When you ponder London’s commuter towns, names like St Albans, Iver and Reading might pop up.
Their proximity to the capital and top-notch transport links make them ideal for those weary of city life but still needing to commute for work.
But, it’s worth noting that London is encircled by thousands of potential commuter towns and villages, so only considering the well-known ones would be a misstep. Take Redhill in Surrey, for instance.
Situated about 12 miles south of Croydon, this town often gets missed out in the yearly roundups of ‘where to buy’ or ‘where it’s cheapest to buy’.
Redhill is just half an hour from Central London
(Image: N Chadwick)
Granted, it may not bag any beauty pageants, but it’s far from being unattractive.
At first glance, it seems fairly ordinary, but delve a little deeper and you’ll discover it’s one of the most practical options for today’s commuter. To begin with, you can anticipate paying around £450K for a property here, which is a saving of roughly £240K compared to London, according to Rightmove.
You can get into South London on the 405 bus
(Image: Callum Marius)
Even better, trains can whisk you to London Victoria in less than 30 minutes, meaning you could actually reach Central London quicker than many people who reside in the city itself.
Plus, Redhill station is part of TfL’s Oyster scheme, giving it an edge over most other Home Counties towns.
For those bitten by the travel bug, it’s a mere eight-minute journey to Gatwick airport, and bus route 405 will have you in South London within 15 minutes.
Despite its somewhat brutalist architecture from the post-1960s era, the town centre is currently undergoing progressive regeneration. In conclusion, Redhill offers an affordable option for commuters.
In summary, living in Redhill won’t break the bank, and due to its excellent connections to London, it can actually be quicker to reach the city centre than if you were living in the capital itself.
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