115-412: East Thames Buses was the trading name of London Buses Limited, an arms length subsidiary of Transport for London . In 2009, it was sold to Go-Ahead London . East Thames Buses was formed in 1999 to take over the services operated by the failed Harris Bus . It was then retained as an accredited operator to operate services in the event of their contracted operator being unable to do so. In August 2002 it
230-661: A TfL application for government funding to upgrade the Piccadilly Line was rejected by the Treasury. That same month, TfL head Mike Brown publicly criticised the government's decision to impose borrowing limits upon the organisation, and there was little long term certainty in terms of funding, necessitating pauses on multiple upgrade programmes. On 22 April 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic , London mayor Sadiq Khan warned that TfL could run out of money to pay staff by
345-594: A day use District Line tracks between Wimbledon and East Putney. London Underground trains come in two sizes, larger sub-surface trains and smaller deep-tube trains. Since the early 1960s all passenger trains have been electric multiple units with sliding doors and a train last ran with a guard in 2000. All lines use fixed-length trains with between six and eight cars, except for the Waterloo & City line that uses four cars. New trains are designed for maximum number of standing passengers and for speed of access to
460-451: A day. In 2023/24 it was used for 1.181billion passenger journeys. The system's first tunnels were built just below the ground, using the cut-and-cover method; later, smaller, roughly circular tunnels—which gave rise to its nickname, the Tube—were dug through at a deeper level. Despite its name, only 45% of the system is under the ground: much of the network in the outer environs of London
575-783: A diameter of about 11 feet 8 inches (3.56 m), with one tube for each direction. The seven deep-level lines have the exclusive use of tracks and stations along their routes with the exceptions of the Piccadilly line, which shares track with the District line, between Acton Town and Hanger Lane Junction, and with the Metropolitan line, between Rayners Lane and Uxbridge; and the Bakerloo line, which shares track with London Overground 's Watford DC Line for its above-ground section north of Queen's Park. Fifty-five per cent of
690-491: A funding shortfall for its upgrades, was denied a request to TfL for an additional £1.75 billion; the matter was instead referred to the PPP arbiter , who stated that £400 million should be provided. On 7 May 2010, Transport for London agreed to buy out Bechtel and Amey ( Ferrovial ), the shareholders of Tube Lines for £310 million, formally ending the PPP. TfL was heavily impacted by multiple bombings on
805-444: A peak vehicle requirement of 15 buses and operates routes 180 and part of 669 and N1 . On 22 January 2011 route 244 transferred from London Central's Bexleyheath garage. Belvedere has always been classed as a satellite garage from an engineering point of view with very little routine maintenance ever taking place there, however limited engineering facilities existed at up until its parent garage changing to Bexleyheath. Belvedere
920-517: A potential difference of 630 V . On the sections of line shared with mainline trains, such as the District line from East Putney to Wimbledon and Gunnersbury to Richmond, and the Bakerloo line north of Queen's Park, the centre rail is bonded to the running rails. The average speed on the Underground is 20.5 mph (33.0 km/h). Outside the tunnels of central London, many lines' trains tend to travel at over 40 mph (64 km/h) in
1035-594: A public transport system. The LPTB commissioned many new station buildings, posters and public artworks in a modernist style. The schematic Tube map , designed by Harry Beck in 1931, was voted a national design icon in 2006 and now includes other transport systems besides the Underground, such as the Docklands Light Railway , London Overground , Thameslink , the Elizabeth line , and Tramlink . Other famous London Underground branding includes
1150-474: A reduction in capital investment by 39% from £1.3 billion to £808 million along with cuts to maintenance and renewal spending by 38% to £201 million. In November 2021, the then Transport Secretary Grant Shapps criticised reports that senior TfL officials would be offered bonuses potentially in excess of £12 million per year in return for efforts to help break-even . By December 2021, the British government and
1265-407: A safer and more pleasant experience for passengers. There were "Last Round on the Underground" parties on the night before the ban came into force. Passengers refusing to observe the ban may be refused travel and asked to leave the premises. The GLA reported in 2011 that assaults on London Underground staff had fallen by 15% since the introduction of the ban. Between 2008 and 2022, TfL was engaged in
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#17327805951081380-676: A set of daily maximum charges that are the same as buying the nearest equivalent Day Travelcard. In addition to Oyster card, TfL also operates a contactless payment system in London and surrounding areas, which is codenamed CPAY . Almost all contactless Visa, Maestro, MasterCard and American Express debit and credit cards issued in the UK, and also most international cards supporting contactless payment, are accepted for travel on London Underground, London Overground, Docklands Light Railway, most National Rail, London Tramlink and Bus services. This works in
1495-399: A wholly owned subsidiary of Transport for London (TfL), the statutory corporation responsible for the transport network in London. As of 2015 , 92% of operational expenditure is covered by passenger fares. The Travelcard ticket was introduced in 1983 and Oyster card , a contactless ticketing system, in 2003. Contactless bank card payments were introduced in 2014, the first such use on
1610-760: Is identified by a letter (such as S Stock , used on the Metropolitan line ), while tube stock is identified by the year of intended introduction (for example, 1996 Stock , used on the Jubilee line). The Underground is served by the following depots: In the years since the first parts of the London Underground opened, many stations and routes have been closed. Some stations were closed because of low passenger numbers rendering them uneconomical; some became redundant after lines were re-routed or replacements were constructed; and others are no longer served by
