Working in central Milton Keynes a couple of months. Looking for somewhere in the outskirts (coming from a5 or j14 of m1 where I can leave the car for the day and bike into the centre. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Cheers

Nothing?

I guess that’ll be the coach station / park and ride site just off J14.

Most places in MK are pretty decent. Look at crime rates on property websites to doubley check. – Willen probably a good shout. But there is some free parking around I think

The red ways are an excellent way to get about MK…

Not specifically but I’ve ridden in on the canal which was nice. there must be something a few miles out on the canal to try.

Along the canal is a bit wet at the moment.

I ride into MK every day from Newport Pagnell

Willen as suggested or Broughton would also be good choices to park

The less desirable areas of MK are nearer the centre (Fishermead, Conniburrow etc.)

I stick mainly to the red ways – it’s a little slower to get about, but aside from a few road crossings there’s no traffic to deal with

I used to live in downhead park and rode to the station which is the other side of the centre. So if you Google anywhere close to mk15 you won’t have trouble parking in the streets and the ride is uphill to work and a lovely fast pace back.

I know several people who do it from stony stratford. That would be a good one if you were coming south on the a5.

I work right next to Broughton and it seems fine around there. Never hear sirens or see police cars about so it must be ok I guess 😛

I was clearly expecting too much thinking there would be signs to central mk. I’m not sure I took a very direct route today!

Midweek I’m biking in from Yardley gobion, just don’t want to bike so far on the days I’m driving from/to Nottingham

<rookie mistake> Never trust the road signs in Milton Keynes – next you’ll be giving way at roundabouts. 🙂

Newport Pagnells car parks are free.

assuming you are travelling in on the redways the signposts tend to only signpost the next suburb over

learn your suburbs & you’ll be sorted

it took me a little while to get a route sorted, but I’m able to get from NP to west MK in under 25 minutes

If you’re coming in from the north then the Stony option is good. There’s a lot of free parking and you can link into the parks and redways as well as safer roads to CMK. Signs can be problematic so its best to learn the grid (estate) names to give you points of reference. So something like Stony >Kiln Farm>Two mile Ash>Great Holm> Loughton> Train Station>CMK is the obvious one on or of road but there are loads of alternatives.
There used to be a redway map as well. Some of the bike shops, Chaineys, Corleys, Pinks or the library might still have them.

In fact there is a link to one.

http://www.mkweb.co.uk/Visitor-Information/Redway-Maps/Milton-Keynes-Redway-Map.htm

I just thought I would mention I love cycling in mk. 20 years of never having to ride on a road. Work in Northamton now and it’s a horror show of main roads and traffic.

Loads of industrial estates you could park up at between stony and the city the ride the rest. From the a5 park up in the swan pub car park (old Stratford) and then ride it and that should give you a good 5/6 mile cycle to the city. Or anywhere round Stratford park office village that’s nice a empty and reasonably safe I reckon.