Croydon in the context of "Service economy"

Tramlink, previously Croydon Tramlink and currently branded as London Trams, is a light rail tram system serving Croydon and surrounding areas in South London, England. It is the first operational tram system serving the London region since 1952. Tramlink is presently managed by London Trams, a public body part of Transport for London (TfL), and has been operated by FirstGroup since 2017. It is one of two light rail networks in Greater London, the other being the Docklands Light Railway. Tramlink is the fourth-busiest light rail network in the UK behind the Docklands Light Railway, Manchester Metrolink and Tyne and Wear Metro.

Studies for the delivery of a modern-day tram system in Croydon began in the 1960s and detailed planning was performed in the 1980s. Approval of the scheme was received in 1990 and, following a competitive tender process, construction and initial operation of the tramway was undertaken by Tramtrack Croydon (TC) via a 99-year Private Finance Initiative (PFI) contract. The official opening of Tramlink took place on 10 May 2000; by the end of the year three routes were operational. The network consists of 39 stops along 28 km (17 mi) of track, on a mixture of street track shared with other traffic, dedicated track in public roads, and off-street track consisting of new rights-of-way, former railway lines, and one right-of-way where the Tramlink track runs parallel to a third rail-electrified Network Rail line. The network's lines coincide in central Croydon, with eastern termini at Beckenham Junction, Elmers End and New Addington, and a western terminus at Wimbledon, where there is an interchange for London Underground.

The London Borough of Croydon (pronunciation) is a borough within Outer London. It covers an area of 87 km (33.6 sq mi) and has a population of 397,741 as of mid-2023, making it one of London's most populated boroughs. At its centre is the historic town of Croydon, from which the borough takes its name. Other urban centres include Thornton Heath, Coulsdon, Purley, South Norwood, Norbury, New Addington, and Selsdon. Croydon is mentioned in the Domesday Book.

The borough developed from a small market town into what is now a significant business and cultural hub outside central London. Many contributions to entertainment and the arts have helped Croydon gain recognition as a metropolitan centre.

Grim the Collier of Croyden; or, The Devil and his Dame: with the Devil and Saint Dunston is a seventeenth-century play of uncertain authorship, first published in 1662. The play's title character is an established figure of the popular culture and folklore of the time who appeared in songs and stories – a body of lore the play draws upon. The London coal and charcoal industry was centred on Croydon, to the south of London in Surrey; the original Grimme or Grimes has been claimed to be a real individual, but evidence for this is not forthcoming.

51°20′33″N 0°01′03″W / 51.342624°N 0.017469°W / 51.342624; -0.017469New Addington is a terminal tram stop serving the centre of New Addington, located in the London Borough of Croydon. The tram stop is served by London Trams, which connects New Addington with central Croydon.