1725-529: Is not possible (such as bus receipts, where a logo is a blank roundel with the name "London Buses" to the right). The same range of colours is also used extensively in publicity and on the TfL website. Transport for London has always mounted advertising campaigns to encourage use of the Underground. For example, in 1999, they commissioned artist Stephen Whatley to paint an interior – 'The Grand Staircase' – which he did on location inside Buckingham Palace. This painting
1840-515: Is now closed. Belvedere garage ran the following models: Transport for London Sadiq Khan ( L ) Statutory Deputy Mayor Joanne McCartney ( L/Co ) London Assembly Lord Mayor Peter Estlin London boroughs ( list ) Vacant Transport for London ( TfL ) is a local government body responsible for most of the transport network in London , United Kingdom . TfL
1955-488: Is on the surface. The early tube lines, originally owned by several private companies, were brought together under the Underground brand in the early 20th century, and eventually merged along with the sub-surface lines and bus services in 1933 to form London Transport under the control of the London Passenger Transport Board (LPTB). The current operator, London Underground Limited (LUL), is
2070-419: Is responsible for London Overground and Elizabeth line services. The underlying services are provided by a mixture of wholly owned subsidiary companies (principally London Underground), by private sector franchisees (the remaining rail services, trams and most buses) and by licensees (some buses, taxis and river services). Fares are controlled by TfL, rail services fares calculated using numbered zones across
2185-717: Is the successor organization of the London Passenger Transport Board , which was established in 1933, and several other bodies in the intervening years. Since the current organization's creation in 2000 as part of the Greater London Authority (GLA), TfL has been responsible for operating multiple urban rail networks, including the London Underground and Docklands Light Railway , as well as London's buses , taxis , principal road routes, cycling provision, trams , and river services . It does not control all National Rail services in London, although it
2300-565: The City & South London Railway in 1890, is now part of the Northern line . The network has expanded to 11 lines with 250 miles (400 km) of track. However, the Underground does not cover most southern parts of Greater London ; there are only 33 Underground stations south of the River Thames . The system's 272 stations collectively accommodate up to 5million passenger journeys
2415-686: The Crossrail programme to construct a new high-frequency hybrid urban – suburban rail service across London and into its suburbs. TfL Rail took over Heathrow Connect services from Paddington to Heathrow in May 2018. In August 2018, four months before the scheduled opening of the core section of the Elizabeth Line , it was announced that completion had been delayed and that the line would not open before autumn 2019. Further postponements ensued. Having an initial budget of £14.8 billion,
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#17327805951082530-535: The Great Northern and City Railway , which opened in 1904, was built to take main line trains from Finsbury Park to a Moorgate terminus in the City and had 16-foot (4.9 m) diameter tunnels. While steam locomotives were in use on the Underground there were contrasting health reports. There were many instances of passengers collapsing whilst travelling, due to heat and pollution, leading for calls to clean
2645-726: The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games , the Underground saw record passenger numbers, with over 4.3 million people using the Tube on some days. This record was subsequently beaten in later years, with 4.82 million passengers in December 2015. In 2013, the Underground celebrated its 150th anniversary, with celebratory events such as steam trains and installation of a unique Labyrinth artwork at each station. Under TfL, London's public transport network became more unified, with existing suburban rail lines across London upgraded and rebranded as London Overground from 2007, with
2760-598: The London Blitz , a bomb penetrated the booking hall of Bank Station , the blast from which killed 111 people, many of whom were sleeping in passageways and on platforms. On 3 March 1943, a test of the air-raid warning sirens, together with the firing of a new type of anti-aircraft rocket, resulted in a crush of people attempting to take shelter in Bethnal Green Underground station . A total of 173 people, including 62 children, died, making this both
2875-573: The London Metropolitan Archives . On 17 February 2003, the London congestion charge was introduced, covering the approximate area of the London Inner Ring Road . The congestion charge had been a manifesto promise by Ken Livingstone during the 2000 London Mayoral election . It was introduced to reduce congestion in the centre of the capital as well as to make London more attractive to business investment;
2990-553: The London Passenger Transport Board , which used the London Transport brand . The Waterloo & City Railway , which was by then in the ownership of the main line Southern Railway , remained with its existing owners. In the same year that the London Passenger Transport Board was formed, Harry Beck 's diagrammatic tube map first appeared. In the following years, the outlying lines of
3105-581: The M25 London Orbital motorway ( Amersham , Chalfont & Latimer , Chesham , and Chorleywood on the Metropolitan line and Epping on the Central). Of the thirty-two London boroughs , six ( Bexley , Bromley , Croydon , Kingston , Lewisham and Sutton ) are not served by the Underground network, while Hackney has Old Street (on the Northern line Bank branch) and Manor House (on
3220-734: The Metropolitan line . The majority of TfL's funding is provided by the GLA and the Mayor of London. Traditionally, the British government via the Department for Transport (DfT) also used to contribute considerably; however, throughout the 2010s, there was a concerted drive by the Conservative government to reduce central government expenditure on TfL, and that the organisation ought to pursue self-sufficiency and make greater efforts to generate its own revenue to supplement its grants. Accordingly,
3335-456: The Northern line extension and other projects such as step-free schemes at tube stations could be delayed. On 7 May, it was reported that TfL had requested £2 billion in state aid to keep services running until September 2020. On 12 May, TfL documents warned it expected to lose £4 billion due to the pandemic and said it needed £3.2bn to balance a proposed emergency budget for 2021, having lost 90% of its overall income. Without an agreement with
