West London
Geography
Geography
---------

### Topography

[thumb\|The [Grand Union Canal](/wiki/Grand_Union_Canal "Grand Union Canal") in [Hayes](/wiki/Hayes%2C_Hillingdon "Hayes, Hillingdon"), Hillingdon](/wiki/File:Grand_Union_Canal_%28geograph.org.uk_2507560%29.jpg "Grand Union Canal (geograph.org.uk 2507560).jpg")
West London is an informally and inexactly defined area lying north of the [River Thames](/wiki/River_Thames "River Thames") and extends west from the edge of the [City of London](/wiki/City_of_London "City of London"), to West London's historic and commercial core of [Westminster](/wiki/Westminster "Westminster") and the [West End](/wiki/West_End_of_London "West End of London"), on to the [Greater London](/wiki/Greater_London "Greater London") boundary, much of which is formed by the [River Colne](/wiki/River_Colne%2C_Hertfordshire "River Colne, Hertfordshire"). Some interpretations of the area include the boroughs of [Brent](/wiki/London_Borough_of_Brent "London Borough of Brent") and [Harrow](/wiki/London_Borough_of_Harrow "London Borough of Harrow"), taking [ancient Watling Street](/wiki/Watling_Street "Watling Street") as the boundary in those [outer](/wiki/Outer_London "Outer London") areas.. The [Grand Union Canal](/wiki/Grand_Union_Canal "Grand Union Canal") is West London's major internal waterway.

West London is bordered by the administrative counties of [Surrey](/wiki/Surrey "Surrey") to the south west and south; [Berkshire](/wiki/Berkshire "Berkshire") to the west and north west; [Buckinghamshire](/wiki/Buckinghamshire "Buckinghamshire") to the north west; and [Hertfordshire](/wiki/Hertfordshire "Hertfordshire") to the north.

A publication by the [Mayor of London](/wiki/Mayor_of_London "Mayor of London") in 2011 referred to the London boroughs of [Brent](/wiki/London_Borough_of_Brent "London Borough of Brent"), [Harrow](/wiki/London_Borough_of_Harrow "London Borough of Harrow"), [Ealing](/wiki/London_Borough_of_Ealing "London Borough of Ealing"), [Hammersmith and Fulham](/wiki/London_Borough_of_Hammersmith_and_Fulham "London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham"), [Hounslow](/wiki/London_Borough_of_Hounslow "London Borough of Hounslow"), [Richmond](/wiki/London_Borough_of_Richmond_upon_Thames "London Borough of Richmond upon Thames"), and [Hillingdon](/wiki/London_Borough_of_Hillingdon "London Borough of Hillingdon") as West London. Some parts of West London, such as Westminster and the West End are also a part of [Central London](/wiki/Central_London "Central London"), an area which also lacks precise definition. The [London Borough of Richmond upon Thames](/wiki/London_Borough_of_Richmond_upon_Thames "London Borough of Richmond upon Thames") spans the River Thames so its status can be ambiguous.

The term West London is used to differentiate the area from other informal radial divisions of London, the *Metropolitan Compass*;A phrase used, for instance, by Dickens in the Uncommercial Traveller, Ch 3 [North London](/wiki/North_London "North London"), [East London](/wiki/East_London "East London") and [South London](/wiki/South_London "South London").Evening Std article on social attitudes towards various areas of London [https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/east\-is\-poor\-west\-is\-posh\-south\-is\-rough\-and\-north\-is\-intellectual\-londoners\-views\-on\-the\-citys\-9088834\.html](https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/east-is-poor-west-is-posh-south-is-rough-and-north-is-intellectual-londoners-views-on-the-citys-9088834.html)

### Official designations

The term "West London" has been used for a variety of formal purposes with the boundaries defined according to the purposes of the designation.

#### Planning Policy sub\-region

The 2011 iteration of the [London Plan](/wiki/London_Plan "London Plan") included an altered "West" sub\-region, to be used for planning, engagement, resource allocation and progress reporting purposes. It consists of the [London Boroughs](/wiki/London_Borough "London Borough") of [Brent](/wiki/London_Borough_of_Brent "London Borough of Brent"), [Harrow](/wiki/London_Borough_of_Harrow "London Borough of Harrow"), [Ealing](/wiki/London_Borough_of_Ealing "London Borough of Ealing"), [Hammersmith and Fulham](/wiki/London_Borough_of_Hammersmith_and_Fulham "London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham"), [Hillingdon](/wiki/London_Borough_of_Hillingdon "London Borough of Hillingdon"), [Hounslow](/wiki/London_Borough_of_Hounslow "London Borough of Hounslow") and [Richmond upon Thames](/wiki/London_Borough_of_Richmond_upon_Thames "London Borough of Richmond upon Thames").
As well as including outer areas of West London, the sub\-region also includes areas south of the river, not usually counted as part of West London; areas of the cross\-river [London Borough of Richmond upon Thames](/wiki/London_Borough_of_Richmond_upon_Thames "London Borough of Richmond upon Thames").

The [2004\-2008 and 2008\-2011 versions](/wiki/List_of_sub-regions_used_in_the_London_Plan "List of sub-regions used in the London Plan") of the sub\-region varied in their composition.

#### W postcode area

The W (Western) postcode area was introduced in 1857 to facilitate the distribution of mail. The postcode area is a sub\-set of West London.

[thumb\|Map of postcodes in Greater London: The "Western" district is a sub\-set of West London](/wiki/File:London_Postal_Region_Map.jpg "London Postal Region Map.jpg")


Where does West London lie in relation to the River Thames?