Places to live around Livingston
Discussion
Depends what you want from a house. I live in Fife - Dalgety Bay. Waterfront house, great views over Edinburgh and the bridges, lots of boats going by, QE2 anchors at the foot of the garden every now and then. Quiet. Sailing club (or windsurfing), nice walks, places to cycle, and 15 miles from Knockhill for track sessions (chance for a couple per week in the summer months).
But it ain't no city if that's what you're after. Personally though, I like being near the sea, close to Knockhill, and on the 'right side' of the Forth for last minute blasts up to the ski areas on the oft chance we get some snow! So, I'd have a wee look around the North side of the Forth too - Culross, Limekilns, North Queesnferry, Dalgety Bay, Aberdour etc. Avoid Inverkeithing and Rosyth....and of course, avoid Livingston. Yes, there's a £1 toll (one way only) to get to Livingson, but £1 a day is a small price to pay to not have to live there (apologies to all those who live in the wonderful town).
WB
But it ain't no city if that's what you're after. Personally though, I like being near the sea, close to Knockhill, and on the 'right side' of the Forth for last minute blasts up to the ski areas on the oft chance we get some snow! So, I'd have a wee look around the North side of the Forth too - Culross, Limekilns, North Queesnferry, Dalgety Bay, Aberdour etc. Avoid Inverkeithing and Rosyth....and of course, avoid Livingston. Yes, there's a £1 toll (one way only) to get to Livingson, but £1 a day is a small price to pay to not have to live there (apologies to all those who live in the wonderful town).
WB
Depends on what you are after.
My folks live in Linlithgow, 20 min commute to Livi.
They really like it, pretty town, restaurants, pubs etc but i find it very dull (and it is v.expensive).
some of Livi isn't bad, not my cup of tea.
Glasgow is only 45 mins away if you want city life without the huge costs of Edinburgh.
Or you can go south to places like Lanark.
My folks live in Linlithgow, 20 min commute to Livi.
They really like it, pretty town, restaurants, pubs etc but i find it very dull (and it is v.expensive).
some of Livi isn't bad, not my cup of tea.
Glasgow is only 45 mins away if you want city life without the huge costs of Edinburgh.
Or you can go south to places like Lanark.
I lived in Linlithgow most of my life till i went to uni. Its nice but as mentioned, expensive. Good place for car spotting tho, has a nice loch and ruined palace where Mary Queen of scots was born. South Queensferry is quite nice too, not very big tho but practically walking distance to Edinburgh and has nice walks down the waterfront. Livingston is a new town which is flat and soulless, its basically a big flat slightly sloping bit of land with a massive spine road down its middle and lots of dull shopping centres and industrial estates. All these places are close to motorways for easy transport and Linlithgow is on the Glasgow/Edinburgh trainline. the road to livi is quite a fun little back road from linlithgow. Boness is much like Linlithgow but more downmarket. er thinks thats about all 
Funny place Livingston, my mother lives there so I visit occasionally, she likes where she lives.
Great shopping, Mrs Tosser likes it anyway, I am usually less than keen, but thats just me.
Some nice areas, and others where I wouldn't really wouldn't want to walk about after dark.
Premier League football (albeit not good home team) on the doorstep so to speak.
All that said, I wouldn't want to live there and would probably either go for Edinburgh or put up with the queues on the bridge and go north of the Forth.
Great shopping, Mrs Tosser likes it anyway, I am usually less than keen, but thats just me.
Some nice areas, and others where I wouldn't really wouldn't want to walk about after dark.
Premier League football (albeit not good home team) on the doorstep so to speak.
All that said, I wouldn't want to live there and would probably either go for Edinburgh or put up with the queues on the bridge and go north of the Forth.
Tybalt
I work in Livingston, it really isn't my choice of place to live, and neither are any of the close by towns, just my personal opinion.
I was moved here by my employer 3 years ago and for 8 months before that I lived in a company rented house in Bathgate I hated it and so did my gf. I now live in East Lothian, close to North Berwick, and love the place. I travel to work via the city bypass each day, and the traffic is not too bad, usually about 45 to 55mins each way, depending on time of day.
Giles
I work in Livingston, it really isn't my choice of place to live, and neither are any of the close by towns, just my personal opinion.
I was moved here by my employer 3 years ago and for 8 months before that I lived in a company rented house in Bathgate I hated it and so did my gf. I now live in East Lothian, close to North Berwick, and love the place. I travel to work via the city bypass each day, and the traffic is not too bad, usually about 45 to 55mins each way, depending on time of day.
