London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Apr 08, 2026

London's best and worst connected neighbourhood have been named

London's best and worst connected neighbourhood have been named

Shadwell is the best connected place in the country - unlike part of Biggin Hill in Bromley which is the worst in the capital

London is home to the best connected community in England, according to a MyLondon analysis.

People living in a particular neighbourhood in Shadwell - between Watney Market and St Mary’s Cable Street - have the best access to schools, public transport, their GPs, hospitals and airports in all of England.

People living in that part of Shadwell are just minutes from schools - on average four minutes to a primary and five minutes to a secondary on foot or by public transport, and six and seven minutes respectively by car.

Getting to their GP will take three minutes on average by walking or public transport or six minutes by car and bike, while it’s 12 minutes to hospital by foot or public transport or nine minutes in a car.

For those planning to head further afield, London City airport is 35 minutes away by public transport or 21 minutes in the car, while the nearest hub station London Fenchurch Street is 19 and 12 minutes travel respectively.


So how does your neighbourhood rank?

But those living in the Melody Road area of Biggin Hill in Bromley are the capital’s worst connected.

By foot or public transport, it’s an average 16 minute journey to a primary school and 28 minutes to a secondary school. By car, that’s cut to 10 minutes and 13 minutes respectively.

A GP is 14 minutes away by walking or public transport, 10 minutes on a bike or nine minutes in a car, while it takes 40 minutes to get to hospital on public transport.

It is likely to take 85 minutes to Gatwick airport and 46 minutes to Bromley South on public transport, although in the car you could be at the airport in 41 minutes and Sevenoaks station in 29 minutes.

These analyses are gleaned from a study based on official figures, published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The study ranks every one of 32,844 neighbourhoods in England based on how long the ONS says it takes an average person to reach primary and secondary schools, GP surgeries and food shops, plus major railway stations and major airports.

At the other end of the 'connectedness' scale is a sparsely-populated neighbourhood in Teignbridge, Devon – running from the villages of Poundsgate in the south to Moretonhampstead in the north.

According to the ONS data, the average resident of that area is 51 minutes away (on foot or on public transport) from the nearest primary school and nearly two hours from the nearest secondary school.

The nearest hospital takes at least two hours by public transport, and the nearest major airport or rail station (Bristol and Bristol Parkway respectively) are more than two hours away. By car you’re looking at over two hours to the airport, or 145 minutes to the station.


How does it work?

The ONS data breaks down England into neighbourhoods, or 'lower super output areas', which contain roughly the same number of people (around 1,500 in all).

That means neighbourhoods in densely-populated cities and towns tend to be much smaller, and average travel times to key services tend to be shorter.

Lightly-populated neighbourhoods are bigger and tend to fare much worse in the rankings.

The travel times show the average time it takes to get to key services for all people living in a particular neighbourhood.

'Major' airports are those with at least one per cent of UK air traffic, while 'major' rail stations are those which are considered, for official purposes, to be national or regional hubs.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK Denies Visa to Kanye West After Sponsors Withdraw from Wireless Festival
Trump-Era Forest Service Restructuring Leads to Closure of UK Lab Focused on Kentucky Woodland Health
Foreign Students in the UK Describe Harsh Living Conditions and Financial Pressures
Reform UK Proposes Visa Restrictions on Nations Pursuing Reparations Claims
Public Reaction Divides Over UK Decision to Bar Kanye West
Calls Grow for UK to Review US Base Access Following Concerns Over Escalating Rhetoric
UK Indicates It Will Not Permit Use of Its Bases for Potential US Strikes on Iran’s Energy Infrastructure
UK Prime Minister Defends Decision to Bar Kanye West, Questions Festival Booking
UK Accelerates Efforts to Harmonise Medical Technology Rules with United States
Wireless Festival Cancelled After Kanye West Denied Entry to the United Kingdom
Australia’s most decorated living soldier was arrested at Sydney Airport and charged with five counts of war-crime murder for the killing of unarmed Afghan civilians
The CIA’s Secret Technology That Can Find You by Your Heartbeat Successfully Locates Downed Airman
Operation Europe: Trump Deploys Vance to Hungary to Save the EU
King Charles Faces Criticism From Some UK Christians Over Absence of Easter Message
Former UK Defence Secretary Raises Concerns Over Ability to Counter Iran Missile Threat
UK Signals Non-Involvement in Iran Conflict as Trump Reasserts Firm Deterrence Stance
US and UK Strengthen Medical Device Cooperation Following Tariff Removal
Trump Backs Steve Hilton for California Governor, Highlighting Reform Agenda
UK Seeks Closer Ties With Anthropic as AI Policy Divergence Emerges Across Atlantic
Experts Warn of Evolving Extremism After Teens Arrested in UK Ambulance Arson Case
UK Convenes Talks to Safeguard Shipping Through Strait of Hormuz After Conflict Escalation
Trump Highlights Strong Leadership in Critique of UK Stance on Iran
UK Authorities Review Kanye West’s Entry Status Following Festival Backlash
UK Considers Deploying Aircraft Carrier for US Independence Day Celebrations Amid Renewed Transatlantic Focus
United Kingdom Moves to Attract AI Firm Anthropic Amid Tensions with US Defense Officials
RAF Intercepts Iranian Drones in Middle East to Defend Allied Security Interests
Labour Signals Shift on Foie Gras and Fur Restrictions to Advance EU Trade Talks
Seven Arrested Near RAF Base as UK Authorities Respond to Protest Activity
Economic Pressures Mount as Analysts Warn UK Growth Is Being Constrained by Policy Burdens
UK Green Party’s Push for Church-State Separation Sparks Debate Over National Identity
Strategic Island Emerges as Growing Challenge for United States and United Kingdom Defense Planning
Pepsi Pulls Sponsorship from UK Festival Following Backlash Linked to Kanye West
Signs Emerge of Declining Enthusiasm for Social Media in the United Kingdom
Security Alert Raised Ahead of Meghan Markle’s Planned Visit to Australia
UK Food Halls Defy Hospitality Slowdown, Emerging as Bright Spot in Challenging Market
UK Sets Firm Conditions for Military Action, Insisting on Legal Mandate and Clear Strategy
UK Medicines Regulator Launches Probe into Peptide Clinics Over Health Claims
New North Sea Drilling Unlikely to Significantly Cut UK Gas Imports, Analysis Finds
Woman Linked to UK’s First All-Female Terror Plot Faces Deportation
Downed US Aircraft Over Iran Linked to Operations from UK Airfield
Two Men and Teen Detained in UK Following Attack on Jewish Charity Ambulance
UK Police Launch Inquiry After Firearms Left Unattended Outside Mayor’s Residence
Giuffre Family Calls on King Charles to Meet Epstein Survivors During US Visit
Amber Wind Warning Issued as Storm Dave Approaches Parts of the United Kingdom
Prince Harry and Meghan’s Australia Visit Set to Draw Heightened Global Attention
UK Considers Entry Fees for Overseas Visitors at Major Museums Ahead of 2026 Travel Season
UK Prime Minister and Kuwait Crown Prince Coordinate Security Response After Regional Escalation
Calls Grow to Expand Fully Paid Maternity Leave for UK Teachers Amid Workforce Pressures
UK Secures Tariff-Free Access to US Market in Landmark Pharmaceuticals Agreement
Trump Projects Strength in Critique of UK Leadership and Naval Readiness
×