In message , Simon
writes
On 21 Jun 2004 06:45:36 -0700, (Adam Smith)
wrote:
I'm a student due to start my first job in the City next month (I'm
terrified, I've only ever been to London 5 times!!).
Can anyone give me any advice on how to get around London late(ish) at
night? From, say, Bank station to Hanger Lane. How safe is the tube at
about 11pm? Does anyone local know how much a cab to the Hanger Lane
area from the City would cost?
Any advice really would be much appreciated,
Adam
Adam,
As others have said the tube is safe day and night (well as late as
they run). Just don't look like a victim. Most people on the last
few tubes in my days of working in central London were asleep either
because the were drunk (but harmless) or had worked mega hours. I
have been in both categories.
If you miss your last tube then call a good mini cab (private hire)
firm. I always used Addison Lee. They always got to my offices
front door before I did. They are not too keen on picking up from
pubs and clubs according to the drivers. My fare from the west end
to Ealing Broadway was £10. About the same distance but add for
inflation as this was about 7 years ago.
You're well out of date with your figures. Since the introduction of
licensing most of the Private Hire (minicab) firms are finding
difficulty in recruiting and keeping licensed drivers. The result is
that they now have to pay their drivers far more than the small wages
they did previously and prices have gone up.
A 'black' taxi will cost a *lot* from the City to Hanger Lane.
Took a far from Fleet Street to Ealing via 2 other drops in the city
last night. The whole fare came to just over £40. If you take out the
other drops it would have been about £30.
London is a very safe place except for a few well defined areas
where there is trouble. Your co-workers will tell you where not to
go late at night. Both the places you mention (City/Hanger Lane)
are safe. I feel much more worried outside London, even in the
midlands city I grew up in.
I am sure you will enjoy London and one day you will find the antics
on a midnight night bus almost funny. I suggest you skip the night
busses for a while if you are worried though.
Enjoy your lifetime in my adopted city :-)
Simon
--
Mike Hughes
A Taxi driver licensed for London and Brighton
at home in Tarring, West Sussex, England