Giles
Gilesm said:
Tybalt
I work in Livingston, it really isn't my choice of place to live, and neither are any of the close by towns, just my personal opinion.
I was moved here by my employer 3 years ago and for 8 months before that I lived in a company rented house in Bathgate I hated it and so did my gf. I now live in East Lothian, close to North Berwick, and love the place. I travel to work via the city bypass each day, and the traffic is not too bad, usually about 45 to 55mins each way, depending on time of day.
Giles
From North Berwick to Livingstone takes 1hr 10 according to google maps. Do you drive like a nutter, or does it overstimate? 44 miles in 45 mins is doing pretty well.
Tyblat said:
From North Berwick to Livingstone takes 1hr 10 according to google maps. Do you drive like a nutter, or does it overstimate? 44 miles in 45 mins is doing pretty well.
No, I don't drive like a nutter, I'll explain, I live 4 to 5 miles west of North Berwick in a small village, and I also come off the City Bypass at Hermiston gate and use the A71 to get to Livingston, I think this is a about 3 miles shorter than via the M8, which is the way that the standard route planners seem to go. This makes my journey only about 37, 38 miles.
The journey from North Berwick to the A1 at Tranent is mainly B road (go via Drem, not Aberlady & Gullane) which is fast and quiet and apart from a couple of villages and roundabouts you can easily manage 60, I believe some people even go faster than that...
Tranent to the city bypass is all dual carriage way on the A1, I am normally on the A1 at 7:10 to 7:15 in the morning and around 5:30 to 6:30 in the evening and at these times, unless there is a major problem 70 is easy. The city bypass can get congested, but at the times I am on it the traffic is normally flowing quite well, most of the bypass I can do 50 ish, the only bottle necks are the Sherrifhall roundabout (where the A7 crosses the bypass) and in the evenings getting onto the bypass from the A71. The A71 is usually free flowing, in the morning most traffic is heading into Edinburgh, and the opposite in the evenings, the only down side to the A71 is that it is a 50 limit.
So 45 to 55mins (longer if there are problems, accidents etc.,or shorter if the traffic is light example, in the school holidays or if I go a bit earlier) is my normal travel time each way, and it's actually quite a pleasant journey.
Cheers for reply Giles - I'd be right next to the A71, so that area sounds like it might be viable, though not for commuting to Glenrothes too (poss. job for partner). Sounds like you work a fairly long day? Those early starts are good for traffic avoidance at least.
>> Edited by tybalt on Wednesday 12th October 14:53
>> Edited by tybalt on Wednesday 12th October 14:53
Aye that's an interesting road. Especially the bit from Drem to NB. Been down there in the Ultima warming it up after the winter...and at the last minute remembered that the main road goes round the corner of a field rather than straight on as it appeared... 60-0 in under 2 seconds is useful! 
name said:
Aye that's an interesting road. Especially the bit from Drem to NB. Been down there in the Ultima warming it up after the winter...and at the last minute remembered that the main road goes round the corner of a field rather than straight on as it appeared... 60-0 in under 2 seconds is useful!
We can see this bit of road from our house, not unusual to see a collection of flashing blue lights due to somebody getting things slightly wrong. Some of the locals think that the council should re-route the road and straighten the bends in this section, my suggestion is that they should all buy Elises and then they would love it as it is
. Have fun
Giles
I reside in Linlithgow - just over the hill from Livingston. My mother works near Livingston, and finds the commute easy and the roads quiet (unless it's 4PM on the Friday afternoon!)
Property in Linlithgow not that cheap, but the area has many good schools ans good access to Edinburgh for the odd shopping trip. The peel and Palace are nice, as is the Cross Well. Some nice bakeries and shops along the High Street as well.
Try property prices in Falkirk (not bad), Bo'ness (a lot of new homes going up there, apparently), Torphichen (a wee hamlet) and Westfield (another quiet wee hamlet). All should offer reasonable commute times to Livi.
Property in Linlithgow not that cheap, but the area has many good schools ans good access to Edinburgh for the odd shopping trip. The peel and Palace are nice, as is the Cross Well. Some nice bakeries and shops along the High Street as well.
Try property prices in Falkirk (not bad), Bo'ness (a lot of new homes going up there, apparently), Torphichen (a wee hamlet) and Westfield (another quiet wee hamlet). All should offer reasonable commute times to Livi.
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