3450-490: The Northern line from Kennington to Battersea Power Station via Nine Elms . The extension was privately funded, with contributions from developments across the Battersea Power Station , Vauxhall and Nine Elms areas. As of 2021, the Underground serves 272 stations . Sixteen stations (eight on each of the Metropolitan and Central lines) are outside the London region , with five of those beyond
3565-529: The Victoria line was dug under central London and, unlike the earlier tunnels, did not follow the roads above. The line opened in 1968–71 with the trains being driven automatically and magnetically encoded tickets collected by automatic gates gave access to the platforms. On 1 January 1970, responsibility for public transport within Greater London passed from central government to local government, in
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3680-469: The Waterloo & City line , were suspended from 20 March, while 40 tube stations were closed on the same day. The Mayor of London and TfL urged people to only use public transport if absolutely essential so that it could be used by critical workers. The London Underground brought in new measures on 25 March to combat the spread of the virus; these included slowing the flow of passengers onto platforms via
3795-539: The West London line were suspended, leaving Olympia exhibition centre without a railway service until a District line shuttle from Earl's Court began after the war. After work restarted on the Central line extensions in east and west London, these were completed in 1949. During the war many tube stations were used as air-raid shelters. They were not always a guarantee of safety however; on 11 January 1941 during
3910-625: The roundel and the Johnston typeface , created by Edward Johnston in 1916. The idea of an underground railway linking the City of London with the urban centre was proposed in the 1830s, and the Metropolitan Railway was granted permission to build such a line in 1854. To prepare construction, a short test tunnel was built in 1855 in Kibblesworth , a small town with geological properties similar to London. This test tunnel
4025-473: The Central line east of St Paul's station); or trains run on the right (for example on the Victoria line between Warren Street and King's Cross St. Pancras, to allow cross-platform interchange with the Northern line at Euston ). The lines are electrified with a four-rail DC system: a conductor rail between the rails is energised at −210 V and a rail outside the running rails at +420 V , giving
4140-831: The District Railway and established the Underground Electric Railways Company of London (UERL) in 1902 to finance and operate three tube lines, the Baker Street and Waterloo Railway (Bakerloo), the Charing Cross, Euston and Hampstead Railway (Hampstead) and the Great Northern, Piccadilly and Brompton Railway , (Piccadilly), which all opened between 1906 and 1907. When the "Bakerloo" was so named in July 1906, The Railway Magazine called it an undignified "gutter title". By 1907
4255-641: The District and Metropolitan Railways had electrified the underground sections of their lines. In January 1913, the UERL acquired the Central London Railway and the City & South London Railway , as well as many of London's bus and tram operators. Only the Metropolitan Railway , along with its subsidiaries the Great Northern & City Railway and the East London Railway , and the Waterloo & City Railway , by then owned by
4370-625: The East Thames engineers. Most of the routes once operated by Mandela Way - West were reallocated to London Central 's & London General 's other garages. The only exception was route 393 which has put back out to tender shortly after East Thames Buses took over the running of route 201 and moved to Mandela Way. Belvedere garage was leased by Harris Bus in 1998 to house its operations that moved from Crayford . Harris Bus went into receivership in December 1999, and its routes and garage were taken over by East Thames Buses. This garage has
4485-483: The Elizabeth line. In addition to the GLA, the central British government used to provide regular funding for TfL. However, this was tapered off during the 2010s with the aim of the organisation becoming self-sufficient. Direct central government funding for operations ceased during 2018. During 2019–2020, TfL had a budget of £10.3 billion, 47% of which came from fares; the remainder came from grants, mainly from
4600-470: The GLA (33%), borrowing (8%), congestion charging and other income (12%). In 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic , fare revenues dropped by 90% and TfL obtained multiple rounds of support from the British government. It also responded with various cutbacks, including a proposal for a 40% reduction in capital expenditure. London's transportation system was unified in 1933, with the creation of
4715-473: The GLA's future financial flexibility. During late 2023, TfL issued further urgent calls for long-term funding to support its operations; it claimed that the British government would need to provide one quarter of its capital investment plans for 2024. The Department of Transport's position has been that long term funding for TfL should be provided via the Mayor of London, and that in excess of £6 billion in extraordinary funding has already been provided. Most of
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4830-498: The London Passenger Transport Board, which was succeeded by London Transport Executive, London Transport Board, London Transport Executive (GLC), and London Regional Transport. From 1933 until 2000, these bodies used the London Transport brand. Transport for London was created in 2000 as part of the Greater London Authority (GLA) by the Greater London Authority Act 1999 . The first Commissioner of TfL
4945-712: The London Underground. In 1976, the Northern City Line was taken over by British Rail and linked up with the main line railway at Finsbury Park , a transfer that had already been planned prior to the accident. In 1979, another new tube, the Jubilee line , named in honour of the Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth II , took over the Stanmore branch from the Bakerloo line, linking it to a newly constructed line between Baker Street and Charing Cross stations. Under
