The London commuter belt is the metropolitan area surrounding London, England from which it is possible to commute to work in the capital. It is alternatively known as the Greater South East, the London metropolitan area or the Southeast metropolitan area. It should not be confused with Greater London or the Greater London Urban Area.
The boundaries are not fixed; they expand as transport options improve and affordable housing moves further away from London. The commuter belt currently covers much of the South East region and part of the East of England region, including the Home Counties of Kent, Surrey, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, and Essex.
Much of the undeveloped part of this area lies within a designated metropolitan green belt so further significant urban development is generally resisted by local authorities and the Planning Inspectorate. The Green belt currently covers nearly all of Surrey, eastern Berkshire, southern Buckinghamshire, southern and mid Hertfordshire, southern Bedfordshire, south-west Essex, and western Kent.
