Driving In Swansea

fedupconsumer

Blame the council planners and those damm pescy Bendy busses.

consumermonkey

Hi, Swansea was once the big city for me when I was a kid, and that helped me an awful lot when it came to drive there.

Anyway, When I was younger, I lived in Leicester, Had a ball and used the public transport system an awful lot as well a walking a lot. Although it was a few years before I had the opportunity to drive in the "BIG" city I did find having walked the streets and used the buses an essential help with my navigational skills.

My suggestion is to have a good walk around the place, get familiar with where you want to go, so even if you do take a wrong turn (lets face it we all do it now and again) you will at least have a good idea of how to get back on the right track. I have managed to find the odd short-cut as a result of this.

Poppy9

Janepig wrote: »

Friday March 7th. Won't you be there waving your flag J?

Jxx

Years ago when the Queen came to open County Hall I was a security risk. We were in our office under protest as our office opened directly onto the balacony on the first floor so we would have had prime viewing spot of the foyer. However the then CEX told us that we couldn't stand there as he had earmarked that space for staff working in his dept. as they were on the 3rd floor and would struggle to see. We were told we could go and watch from the 3rd floor. We all refused and caused a security nightmare for them then as we were told we couldn't stay in our office unless the door was locked. We refused to let them lock the doors on H&S grounds and we didn't have a pass to be on the corridor of the 1st floor to even go to the loos! We ended up getting "lost" for a few hours in a nearby establishment!

alison99_2

I must have some sort of weird illness because I absolutely love driving around Swansea. I live in a very small, quiet village 23 miles away, so if you see three cars stuck behind a tractor around here, that constitutes a traffic jam. :rotfl:
BTW, my husband refuses to drive to Swansea and always parks in Neath and catches the train, CHICKEN!

Alex_of_Swansea

To be honest, the roads in Swansea aren't as complicated as you think once you figure them out. They are, however, planned out in a way to discourage people from driving in Swansea. But I didn't have a car there as a student, and only have one know as I have to drive to Morriston Hospital every day. If you can do without your car, I would, at least for the first year. Good luck!

wannabemedic

Haven't they just made a whole load of roadway one-way now? last time I went by the police station it was sheer terror for me as the local taxi drivers were swarming around like angry bees!

If you're at the uni, don't know if this helps but you cna park the car on campus between 5pm and 8am on weekdays and 5pm friday till 8am monday over a weekend :T

flutterbyuk25

Swansea's not that bad to drive round, once you get used to it!

As all the others have said try driving round at a quiet time just to get practise. There are lots of driving schools in Swansea - locals and national ones - I learnt with BSM who were great. But to be honest I think it would be a waste of money to pay £20 for a lesson just to find your way.

If you are at the uni then will you actually need to do much driving round Swansea?

The buses go very regularly from uni to town/mumbles/student village and are cheap enough. Also town is only 20min walk away, and is a lovely walk by the sea (unless it's raining!). Plus it's a nightmare to park at the uni during working hours and the student car park on the recreation ground is a 5-10 min walk (depending on where in uni you are based) and costs bout £1.50/day.

There is a student annual bus pass, which when I was at Swansea uni (4yrs ago) cost approx £250/yr, which worked out as exceptional value for me. Though as I live and work in Swansea I literally used it minumum 4 journeys per day every day of year!

Good luck with it and I'm sure you'll find your way soon enough

x

ninjamonkey

im at the institute so i dont really need a car, but a friend of mine had and he just went about when it was quieter (from 10 pm onwards) he soon got to know the place and if he needs to go somewhere, he has no problems

steve18

It's a nightmare because of all the students with cars! Cycling keeps you fit and makes full time residents happy because they can park in their street.
Agree that the planners have made it much worse than it was before. Good luck

a11waysindebt

You can't really drive far in swansea now.The kingsway is a nightmare and by the quadrant is or was being dug up.