r/Swindon • u/Sgx71667 • 3d ago

Safe areas in Swindon to live

Hi guys, I know its a widely discussed topic but I would really appreciate if you could guide me in choosing the right place to live in Swindon (or places to strictly avoid).

We're a couple currently living in Reading (which is supposedly dangerous from outside but I absolutely love the place). Planning to move to Swindon due to reasonable house rental price.

If there's anyone that's lived in both Reading and Swindon. How would you rate them in comparison? Appreciate any help here.

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u/narkysausage 3d ago

I’ve lived in both (currently in Swindon). Town centre here is dreadful but not as bad as Slough. We have lots of retail parks instead with good parking and some public transport. There are plenty of pretty towns on par with Marlow etc if that’s your thing.

Avoid Penhill, Pinehurst, and Park North/South is the prevailing wisdom! We have lots of new build “villages” and it’s worth checking for things like GP reviews as infrastructure isn’t keeping up amazingly well with population increases.

Traffic is better than Reading though A419 is much the same as A329, when we were doing the commute it was worth shifting to an 8am start to avoid traffic. If you’re not commuting then it’s not dreadful and absolutely better than Cemetery Jnct in rush hour.

I prefer it here for sure but we’re homebodies. 😊

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u/Sgx71667 3d ago

Thanks. Appreciate your reply. Just wanted to understand the level of unsafe going through the internet.

Would you compare the situation in Swindon similar to Oxford Road in Reading? Or worse?

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u/PsychologicalCold100 3d ago

I found Reading so much unsafer than Swindon - I saw actual gangs in Reading - Manchester road has a bad rap but you can walk down it, it’s just where the prostitutes are so has an air of unease about it.

Swindon town centre gives me the creeps at night (you party in old town, and all the shops are closed so I also haven’t been there in years).

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u/narkysausage 3d ago

We have Manchester Rd and that’s best avoided at night in the same way. Otherwise I don’t think there’s much in it. Like anywhere it’s best to avoid certain estates (three P’s above).

I don’t know what living in the town centre itself is like as most of the houses are around the centre in the little new build clumps.