2passports

I have managed to spend a couple of decades in the US without ever learning to drive, and would love to continue this if we return to the UK. I love walking and am a big fan of public transport, plus my husband has a car for longer or suburban trips. Can anyone recommend best non-London locations in the UK for non-drivers?

BristolUK

Dunno about the best but I've never driven and had no problem with Bristol.

Buses are not especially cheap but the service is quite good. Lots of places to get to on the train too.

Not bad for cycle lanes within the city but there are good routes for leisure cycling like the Bristol-Bath route on the old railway line with lots of country type pubs on the way. Plenty of quiet roads taking you out of town.

Ashton Court estate and The Downs for walks.

The airport serves many places and is also easy to get to on public transport.

Easy to get to London too - as well as the Train and National Express there are "shoppers" bus trips a few times a day.

Sue

I agree with this. When I go back to the UK to visit I rarely hire a car and usually get around Bristol and the surrounding area via train and bus. The transportation system around there is very good imho

Mummy in the foothills

I used to run about all over the country with no car when I was a student. Between trains and buses I got everywhere I wanted to go.
I had no troubles getting about in Wales (north and south) Manchester, Chester, Birmingham, and more. So long as you don't live in an isolated village or house on the moors somewhere just about everywhere has some sort of bus service even if it's only twice or three times a day.
I'd look for a smallish town with a train station, from there you can go anywhere.

quoll

I am in Cambridge at the moment and the buses here seem pretty good and there are bikes everywhere. My parents live in a village on the outskirts and there is a very well serviced bus route, a reasonably close "Park and Ride" and a train station within a few minutes walk so a train to Cambridge or London is within easy access.

Falcore

I can only vouch for Manchester/Cheshire but as the others have said any smallish town with a train station will serve you well. Much as we all moan about the public transport is really is very good with a weeks unlimited bus travel for about £12 round these parts!

nun

Glasgow has good bus, underground and train services. It's only a hour to Edinburgh by train

steviedeluxe

Yep, and there are good places for walking too. Shame it's rarely dry though! Not too far from the coast either, although Largs doesn't always appeal to everyone..
I think Nottingham's quite good (so long as you don't mind a few hills) - the new tram system is good and buses are fairly regular. Some great parks both in the city and in the country too, plus you're close to Derbyshire.

Jay Bird

Brighton and York; everything is within easy walking distance in both cities, and Brighton has a really good bus service. If I could choose one over the other, it would probably be Brighton.....or maybe York.....heck, I dunno, I love both for different reasons. I am totally car dependant where I live at the moment, and would love to get rid of it in favour of a bicycle or my own feet. Oh yes....Manchester is quite good too, with the trams and trains (don't know about bus services), and I believe the tram line is supposed (eventually) to get out to Tameside, but I'd give that place a very wide berth!

izzi81

Edinburgh is pretty good for walking everywhere - I was there for 4 years as a student and walked everywhere!

Glasgow is good for public transport, but walking around the city it is easy to end up walking through not so nice areas. I don't feel safe walking around Glasgow at night, whereas Edinburgh I always felt fine! That's not necessarily a logical thing, Edinburgh has scary crime occasionally too, but it was how I felt then and feel now.

LisaP

I vote for Brighton. Although I am getting predictable and vote for Brighton as an answer for just about any given question.

2passports

thanks to everyone for these responses. I love Edinburgh, Brighton, have never been to York, except via Google Earth, but it looks picturesque. I think because of my husband's work he would have to be able to commute to London a couple of times a week, so Bath-Bristol area sounds good, and we are also keen cyclists, so I know the countryside around there is gorgeous. Your comments have reminded me, though, how much easier it is to get around UK without a car than the US. I always feel a bit of a freak here for not driving, whereas in the UK it still seems to be quite normal.

BristolUK

Yeah...same here. They don't ask for ID, they ask for a driving licence.
It's as if you're a non-person sometimes.

giolla

We are Irish and have spent many week-ends in the UK over the years, we both love the Uk and I have to say I would love to buy a house in York in a few years time when we retire. It's a gorgeous city, historic and quaint and around Christmas is especially magical.