Nicholls Road
Bedford, England
Reality check: This is a transit node, not a neighbourhood. Not suitable for settled living.
Who Is This Street For?
Scored by profile based on what matters most to each group.
Decent connectivity, but walkability (45) could be better.
Transit hub — not suited for settled living. High footfall, noise, and crime make this unsuitable regardless of nearby schools or services.
How this is calculated
Safety 30%, Schools 30%, Environment 20%, Amenities 10%, Energy 10%
Decent connectivity, but walkability (45) could be better.
How this is calculated
Transport 35%, Walkability 30%, Amenities 25%, Market 10%
Market score 55, liquidity 30. Poor fundamentals — hard to sell, unlikely to grow.
How this is calculated
Liquidity 35%, Market 35%, Price trend bonus up to +30
Transit hub — not suited for settled living. High footfall, noise, and crime make this unsuitable regardless of nearby schools or services.
How this is calculated
Safety 25%, Environment 25%, Amenities 20%, Energy 15%, Walkability 15%
Possible first step at £240,000 — price is manageable but connectivity (90) or environment (61) may be a compromise.
How this is calculated
Affordability 40%, Transport 25%, Amenities 20%, Safety 15%
How suitable for settled living
Access, transport, services
This is a major transit hub, not a residential neighbourhood. The functionality score reflects excellent access and transport, but the liveability score reflects the reality of settled living here.
Things You Should Know
Area safety score 25/100 — crime rates in this area (LSOA, not this specific street) are well above average. Exercise caution, especially at night.
How Life Works Here
Nicholls Road is located in Bedford. Crime is a significant concern, with 529 incidents recorded in 12 months — well above the national average. Shoplifting dominates reports. 171 violent offences were recorded (32% of total). This level of crime reflects a high-footfall transport hub rather than a typical residential street. Some amenities are available nearby, though a car may be useful for regular errands like grocery shopping. Transport connections are strong, with rail and bus links nearby. The nearest stop (Collie Road) is 230m away. The median property price is £240,000. Based on 3 transactions recorded since 2014. The local area has a moderate population, with a high proportion of rented accommodation. This is not a family-friendly location. Despite schools being within 2 km, the high crime, noise and transport-oriented environment make it unsuitable for raising children. The area sits within Flood Zone 2 (river flooding), indicating medium flood risk. It is worth checking the Environment Agency flood map for current details. The profile suggests appeal to both young professionals and first-time buyers. This is a transport hub, not a residential neighbourhood. Functionality scores 50/100 (excellent access and transport), but liveability scores only 46/100. The extreme footfall, crime, and urban intensity make it unsuitable for settled living. It may work for short-term rentals, corporate lets, or professionals who prioritise location above all else — but for most people looking for a home, this is not the right street.
Score Breakdown
Each dimension scored 0-100 from open government data. Source listed under each bar.
police.uk crime data (12-month rolling), LSOA-level area, not street-level
OpenStreetMap amenities within 2km
DfT NaPTAN + TfL stops
DEFRA noise & air quality, OS green space
HM Land Registry price paid data
GIAS schools + Ofsted ratings
OSM footpath density + connectivity
EPC Register — awaiting public API access
Environment Agency flood zones
Property Market
Semi-Detached | Freehold | Market: cooling
⚠ Based on only 3 transactions. Market data has low statistical confidence for this street.
Source: HM Land Registry Price Paid Data (Open Government Licence v3.0)
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Public Services Nearby
Public facilities within walking distance from Nicholls Road, with detailed information for each.
gyms & sports centres (2)
- The Gym 343m · 4 min walk
- Kraken MMA & Fitness 990m · 12 min walk
hospitals (3)
- Bridges Clinic 915m · 11 min walk
- Bedford Hospital SDEC - Same Day Emergency Care 1025m · 13 min walk
- Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service 1123m · 14 min walk
parks & green spaces (5)
- Russell Park 675m · 8 min walk
- Jubilee Park 722m · 9 min walk
- Gudgeons Meadow 814m · 10 min walk
- Fenlake Meadows Local Nature Reserve 881m · 11 min walk
- Jubilee Park 1101m · 14 min walk
schools (5)
- King's Oak Primary School 724m · 9 min walk
- Shackleton Primary School 777m · 10 min walk
- Cherry Trees Nursery School 787m · 10 min walk
- Bedford Free School 850m · 11 min walk
- Castle Newnham School 1239m · 16 min walk
Transport Links
Similar Streets
- A5140 — Bedford48
- Hockliffe Road — Bedford46
- St Marys Street — Bedford45
- Faldo Road — Bedford53
- Paradine Road — Bedford55
Data Transparency
View all data sources
- OS Open Roads — Crown copyright and database right
- HM Land Registry Price Paid Data — Crown copyright
- police.uk crime data — Open Government Licence v3.0
- OpenStreetMap — ODbL licence
- DfT NaPTAN — Open Government Licence v3.0
- GIAS schools data — Crown copyright
- Environment Agency flood data — OGL v3.0
- DEFRA noise and air quality — OGL v3.0
- ONS Census 2021 — Open Government Licence v3.0
All scores are computed from publicly available government and open data. No proprietary data is used. Scores reflect statistical patterns, not guarantees. Limited data available for this street — interpret scores with caution.
Data updated: