Sam wrote:

Has anyone got experience of commuting to London from Milton Keynes ?
Things such as getting a seat (Arriving London 0830/departing 1730), safety
around the station, frequency of severe delays.

A surprisingly good location for commuting, IMX.

Chance of seat circa 100% (no, really)[1], certainly from Watford
northwards in the evening peak, serious delays pretty rare, comfort
high (if you get a Desiro). Station area (as with much of MK) is very
safe, if a bit deserted at night.

So far as living there is concerned, look at a map (www.mkweb.co.uk/map
is a good one). If it has straight roads, avoid it, if it has curved
roads, look at it. Loughton, just behind the station, is a very nice
area. There are also a lot of blocks of new flats going up in the
centre. Don't go near Conniburrow or Fishermead; parts of Oldbrook
(very near the station) are OK but go and look at it first as some
parts of it are very scruffy.

I intend to live within a mile of the station and walk each day. Any
pointers where to avoid.

Regarding season tickets, there used to be a trainline operated website
giving season prices, cannot find it now, any hints.

swt-seasontickets.com, or the info for MK is on silverlink-trains.com
somewhere.

[1] A project was implemented a couple of years ago to massively expand
capacity at the expense of a slight slowing of the service and removal
of VT services in the peak. It has largely succeeded.

Neil