5060-508: The Major of London had implemented three consecutive short-term funding agreements cumulatively costing in excess of £4b to avert closures of several bus routes and tube lines. In August 2022, additional British government support was granted to TfL; the organisation was still unable to meet all spending commitments. In response, a new facility was established to balance TfL's budget via the provision of up to £500 million; this facility restricted
5175-531: The Piccadilly line) just inside its boundaries. Lewisham was served by the East London line (with stations at New Cross and New Cross Gate ) until 2010 when the line and the stations were transferred to the London Overground network. London Underground's eleven lines total 402 kilometres (250 mi) in length, making it the eleventh longest metro system in the world . These are made up of
5290-600: The TETRA radio in February 2006, as it was the second smallest line and is a mix of surface and sub surface. That same year, it was rolled out to the District, Circle, Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan and Victoria lines, with the Bakerloo, Piccadilly, Jubilee, Waterloo & City and Central lines following during 2007. The final line, the Northern, was handed over in November 2008. The 2010 TfL investment programme included
5405-455: The Tube has taken place - with new trains (such as London Underground S7 and S8 Stock ), new signalling, upgraded stations (such as King's Cross St Pancras ) and improved accessibility (such as at Green Park ). Small changes to the Tube network occurred in the 2000s, with extensions to Heathrow Terminal 5 , new station at Wood Lane and the Circle line changed from serving a closed loop around
5520-637: The Underground or by its nickname the Tube ) is a rapid transit system serving Greater London and some parts of the adjacent home counties of Buckinghamshire , Essex and Hertfordshire in England. The Underground has its origins in the Metropolitan Railway , opening on 10 January 1863 as the world's first underground passenger railway. The Metropolitan is now part of the Circle , District , Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines . The first line to operate underground electric traction trains ,
5635-436: The Underground but remain open to National Rail main line services. In some cases, such as Aldwych and Ongar , the buildings remain and are used for other purposes. In others, such as British Museum , all evidence of the station has been lost through demolition. London Transport Museum runs guided tours of several disused stations including Down Street and Aldwych through its "Hidden London" programme. The tours look at
5750-525: The Women's Transportation Seminar (WTS). The programme was a celebration of the significant role that women had played in transport over the previous 100 years, following the centennial anniversary of the First World War, when 100,000 women entered the transport industry to take on the responsibilities held by men who enlisted for military service. As early as 2014, an Ultra–Low Emission Zone (ULEZ)
5865-624: The accelerated implementation of underground radio connectivity. On 20 February 2006, the DfT announced that TfL would take over management of services then provided by Silverlink Metro . On 5 September 2006, the London Overground branding was announced, and it was confirmed that the extended East London line would be included. On 11 November 2007, TfL took over the North London Railway routes from Silverlink Metro. At
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#17327805951085980-621: The advent of electric Tube services (the Waterloo and City Railway and the Great Northern and City Railway), the Volks Electric Railway , in Brighton , and competition from electric trams, the pioneering Underground companies needed modernising. In the early 20th century, the District and Metropolitan railways needed to electrify and a joint committee recommended an AC system, the two companies co-operating because of
6095-490: The air through the installation of garden plants. The Metropolitan even encouraged beards for staff to act as an air filter. There were other reports claiming beneficial outcomes of using the Underground, including the designation of Great Portland Street as a " sanatorium for [sufferers of ...] asthma and bronchial complaints", tonsillitis could be cured with acid gas and the Twopenny Tube cured anorexia . With
6210-515: The capital. TfL has overseen various initiatives and infrastructure projects. Throughout the 2000s, a new radio communication system was implemented across its underground lines. Passenger convenience systems, such as the Oyster card and contactless payments , were also provisioned around this time. During 2008, the consumption of alcohol was banned on TfL services; this move has led to a decrease in anti-social behaviour. On 16 August 2016, TfL oversaw
6325-432: The cars and have regenerative braking and public address systems. Since 1999 all new stock has had to comply with accessibility regulations that require such things as access and room for wheelchairs, and the size and location of door controls. All underground trains are required to comply with The Rail Vehicle Accessibility (Non Interoperable Rail System) Regulations 2010 (RVAR 2010) by 2020. Stock on sub-surface lines
6440-610: The centre of London to a spiral also serving Hammersmith in 2009. In July 2005, four coordinated terrorist attacks took place, three of them occurring on the Tube network. It was the UK's deadliest terrorist incident since 1988. Electronic ticketing in the form of the contactless Oyster card was first introduced in 2003, with payment using contactless banks cards introduced in September 2014. In 2019 , over 12million Oyster cards and 35million contactless cards were used, generating around £5billion in ticketing revenue. During
6555-518: The centre of London. They are (in order): Superimposed on these mode-specific regimes is the Travelcard system, which provides zonal tickets with validities from one day to one year, and off-peak variants. These are accepted on the DLR, buses, railways, trams, and the Underground, and provide a discount on many river services fares. The Oyster card is a contactless smart card system introduced for
6670-508: The control of the GLC, London Transport introduced a system of fare zones for buses and underground trains that cut the average fare in 1981. Fares increased following a legal challenge but the fare zones were retained, and in the mid-1980s the Travelcard and the Capitalcard were introduced. In 1984, control of London Buses and the London Underground passed back to central government with
