Hello,
We are considering moving to the area and especially to Raeburn Avenue (the Alexandra Drive end below Pine Gardens) as we have seen a house we like. Just a few questions that hopefully you can help answer especially if you live on that road:
- How busy is Raeburn Avenue especially with the K2 bus route? I've seen the last bus drops off at half past midnight so just wondering how loud / disruptive that would be especially if near a bus stop?
- Where does this end of Raeburn Avenue fall on the Smellometer from the sewage works? Does the smell travel down that far?
- Are the schools in the local area good, namely Christ Church CofE Primary School and Grand Avenue Primary and Nursery School?
- Do you manage to get a seat on the train at Berrylands around 7.30am?
Many thanks in advance for your advice!
Comments
I live in the area you are considering. Have lived here for 19 years and very happy with location and have no intention of moving. Kids went to Grand Avenue and then Hollyfield schools. Very happy with both. Being on the K2 bus route is a positive and have not noticed any undue noise as a result. Traffic increases a bit during the morning and evening busy period but has no impact and area is generally very quiet with good neighbours. Smells that people often refer to have never been a problem and unless you knew it was there you wouldn't have known. As for seats on the 0734 from Berrylands, most of the time you would be OK however there may be times when you have to stand. especially on later trains. Usually a good service though. Hope this helps.
Thank you, this is very helpful. Thank you for taking the time to reply. I don't suppose anyone knows of any parent groups or websites for Surbiton area specifically, I guess like this forum but for parents specifically?
I'm not aware of any, no.
Ask anything you like here, and somebody will probably give a helpful reply.
And you'll have no problems building up networks of real people if you're a young family in Berrylands. It's a very family friendly neighbourly place.
re: trains - I don't know about getting a seat on the 7:34, but you'll be able to get on, which is more than can be said for some stops down the line, eg Earlsfield.
If you commute to Waterloo, you should consider getting the 07:30 to Surbiton and then getting the 07:38 fast Surbiton to Waterloo. It shaves ten minutes off your travel time. Technically, you might need a zone 6 travelcard to do this. It's more pleasant to take the Surbiton fasts in hot weather as they have air con, while South West Train's stopping slows are very unpleasnt crammed sweat boxes.
This is great travel advice, thank you. Hadn't thought about the road maintenance with the bus route so I guess every cloud has a silver lining.
I agree it is faster to get the train back to Surbiton first, but I am not sure if it is more pleasant. The modern aircon trains are definitely nicer, but the fast trains get much more crowded than the stoppers so there is definitely a downside.
The problem with the Surbiton trains now is that they have become totally over-run. People who are priced out of living in London look for somewhere else to move, see the Surbiton services with 12 trains an hour only taking 15 minutes and choose to move there. The problem is that countless others have already done the same. The timetabled service IS excellent but it only caters for about half the people that now live here!
Personally, I'd avoid the crowds and spend the extra 10 minutes on the Berrylands train. It is cheaper as well.
If you went from Berrylands to Surbiton to get the fast train you wouldn't have to buy a zone 6 ticket as you wouldn't pass a barrier, but if you did get caught by an inspector, they'd know that the train hadn't stopped at Berrylands so you would be fined. It is very unlikely ever to happen because the fast trains are so crowded the inspectors can't walk through them anyway.
In my experience it's the other way round.
Fasts are standing at Surbiton, but they don't pick up any more passengers, so there's a bit of elbow room.
The all stopping slows, on the other hand, are generally full by Wimbledon and then get unbelievably compressed by Earlsfield at the latest. The Earlsfield commuters are like those Japanese nutters, always trying to barge one more on, when there's clearly no more room.
On a warm or sunny day, conditions are disgustingly crammed and hot. Animals wouldn't be allowed to travel in the same way.
The Surbiton fasts are much nicer to travel on.
Going home is a little different - it's the fast trains that are more overcrowded, as everybody wants to get home asap. Although the slows aren't much better. I used to get on at Clapham, but got fed up not being able to get onto Surbiton trains and having to wait 15 minutes for the next one. I now travel home via Waterloo instead.
You're right about needing to get a zone 6 travelcard, but because there are only 2 trains an hour to Berrylands, a lot of people who commute to work from Berrylands will find it more convenient to get a home train to Surbiton instead, and walk or K2 it from there.
And if you live on Raeburn Avenue, you'll probably be using the K2 frequently to go into Kingston & Surbiton, so having the zone 6 would make sense.
I'm not too far from there (near the shops). I have smelt the sewage works once or twice in about 6 years of living here and I think since then more work has been done to seal all the smells in so I don't think you've got anything to worry about there.
Although Raeburn Avenue is the "main" road through Berrylands and so is well used, it is never what I would call busy. But then I guess that's subjective. I have never witnessed a traffic jam but the buses and parked cars do mean you have to stop-start your way down letting people past.
I don't live on Raeburn Avenue itself so can't tell you how loud the buses are but I appreciate having a regular bus service nearby. Also, the bus route ensures that a) the road is probably better maintained than others, and b) it is ALWAYS gritted as TFL have to pay for it so I have no complaints!
You have absolutely nothing to worry about with regards schools. They are all great. My kids attend Grand Avenue.
Raeburn Avenue is fairly busy for people living in the area as it's the 'main road'. Although I used to live in Norton Avenue I would use it to get up to the King Charles exit towards Kingston, over the railway. You're also going to face traffic from the school as well as local traffic using Pine Gardens as a cut through to parts of Berrylands from the Ewell Road direction, in order to avoid the Alexandra Drive bumps.
Don't count on me here but I think you'll be reasonably ok stench wise. Again, hardly caught it in Norton Avenue but yes, you are closer so someone else might be able to advise.
Schools wise...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/education/school_tables/primary/12/htm...
Good luck!
Many thanks for your feedback, very helpful. Anyone else live near that area?