The site, situation, and connectivity of London

London’s Site

London has been an important settlement for many centuries, as far back as the Roman period in 43 A.D., when the Romans arrived in Britain. They chose a site near the River Thames that was shallow enough to cross and built a bridge to make it easier to cross. This drew market traders, which encouraged houses to be built, and a few decades later, a large town had become established. Welcome to Londinium! Within 140 years, Londinium replaced Colchester as the capital in 200 A.D and by 1300, the city’s growth attracted people in search of work as well as traders by land and sea.

With most of the land by the river marshy, it wasn’t easy to settle, but the ideal location was essential in the development of the port. In 1801, the West India Docks were an important shipping hub. Today, has been redeveloped into the famous business hub of Canary Wharf.

London’s Situation

London is in an ideal location within the UK. Close to the south coast, it has easy access to Europe, allowing for easy and quick trade. The large population, economy, and port were significant advantages during the industrial revolution, which swept through Britain during the 1800s. Presently, London’s time zone boosts economic industries as it allows finance industries to trade with countries in Asia, Australia and New York throughout the day.

London’s role in the wider world

London is an important city due to its connectivity (Insert definition: how easy it is to travel or connect to other places), making it one of the two major ‘world cities’, the other being New York City.

• International importance: With the second busiest airport in the world, Heathrow welcomes many international travellers to the capital. The Eurostar also connects many European cities to London via train in a few hours.
• National importance: Fast rail services link London to major cities in the North, such as Birmingham and Manchester, with around three fast trains an hour. With the development of HS2, these services will be even quicker.
• Regional importance: London has a radial road network, with branches of motorways and A roads converging on the capital from all directions. This links London by road to every major city in the UK, allowing the movement of goods to and from the capital. Motorways circle the capital, but only A roads go into the city centre, as motorways need a large amount of space. London is a highly built-up city with limited space for extensive road infrastructure, which leads to traffic congestion in the city centre.

Cultural diversity in London

With a strong knowledge economy, London attracts a wide range of migrants from all over the world, keen to be part of London’s success. There are also a range of schools and universities in London which attract students from over 200 countries, adding to the diversity of the city. During World War Two, London accepted refugees fleeing from persecution in Europe, and continues to welcome those in need today.