6785-533: The creation of London Regional Transport (LRT), which reported directly to the Secretary of State for Transport , still retaining the London Transport brand. One person operation had been planned in 1968, but conflict with the trade unions delayed introduction until the 1980s. On 18 November 1987, fire broke out in an escalator at King's Cross St Pancras tube station . The resulting fire cost
6900-402: The design, build and maintain contract was £2 billion over twenty years. Various subcontractors were used for the installation work, including Brookvex and Fentons. A key reasoning for the introduction of the system was in light of the King's Cross fire disaster, where efforts by the emergency services were hampered by a lack of radio coverage below ground. Work was due to be completed by
7015-409: The drinking of alcoholic beverages was banned on Tube and London Overground trains, buses, trams, Docklands Light Railway and all stations operated by TfL across London but not those operated by other rail companies. Carrying open containers of alcohol was also banned on public transport operated by TfL. The then-Mayor of London Boris Johnson and TfL announced the ban with the intention of providing
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#17327805951087130-520: The driver. TfL is controlled by a board whose members are appointed by the Mayor of London, a position held by Sadiq Khan since May 2016. The Commissioner of Transport for London reports to the Board and leads a management team with individual functional responsibilities. The body is organised in two main directorates and corporate services, each with responsibility for different aspects and modes of transport . The two main directorates are: TfL's Surface Transport and Traffic Operations Centre (STTOC)
7245-399: The early 1960s, the Metropolitan line was electrified as far as Amersham , British Railways providing services for the former Metropolitan line stations between Amersham and Aylesbury. In 1962, the British Transport Commission was abolished, and the London Transport Executive was renamed the London Transport Board , reporting directly to the Minister of Transport . Also during the 1960s,
7360-463: The early 2000s, London Underground was reorganised in a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) as part of a project to upgrade and modernise the system. Private infrastructure companies (infracos) would upgrade and maintain the railway, and London Underground would run the train service. One infraco – Metronet – went into administration in 2007, and TfL took over the other – Tube Lines – in 2010. Despite this, substantial investment to upgrade and modernise
7475-618: The emergency services. In April 1994, the Waterloo & City Railway , by then owned by British Rail and known as the Waterloo & City line, was transferred to the London Underground. In 1999, the Jubilee Line Extension project extended the Jubilee line from Green Park station through the growing Docklands to Stratford station . This resulted in the closure of the short section of tunnel between Green Park and Charing Cross stations. The 11 new stations were designed to be " future-proof ", with wide passageways, large quantities of escalators and lifts, and emergency exits. The stations were
7590-411: The emergency services. The system replaced various separate radio systems for each tube line, and was funded under a private finance initiative . The supply contract was signed in November 1999 with Motorola as the radio provider alongside Thales. Citylink's shareholders are Thales Group (33 per cent), Fluor Corporation (18%), Motorola (10%), Laing Investment (19.5%) and HSBC (19.5%). The cost of
7705-400: The end of 2002, although suffered delays due to the necessity of installing the required equipment on an ageing railway infrastructure with no disruption to the operational railway. On 5 June 2006, the London Assembly published the 7 July Review Committee report, which urged TfL to speed up implementation of the Connect system. The East London line was chosen as the first line to receive
7820-535: The end of the month unless the government stepped in. Two days later, TfL announced it was furloughing around 7,000 employees, about a quarter of its staff, to help mitigate a 90% reduction in fare revenues. Following the implementation of a lockdown in London on 23 March, Tube journeys had reportedly fallen by 95% and bus journeys by 85%, though TfL continued to operate limited services to allow "essential travel" for key workers. Without government financial support for TfL, London Assembly members warned that Crossrail ,
7935-431: The first on the Underground to have platform edge doors , and were built to have step-free access throughout. The stations have subsequently been praised as exemplary pieces of 20th-century architecture. In 2000, Transport for London (TfL) was created as an integrated body responsible for London's transport system. Part of the Greater London Authority , the TfL Board is appointed by the Mayor of London , who also sets
8050-432: The form of the Greater London Council (GLC), and the London Transport Board was abolished. The London Transport brand continued to be used by the GLC. On 28 February 1975, a southbound train on the Northern City Line failed to stop at its Moorgate terminus and crashed into the wall at the end of the tunnel, in the Moorgate tube crash . There were 43 deaths and 74 injuries, the greatest loss of life during peacetime on
8165-479: The former East London line becoming part of the Overground network in 2010. Many Overground stations interchange with Underground ones, and Overground lines were added onto the Tube map. In the 2010s, the £18.8 billion Crossrail project built a new east–west railway tunnel under central London. The project involved rebuilding and expanding several central Underground stations including Tottenham Court Road and Whitechapel . By increasing rail capacity,
8280-566: The former Metropolitan Railway closed, the Brill Tramway in 1935, and the line from Quainton Road to Verney Junction in 1936. The 1935–40 New Works Programme included the extension of the Central and Northern lines and the Bakerloo line to take over the Metropolitan's Stanmore branch. The Second World War suspended these plans after the Bakerloo line had reached Stanmore and the Northern line High Barnet and Mill Hill East in 1941. Following bombing in 1940, passenger services over
