The city or county of London - Where officially are its boundaries?

[Glom]

For us inside-the-M25-but-not-in-London-ers, being told we're in London is like telling a Scot he's English.

But it is interesting to know what the boundaries are. The boundary abutting Denham appears to be the River Colne, except for a bit where it is recessed slightly to keep Willowbank outside. Does anyone know a resource for boundaries? They must be spelt out verbally in legislation at somewhere.

[SE9]

I guess you could check any detailed map which includes administrative boundaries. I've seen many maps over the years which include specific London borough boundaries.



On another note; now that we've got a "London Metro Area" forum and a "Home Counties" forum, what would you do in each situation:


1. A new large project is proposed in Watford. Would you create a thread for it in the London Metro Area forum or the Home Counties forum?

2. A new large project is proposed in Staines upon Thames. Would you create a thread for it in the London Metro Area forum or the Home Counties forum?

3. A new large project is proposed in Ebbsfleet. Would you create a thread for it in the London Metro Area forum or the Home Counties forum?

4. A new large project is proposed in Reading. Would you create a thread for it in the London Metro Area forum or the Home Counties forum?

[London_2006]

Originally Posted by SE9

On another note; now that we've got a "London Metro Area" forum and a "Home Counties" forum, what would you do in each situation:

All in the Metro Area forum, apart from Reading.

[ill tonkso]

Still cannot get over Staines upon Thames. I thought it was supposed to be a clean river these days?

[tuten]

Originally Posted by London_2006

All in the Metro Area forum, apart from Reading.

But Watford is under the jurisdiction of Hertfordshire county council I do believe.

[Core Rising]

If the Tube runs there, it's London.

[London_2006]

Originally Posted by tuten

But Watford is under the jurisdiction of Hertfordshire county council I do believe.

Staines is in Surrey. Both are part of the London urban area though. I don't think Reading is.

[Glom]

Originally Posted by Core Rising

If the Tube runs there, it's London.

So Bromley isn't in London?

[Citizen4012]

Maybe he meant inclusively, rather than exclusively.

[Core Rising]

Originally Posted by Citizen4012

Maybe he meant inclusively, rather than exclusively.

Correct

[Tubeman]

Originally Posted by Core Rising

If the Tube runs there, it's London.

Chesham? Amersham? Epping?

Chesham is as far from The City as Crawley, Luton and Stevenage are

[tuten]

Wow, I never knew the metropolitan line went to so far out, Chesham is greenbelt suburbia. They might as well extend the line to Hemmel and St. Albans

[Citizen4012]

Somewhat of a long shot, but maybe he was referring exclusively to the underground sections of the Tube.

The current [Metropolitan] line is below ground for much of the way on the southern section; north of Baker Street, at Finchley Road the line runs in the open.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropolitan_line

[Core Rising]

Originally Posted by Tubeman

Chesham? Amersham? Epping?

Chesham is as far from The City as Crawley, Luton and Stevenage are

In my book yes. The fact that the tube serves those towns makes them London metro area because it is direct rapid transit system designed specifically for taking commuters into work and back home. Luton, Crawley and Stevenage have heavy rail for the same purpose, and that may even be quicker. But the nature of the transport solution that is specifically designed for the commuter sets Chesham, Amersham and Epping as true metro area towns. With Crossrail you could throw Maidenhead and possibly even Reading into that category.

And just in case you think this reasoning is a bit daft, remember that Upminster, which certainly is in London, is as far away from central London as Watford and Epping which are not. Only the Metropolitan Line beyond Chorley goes further outside of central London in the West than the District Line goes in the East (All of which is in London). There is even room to expand the District Line further East within the London boundary beyond the M25. So Distance from the centre really doesn't exclude Chesham Amersham and certainly Epping from being a part of London as far as the Tube network is concerned.

[Citizen4012]

Interesting functional definition of the Metro area.

I guess you would also need to factor in geographic proximity and local transport connectivity, in addition to "rapid transit" connectivity, to prevent the absence of the Tube in the M25 area becoming an exclusion criterion.

[Core Rising]

I did a little playing around with the distance ruler tools in Google Earth and made a rough commuter belt boundary for London. Pretty much 50 km in every direction from the City centre.



All the Towns within that boundary are essentially feeder towns for London. I wouldn't class the Green Belt and countryside within that boundary as London, but the towns within it are certainly all London Metro area as far as I am concerned. (Going by the US definition of what a metro area is). There is certainly an argument for Brighton and a few other towns to be included as well. Brighton specifically because of Thameslink being a commuter rail solution primarily, the same as what the Tube is for Amersham or Chesham.

There is of course far too much green land there to count it all as London. But the London boundaries should be expanded to include places like Dartford and Watford, they both already are London in everything but name.

[Glom]

The Metropolitan Railway was built as heavy rail. They had ambitions to reach Birmingham. The fact that it reaches Chesham is not an indication it can be viewed the same as West Ruislip and different from Hertford, which has only a NR connection to London.

[SE9]

Here's a map of certain population centres in the South East:



and a map of commuting patters between these centres:

[potto]

Originally Posted by Core Rising

There is of course far too much green land there to count it all as London. But the London boundaries should be expanded to include places like Dartford and Watford, they both already are London in everything but name.

Cities have parks, also a lot of the land is merely the bread basket for the city.

[State of London]

I know its a bit late (I was nor even a SSC member when this thread was created), but I am something to say about "what is London"

In my opinion anything within the London Metropolitan Area/Commuter Belt is in my opinion part of London

For the record the London Metropolitan Area/Commuter Belt consists of Greater London, Essex, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Herfordshire, Northamptionshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Wiltshire, Hampshire, Dorset, West/East Sussex, Surrey and Kent