Desk-Pilot
I feel you answered your own question in the second paragraph. You prefer driving!! The AA think Staines to Oxford is 50 miles and will take you 56 minutes.
Many people commute this or more daily and to miss out on the 'pint' in the evening to head back to the wife is the price you will have to take.
What is the point of moving for a year when you will ultimately want to move back to this very same area for work. Or be asking your wife to move somewhere else in the country. Stability is what you want for the next few years and if you have it at the moment why change.
As little change as possible towards your goal.