8395-553: The government, deputy mayor for transport Heidi Alexander said TfL might have to issue a Section 114 notice - the equivalent of a public body going bust. On 14 May, the UK Government agreed £1.6 billion in emergency funding to keep Tube and bus services running until September - a bailout condemned as "a sticking plaster" by Khan who called for agreement on a new longer-term funding model. On 1 June 2020, TfL released details of its emergency budget for 2020–2021; it involved
8510-417: The imposition of queuing at ticket gates and turning off some escalators. In April, TfL trialled changes encouraging passengers to board London buses by the middle doors to lessen the risks to drivers, after the deaths of 14 TfL workers including nine drivers. This measure was extended to all routes on 20 April, and passengers were no longer required to pay, so that they did not need to use the card reader near
8625-485: The last 200 years. It both explores the past, with a retrospective look at past days since 1800, and the present-day transport developments and upgrades. The museum also has an extensive depot, situated at Acton , that contains material impossible to display at the central London museum, including many additional road vehicles, trains, collections of signs and advertising materials. The depot has several open weekends each year. There are also occasional heritage train runs on
8740-540: The launch of the Night Tube scheme, which introduced through-the-night services on both the London Underground and London Overground. Perhaps the biggest undertaking it has been responsible for, in this case shared jointly with the national Department for Transport (DfT), was the commissioning of the Crossrail Project ; since its completion in 2022, TfL has been responsible for franchising its operation as
8855-464: The launch, TfL undertook to revamp the routes by improving service frequencies and station facilities, staffing all stations, introducing new rolling stock and allowing Oyster pay as you go throughout the network from the outset. This launch was accompanied by a marketing campaign entitled "London's new train set", with posters and leaflets carrying an image of model railway packaging containing new Overground trains, tracks and staff. On 1 June 2008,
8970-420: The line aims to reduce overcrowding on the Tube and cut cross-London journey times. The railway opened as the Elizabeth line in May 2022. Although not part of the Underground, the line connects with several Underground stations. In 2020, passenger numbers fell significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic and 40 stations were temporarily closed. The Northern Line Extension opened in September 2021, extending
9085-411: The line. Electrification was extended north from Harrow to Rickmansworth , and branches opened from Rickmansworth to Watford in 1925 and from Wembley Park to Stanmore in 1932. The Piccadilly line was extended north to Cockfosters and took over District line branches to Harrow (later Uxbridge) and Hounslow. In 1933, most of London's underground railways, tramway and bus services were merged to form
9200-530: The lives of 31 people and injured a further 100. London Underground was strongly criticised in the aftermath for its attitude to fires underground, and publication of the report into the fire led to the resignation of senior management of both London Underground and London Regional Transport. Following the fire, substantial improvements to safety on the Tube were implemented – including the banning of smoking, removal of wooden escalators, installation of CCTV and fire detectors, as well as comprehensive radio coverage for
9315-633: The main line London and South Western Railway , remained outside the Underground Group's control. A joint marketing agreement between most of the companies in the early years of the 20th century included maps, joint publicity, through ticketing and U NDERGROUN D signs, incorporating the first bullseye symbol, outside stations in Central London. At the time, the term Underground was selected from three other proposed names; 'Tube' and 'Electric' were both officially rejected. Ironically,
9430-477: The operational budget of almost £700 million per year provided by the DfT by 2015 was to be entirely eliminated by 2020. By February 2018, TfL was projecting a budget deficit of £1 billion, a roughly five-fold increase from 2013, which reportedly threatened its long-term investment plans. Revenue collected from fares was set to make up a greater proportion of TfL's budget, yet a £240 million downturn in ticket sales by mid-2018 had been recorded. In September 2019,
9545-535: The police. In an effort to reduce sexual offences and increase reporting, TfL—in conjunction with the British Transport Police , Metropolitan Police Service, and City of London Police —launched Project Guardian . In 2014, TfL launched the 100 years of women in transport campaign in partnership with the Department for Transport , Crossrail , Network Rail , the Women's Engineering Society and
9660-557: The project "LU-PJ231 LU-managed Connect communications", which provided Connect with a new transmission and radio system comprising 290 cell sites with two to three base stations, 1,400 new train mobiles, 7,500 new telephone links and 180 CCTV links. TfL also owns and operates the London Transport Museum in Covent Garden , a museum that conserves, explores and explains London's transport system heritage over
9775-531: The public in 2003, which can be used to pay individual fares (pay as you go) or to carry various Travelcards and other passes. It is used by scanning the card at a yellow card reader. Such readers are found on ticket gates where otherwise a paper ticket could be fed through, allowing the gate to open and the passenger to walk through, and on stand-alone Oyster validators, which do not operate a barrier. Since 2010, Oyster Pay as you go has been available on all National Rail services within London. Oyster Pay as you go has
9890-502: The public sector, the infrastructure (track, trains, tunnels, signals, and stations) were to be leased to private firms for 30 years, during which these companies would implement various improvements. The two consortiums awarded contracts were Tube Lines and Metronet . In July 2007, following financial difficulties, Metronet was placed in administration and its responsibilities were transferred back into public ownership under TfL in May 2008. During 2009, Tube Lines, having encountered
