Fast rail links, low house prices and plenty to do makes Peterborough top commuter destination for Londoners

Cathedral city Peterborough has been named as the best value ‘commuter town’ for Londoners in a new survey.

Quick rail travel times, a relatively low cost of housing and a rich variety of exciting things to do and places to visit has secured Peterborough the number one slot in a list

of ‘London’s cheapest commuter towns’ by the capital’s weekly magazine, TimeOut.

The top spot ranking has been welcomed by civic leaders as a well deserved accolade for Peterborough.

Peterborough is deemed to be an attractive location for Londoners looking for ‘a slightly slower pace of life’, ‘a bit more space and greenery’ and ‘better value for money’, according to TimeOut.

Fast trains mean Peterborough is just 48 minutes from King’s Cross in London while the average price of a house in Peterborough comes in at £250,492.

The magazine lists 13 must-see places, which include the Queens Head, in Queen Street; the 17th century Elton Hall; The Bell Inn, in Stilton; Peterborough Cathedral and Nene Park.

The only drawback it seems is the annual rail season ticket which adds up to £7,824 a year.

Tom Hennessy, chief executive of economic regeneration company Opportunity Peterborough, said: 'It's great to see the national press sitting up and taking notice of our great city in such a positive manner.

"Peterborough has always provided value-for-money in terms of housing with one of the best house price-to-earnings ratios in the East of England.

"Over the past decade we have seen a huge increase in the number of young families moving to the city for the quality of life we can provide - being a vibrant city with fantastic access to the countryside, and great connectivity, including of course to London.

He added: “Peterborough's draw is only going to increase over the next decade, as outlined in our recently launched investment prospectus - 'Talking 'bout Regeneration'.

"Developments such as the Station Quarter and Middleholme will provide a range of modern city centre housing options, from apartments to executive housing, nestled alongside Grade A commercial offices, spectacular public realm, and an enhanced retail and food and beverage offering, welcoming a wide range of residents from students to young professionals, and from commuters to families.

"It's exciting times for the city!'

Cllr Mohammed Farooq, leader of Peterborough City Council, said: “With a growing, vibrant and young population Peterborough is a city of great promise with many exciting places to visit and huge development plans in the pipeline.

"It is no wonder that so many people have chosen Peterborough as a place to move to in recent times and I'm not surprised that we are receiving positive accolades.

“As a council we must make sure that we can support our residents with quality education, good housing and jobs.

"We are also working hard to become a fully sustainable council, so we can continue to provide the essential services that our growing population needs.

“Our future is bright and the development we are supporting will provide an even better environment for our residents, with our Station Quarter transformation and new University supporting the facilities and skills needed for us to become a high wage economy.

"The benefits of these and other developments will support residents, visitors and commuters for years to come.”