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Staines is a fairly typical town to the west of London, part of the
London Commuter Belt. It is in the traditional county of Middlesex, but rather than becoming part of Greater London with most of the rest of Middlesex, in 1965, it was
ceded to the administrative county of Surrey. A border stana, or stone, on the bank of the Thames, dated 1280, yet remains,
indicating the extent of the jurisdiction of the city of London.
A significant proportion of the town's population finds employment thirty minutes down the rail line, in central London. However, a number of larger companies, such as a Bupa and LogicaCMG have major offices in Staines. The administrative offices of Spelthorne Borough Council, are also in the town.
Most of Staines is on the north bank of the River Thames, across which
there has been a bridge since Roman times (hence
the Roman name of the town Pontes).
Staines was the site of the Staines air disaster in
1972, at the time the worst aircrash to have occurred on British soil.
Staines is also the home of the fictional character Ali G.
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