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While debate rages about Outer London’s TfL services after the ULEZ expansion, several are among the best places to raise a family, according to a study.

An Outer London borough has been named the best place in the UK to raise a family following research by an alarm systems company.

Waltham Forest took the top spot in the study by ADT, which assesses local authority areas by crime rate, burglary rate, parks, school ratings, house prices and bus fares. An overall “family safety score” was calculated for each area.

Kirklees in West Yorkshire came in second but it was followed by London’s Havering and then Bexley and Bromley in joint fourth.

The report gives Waltham Forest a rating of 7.23, saying: “Waltham Forest, one of the London boroughs, takes the top spot for family-friendly areas in the UK. It ranked within the top 15 for both the lowest crime and burglary rates, with a rate of 82 for the former and 3.2 for the latter, both per 1,000 people. It also ranked seventh for schools, with 82.8% having a “good” or higher rating from OFSTED. It is also joint-sixth for the areas with the most green spaces within a 1,000-metre radius.

“However, Waltham Forest also had the eleventh highest median house cost for the year ending December 2022, at £520,000. Like the other London boroughs, the cost of a bus fare is currently at £1.75, below the £2 bus fare cap.”

Rank	Area	Crime Rate Per 1,000 People, Year ending March 2023	Burglary Rate Per 1,000 People, Year ending March 2023	Average number of Parks, Public Gardens, or Playing Fields within a 1,000 m radius	Percentage of Oustanding and Good Rated Schools and Colleges	Median House Price, Year Ending Dec 2022	Cost of a single bus fare, adult	Family Safety Score /10
1	Waltham Forest	82	3.2	6	82.80%	£520,000	£1.75	7.23
2	Kirklees	111	3.5	6	77.60%	£181,000	£1.60	7.12
3	Havering	76	2.9	4	89.50%	£445,000	£1.75	6.99
4	Bexley	65	2.4	4	81.30%	£425,000	£1.75	6.96
4	Bromley	69	3.1	6	79.70%	£529,000	£1.75	6.96
6	Wirral	96	2.6	6	77.80%	£200,000	£2.00	6.8
7	Trafford	88	4.4	5	83.20%	£193,000	£2.00	6.72
7	Newcastle upon Tyne	124	3.7	8	81.60%	£178,000	£2.00	6.72
9	Hounslow	88	4.2	5	83.20%	£478,000	£1.75	6.64
9	Hillingdon	80	3.6	5	80.50%	£485,000	£1.75	6.64

The Outer London boroughs have come under scrutiny in recent months, with the expansion to cover the whole of London of Sadiq Khan’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ).

Critics say the expansion is unfair as areas are under-served by Transport for London (TfL) services. The Superloop project is an attempt to provide better connectivity for some communities.

Mr Khan says it is vital to improve the health of Londoners.

Outer London boroughs named among best in the UK to raise a family - including Waltham Forest and Havering

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