More than 42,000 commuters travel to work in Reading Borough every day

Reading is swiftly turning into a hive of economic activity - making it an increasingly enticing place to relocate to.

London and the south-east of England may be the strongest part of the UK economy, both in the financial sector and in services as a whole, but more and more people and companies are learning the benefits of living in - and commuting to - the town of Reading.

Data supplied by the Office for National Statistics has indicated that over 42,000 commuters travel to work in Reading each day from beyond its boundaries. Indeed, the daytime population swells by 9,000 during the week, showing that the number who commute into the town exceeds the 33,000 Reading residents who head off into London or elsewhere to work.

This may not come as too much of a surprise. The town has a thriving economy and is extremely well connected, being in the M4 corridor, close to Heathrow and easily linked to London.

In the case of its roads, this does not just mean Reading attracts some people from the capital, but also other local towns like Slough and Maidenhead, not to mention places further north and west such as Oxford and Swindon.

The public transport links are set to get even better. Reading's own railway station has recently been undergoing a major renovation, increasing the number of platforms and capacity to ease the flow of trains, adding a new passengers bridge and improving the frontage. This work has been carried out as part of a project to bolster the economic development of the town centre around the vicinity of the station.

In addition to this, Reading is set to receive Crossrail services after the original plans were amended, ensuring the route stretches further west into Berkshire than first intended. Furthermore, nearby Heathrow Airport could be set for a new runway when the Davies Commission reports, with London mayor Boris Johnson's bid idea of closing it and building a new hub airport in the Thames estuary having been ruled out. 

All this may make Reading a destination of choice for people moving to take up jobs in the London and south-east region.

The Marks Sattin Insight Report 2014 indicated the south-east is a popular place for people to relocate to for work purposes, with 13 per cent saying that would be their region of choice if they were to make a long-distance move within Britain. This was second only to London.

Senior manager for Marks Sattin in the Thames Valley Alastair Paterson said: "With London house prices soaring and first-time buyers finding it hard to raise a deposit, it seems that many candidates could do worse than looking at Reading to build their professional skill set.

"With the arrival of Crossrail in the not too distant future, more affordable housing and hugely desirable brands such as RB, Centrica, Microsoft, AkzoNobel and Waitrose within an easy commute, now seems to be as good a time as any to move to this mini metropolis.

Salaries are comparable to London in most cases, with many firms offering excellent benefit packages which include pension, car allowance, private Medical and bonus."