10005-572: The relocation from the existing base at Ash Grove. It had a Peak Vehicle Requirement of 53 buses and operated London bus routes 1 , 42 and 185 . When Mandela Way - West (MA) garage closed on 30 April 2010 it operated the following types of buses: Following on from Ash Grove's role, Mandela Way serviced the East Thames Buses fleet. In the last few months of East Thames Buses operation, route 1 moved next door to Mandela Way (MW) (the original London General depot) but were still maintained by
10120-405: The resulting revenue was to be invested in London's transport system. At the time of its implementation, the scheme was the largest ever undertaken by a capital city. During 2003, TfL took over responsibility for the London Underground, after terms for a controversial public-private partnership (PPP) maintenance contract had been agreed. While the Underground trains themselves were operated by
10235-508: The roads to avoid the need for agreement with owners of property on the surface. This opened in 1890 with electric locomotives that hauled carriages with small opaque windows, nicknamed padded cells . The Waterloo and City Railway opened in 1898, followed by the Central London Railway in 1900, known as the "twopenny tube". These two ran electric trains in circular tunnels having diameters between 11 feet 8 inches (3.56 m) and 12 feet 2.5 inches (3.72 m), whereas
10350-448: The same way as contactless payment cards. The fares are the same as those charged on a debit or credit card, including the same daily capping. During 2020, one in five journeys were made using mobile devices instead of using contactless bank cards, and TfL had become the most popular Apple Pay merchant in the UK. TfL's expertise in contactless payments has led other cities such as New York , Sydney , Brisbane and Boston to license
10465-463: The same way for the passenger as an Oyster card , including the use of capping and reduced fares compared to paper tickets. The widespread use of contactless payment - around 25 million journeys each week - has meant that TfL is now one of Europe's largest contactless merchants, with one in 10 contactless transactions in the UK taking place on the TfL network. Mobile payments - such as Apple Pay , Google Pay and Samsung Pay - are also accepted in
10580-503: The security and smooth running of the 2012 Summer Olympics . The London Underground Network Operations Centre is now located on the fifth floor of Palestra and not within STTOC. The centre featured in the 2013 BBC Two documentary series The Route Masters: Running London's Roads . Transport for London introduced the "Connect" project for radio communications during the 2000s, to improve radio connections for London Underground staff and
10695-496: The service. The Metropolitan District Railway (commonly known as the District Railway ) opened in December 1868 from South Kensington to Westminster as part of a plan for an underground "inner circle" connecting London's main-line stations. The Metropolitan and District railways completed the Circle line in 1884, built using the cut and cover method. Both railways expanded, the District building five branches to
10810-596: The shared ownership of the inner circle. The District, needing to raise the finance necessary, found an investor in the American Charles Yerkes who favoured a DC system similar to that in use on the City & South London and Central London railways. The Metropolitan Railway protested about the change of plan, but after arbitration by the Board of Trade , the DC system was adopted. Yerkes soon had control of
10925-546: The structure and level of public transport fares in London. The day-to-day running of the corporation is left to the Commissioner of Transport for London . TfL eventually replaced London Regional Transport, and discontinued the use of the London Transport brand in favour of its own brand. The transfer of responsibility was staged, with transfer of control of London Underground delayed until July 2003, when London Underground Limited became an indirect subsidiary of TfL. In
11040-612: The sub-surface network and the deep-tube lines. The Circle , District , Hammersmith & City , and Metropolitan lines form the sub-surface network, with cut-and-cover railway tunnels just below the surface and of a similar size to those on British main lines They converged on a bi-directional loop in central London, sharing tracks and stations with each other at various places along their respective routes. The Bakerloo , Central , Jubilee, Northern, Piccadilly, Victoria and Waterloo & City lines are deep-level tubes, with smaller trains that run in circular tunnels ( tubes ) with
11155-521: The suburban and countryside areas. The Metropolitan line can reach speeds of 62 mph (100 km/h). The London Underground was used for 1.181 billion journeys in the year 2023–2024. The Underground uses several railways and alignments that were built by main-line railway companies. Chiltern Railways shares track with the Metropolitan Line between Harrow-on-the-Hill and Amersham. Three South Western Railway passenger trains
11270-418: The system runs on the surface. There are 20 miles (32 km) of sub-surface tunnels and 93 miles (150 km) of tube tunnels. Many of the central London Underground stations on deep-level tube routes are higher than the running lines to assist deceleration when arriving and acceleration when departing. Trains generally run on the left-hand track. In some places, the tunnels are above each other (for example,
11385-407: The technology from TfL and Cubic . Each of the main transport units has its own corporate identity, formed by differently coloured versions of the standard roundel logo and adding appropriate lettering across the horizontal bar. The roundel rendered in blue without any lettering represents TfL as a whole (see Transport for London logo), as well as used in situations where lettering on the roundel
11500-464: The term Tube was later adopted alongside the Underground. The Bakerloo line was extended north to Queen's Park to join a new electric line from Euston to Watford , but the First World War delayed construction and trains reached Watford Junction in 1917. During air raids in 1915 people used the tube stations as shelters. An extension of the Central line west to Ealing was also delayed by
11615-461: The total cost of Crossrail rose to £18.25 billion by November 2019, and increased further to £18.8 billion by December 2020. On 17 May 2022, the line was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II in honour of her Platinum Jubilee . TfL commissioned a survey in 2013 which showed that 15% of women using public transport in London had been the subject of some form of unwanted sexual behaviour but that 90% of incidents were not reported to
