London Road parade of shops

London Road stretches from Ilford to Romford, mostly running parallel to the rail tracks. It is a key bus route for the residents, dotted with a variety of local shops and amenities which respond to the immediate shopping needs in the local area.

Romford train station

Good road links and the opening of the railway station in 1839 were key to the development of the town and the economic history of Romford is underpinned by a shift from agriculture to light industry and then to retail and commerce. As part of the suburban growth of London in the 20th century, Romford significantly expanded and increased in population, forming part of Greater London since 1965.

I have taken photographs of the transport hub in the area before the renovation works were completed in 2022. The railway station brings in hundreds of passengers on a daily basis, especially at weekends, when Romford becomes a lively, buzzing area with shoppers and people looking for entertainment facilities.

The rail track stretches for miles from Shenfield to London Liverpool Street.

Site analysis of the redevelopment area

The Waterloo Estate area used to provide housing for council and private tenants. Since the demolition works have been completed and all the residuals removed from the site, the area has entered a phase of preparation that will allow works to commence in the near future.