely want to avoid the Woodingdean traffic lights at rush hour time (to bear in mind if you're looking at Rottingdean and want to travel on A27) as the queues there can be massive.

Ps... Next week is half term (don't know if you have children) so traffic info wont be relevant as roads will be quieter.. Check it out the following week.

Drawingaline

I used to live in Brighton and work in newhaven. I never used the coast road, but I was up by Preston park. I used to go A27/A26. I think I attempted the coast road once, never again.

But this was a while ago, I definitely think looking at Google maps at the times you would be traveling is probably a good idea, how far is hubby willing to cycle? We lived very close to Preston park train station, maybe around there if he was needing to travel to London?

Soot2006

I commute from Brighton to near Hailsham every day. Takes me 40-50 min in each direction, or 30 if outside rush hour. Sadly my work is nowhere near train station (as in, £15 taxi from train station) or that would be my preference. The traffic is fine in that direction both out and in. It's medium-heavy but moving as you're counter to the main rush (you see the cars standing coming the other way) ...

I thought long and hard before I took the job but it's been years now and it's OK. Job was worth it for me./

A27 every time for me + I live near A27 sliproad which helps.