To drive or not to drive.. ?

I live about 15 miles from the city centre and will be doing Nursing beginning September 2012. I'll be having to get to placement in the first year for a small amount of time and for a larger amount of time in the second and third years. I've worked out that it's going to cost me 50 pounds per week to get into Manchester Piccadilly so I won't be able to afford both the train and car insurance for the year (aswell as the car itself!).

I'm thinking about driving each day into the city and parking right near the university. Or I could park in some place like fallowfield and get a bus to the university so it saves money.

I don't really want to rely on public transportation because I have a child to look after once I get back.

Advice on car parking close to the university would be great! And does anybody park there??

Reply 1

Origami Bullets

Unless you go for a pay and display car park, there's no parking available on campus (this might be different if you're disabled, but I'm not sure). You will be able to find some form of parking in Fallowfield / Rusholme, but then you'll end up getting the bus. Season tickets (which cover all stagecoach buses) are £185 for the year, or you can pay ~90p each way.

Have you looked into the possibility of getting a rail season ticket?

University of Manchester

Manchester

Reply 2

Davidosh

The contact theatre used to have parking spots they charged can't remember how much. You could park at Trinity High School its about a two minute walk to the university from there though they may notice and get suspicious. I'm fairly sure you could find somewhere cheaper to park than £50 a week.

May be worth asking the university who I don't know though.

Reply 3

catzisme

Hi, not sure if this helps, but to be honest, with a child, I think you are always better off with a car. Plus on a nursing course, you will most likely be doing a mixture of shifts on placement, and would most likely feel safer driving to and from placement.
That being said, check all the price comparison websites for insurance, and look for other students on your course-perhaps you could lift share to keep costs down?
Finally, look at things like student railcards and discounts, as well as help available for studying parents. This may enable you to choose both options, or even just keeP costs down on one!
Hope I helped!

Reply 4

DPLSK

maccyisback

Advice on car parking close to the university would be great! And does anybody park there?

I don't drive, but I know a girl who does.

Here's a list of available car parks on campus.

http://www.estates.manchester.ac.uk/businessunits/CarParkServices/carparksoncampus.html

I hope that helps.

Darren

Reply 5

ellakrystina

The fallowfield Sainsbury's has a pretty big car park (and I think it's free - although I've never had to use it), and then as you said, you could bus in.

You could also look at buying a space for the year at the Richmond/Amitage car park in Fallowfield.

Reply 6

llama-beans

My housemates are final year nursing students and one of them has a car. We live about a 15-20 minute walk from uni so it's easy to find free parking close by.

As for getting to placements, it's much easier if you have a car; you can be placed in any Greater Manchester hospital so you might have to (like my other housemate) spend an hour and half on three different buses to get to placement for 7am.

I'd recommend the car over public transport.

(edited 11 years ago)