11730-622: The transport modes that come under the control of TfL have their own charging and ticketing regimes for single fare. Buses and trams share a common fare and ticketing regime, and the DLR, Overground, Underground, and National Rail services another. Rail service fares in the capital are calculated by a zonal fare system. London is divided into eleven fare zones , with every station on the London Underground , London Overground , Docklands Light Railway and, since 2007, on National Rail services, being in one, or in some cases, two zones. The zones are mostly concentric rings of increasing size emanating from
11845-456: The underground and bus systems on 7 July 2005. Numerous TfL staff were recognised in the 2006 New Year honours list for the actions taken on that day, including aiding survivors, removing bodies, and restoring the transport system so that millions of commuters were able to depart London at the end of the workday. The incident was heavily scrutinised, leading to various long term changes being proposed by groups such as London Assembly , including
11960-437: The war and was completed in 1920. After the war, government-backed financial guarantees were used to expand the network and the tunnels of the City and South London and Hampstead railways were linked at Euston and Kennington; the combined service was not named the Northern line until later. The Metropolitan promoted housing estates near the railway with the " Metro-land " brand and nine housing estates were built near stations on
12075-562: The west reaching Ealing , Hounslow , Uxbridge , Richmond and Wimbledon and the Metropolitan eventually extended as far as Verney Junction in Buckinghamshire – more than 50 miles (80 km) from Baker Street and the centre of London. For the first deep-level tube line, the City and South London Railway , two 10 feet 2 inches (3.10 m) diameter circular tunnels were dug between King William Street (close to today's Monument station ) and Stockwell , under
12190-761: The worst civilian disaster in Britain during the Second World War, and the largest loss of life in a single incident on the London Underground network. On 1 January 1948, under the provisions of the Transport Act 1947 , the London Passenger Transport Board was nationalised and renamed the London Transport Executive , becoming a subsidiary transport organisation of the British Transport Commission , which
12305-537: Was Bob Kiley . The first chair was then- Mayor of London Ken Livingstone , and the first deputy chair was Dave Wetzel. Livingstone and Wetzel remained in office until the election of Boris Johnson as Mayor in 2008. Johnson took over as chairman, and in February 2009 fellow-Conservative Daniel Moylan was appointed as his deputy. Transport for London Corporate Archives holds business records for TfL and its predecessor bodies and transport companies. Some early records are also held on behalf of TfL Corporate Archives at
12420-480: Was called in to operate routes 42 and 185 following the collapse of London Easylink . On 3 October 2009 Transport for London sold East Thames Buses to Go-Ahead London . When it was formed, East Thames Buses operated from the former London Forest and Kentish Bus Ash Grove bus garage and Harris's Belvedere Garage. On 13 October 2005 Ash Grove was vacated and operations transferred to Mandela Way, Southwark . Mandela Way - West opened in late 2005 following
12535-430: Was formed on the same day. Under the same act, the country's main line railways were also nationalised, and their reconstruction was given priority over the maintenance of the Underground and most of the unfinished plans of the pre-war New Works Programme were shelved or postponed. The District line needed new trains and an unpainted aluminium train entered service in 1953, this becoming the standard for new trains. In
12650-566: Was introduced ahead of schedule. On 29 August 2023, the ULEZ was expanded to cover all 32 London boroughs, bringing an additional five million people into the zone. During 2020, passenger numbers, along with associated revenue, went into a sharp downturn as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom . In response, TfL services were reduced; specifically, all Night Overground and Night Tube services, as well as all services on
12765-554: Was officially opened by Prince Andrew, Duke of York , in November 2009. The centre monitors and coordinates official responses to traffic congestion, incidents and major events in London. London Buses Command and Control Centre ( CentreComm ), London Streets Traffic Control Centre (LSTCC) and the Metropolitan Police Traffic Operation Control Centre (MetroComm) were brought together under STTOC. STTOC played an important part in
12880-571: Was reproduced on posters and displayed all over the London Underground. During 2010, TfL commissioned artist Mark Wallinger to assist them in celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Underground, by creating the Labyrinth Project, with one enamel plaque mounted permanently in each of the Tube's 270 stations. In 2015, in partnership with the London Transport Museum and sponsored by Exterion Media , TfL launched Transported by Design , an 18-month programme of activities. The intention
12995-531: Was to showcase the importance of both physical and service design across London's transport network. In October 2015, after two months of public voting, the black cab topped the list of favourite London transport icons, which also included the original Routemaster bus and the Tube map , among others. In 2016, the programme held exhibitions, walks and a festival at Regent Street on 3 July. London Underground The London Underground (also known simply as
13110-586: Was under consideration since 2014 under London Mayor Boris Johnson . Johnson announced in 2015 that the zone covering the same areas as the congestion charge would come into operation in September 2020. Sadiq Khan , Johnson's successor, introduced an emissions surcharge, called the Toxicity Charge or "T-Charge", for non-compliant vehicles from 2017. The Toxicity Charge was replaced by the Ultra Low Emission Zone on 8 April 2019, which
13225-458: Was used for two years in the development of the first underground train, and was later, in 1861, filled up. The world's first underground railway, it opened in January 1863 between Paddington and Farringdon using gas-lit wooden carriages hauled by steam locomotives. It was hailed as a success, carrying 38,000 passengers on the opening day, and borrowing trains from other railways to supplement
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